Community Ministries
First Covenant Church
Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)
We live in a world in need of God’s restoration and healing. The Bible tells us that Christians are to partner with God and each other to heal the world. First Covenant Church develops life-giving partnerships with churches and Christian organizations. Our partnerships extend beyond boundaries that commonly divide, such as denomination, politics, class, race, age, abilities or gender. Diversity deepens our understanding of how God made each and every one in God’s own image.
Carpenter's Place
The Carpenter’s Place provides the tools necessary for rebuilding the lives of homeless adults. First Covenant Church provides the guests of Carpenters Place a meal the second Monday of each month. People sign up to provide one portion of the meal, and then a designated group will bring down the meal and serve it. This ministry helps connect homeless adults to the love of Jesus by meeting their needs with a nutritious meal. Anyone can donate toward the lunch by calling the church office (815-398-4247) each month to find out the needs for that month.*
*Due to Covid-19, the details have been changing each month for the availability of serving the meal.
Food Pantry
First Covenant Church provides a food pantry by receiving donations of food from the church body. Our food pantry is stocked and available for the food needs of our community. The food pantry operates as a once a month visit or emergency use only.
If you know someone in need, please contact the church office (815-398-4247) with a name of the family that would need this service. Please allow 24 hours for the food to be available. We also work with One Body Collaborative as one of their food closets geared to meet their client’s needs.
Tutoring Club
First Covenant Church runs a tutoring club which meets weekly on Tuesday evenings. It is a one on one tutoring time with a student and adult who serves as their mentor, teacher and friend. Each Tuesday the night consists of a full meal with the whole group, tutoring time individually with their tutor and a group Bible study. Each year there is a fun theme to help promote unity with the group. The program is geared for elementary grade students and meets from October through April.
*Because of Covid-19, our tutoring club is not meeting at the moment. Stay tuned for updates!
One Body Collaboratives
One Body Collaboratives is a faith-based nonprofit with a mission to “Mobilize, Further Develop, and Coordinate Church and Community Resources To Rebuild Lives and Transform Our Community.”
This goal is achieved through working with many partners in the community including over 100 Local Churches representing over 20 denominations of the Christian faith, 40 Ministries and more than 120 Agencies coordinating resources to help those in need.
One Body Collaboratives
One Body Collaboratives is a faith-based nonprofit with a mission to
“Mobilize, Further Develop, and Coordinate Church and Community Resources To Rebuild Lives and Transform Our Community.”
This goal is achieved through working with many partners in the community including over 100 Local Churches representing over 20 denominations of the Christian faith, 40 Ministries and more than 120 Agencies coordinating resources to help those in need.
The Resource Coordination Center provides referrals and resources for families facing a hardship. And, the Bridges Out of Poverty project provides our community with a comprehensive approach to reducing poverty, while also working directly with families to build their resources through the Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting-By World curriculum.
Habitat for Humanity
First Covenant Church has helped build over 20 homes for Habitat for Humanity. The volunteers from First Covenant Church and other local Covenant Churches in conjunction with the organization work on the floor plan, its building schedule and the new home owner, to provide this new opportunity. Habitat for Humanity is a partnership, not a giveaway program—Habitat’s homeowner families buy the houses that Habitat builds and renovates. Habitat homeowners also invest hundreds of hours of their own labor working alongside volunteers. As a result, Habitat for Humanity houses are affordable to low-income families in and around Rockford.
River Bluff
River Bluff Nursing Home has been serving the community since 1883. River Bluff proudly provides a continuum of intermediate and skilled nursing services including short-term rehabilitation stays, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, long
term intermediate care and palliative and hospice care. Each month a team from First Covenant Church provides an entertaining activity time for the residents, with the “Wheel of Fortune” game and other activities. They then join in a hymn sing and hear a meaningful message from the Bible. The team consists of various volunteers from First Covenant Church and the community.
*Because of Covid-19, River Bluff is not allowing visitors right now. Stay tuned for updates.
Abolitionist Society
We are a group formed from First Covenant Church in Rockford, IL. Along with the Covenant Church’s denominational commitment to compassion, justice and mercy, we feel compelled to bring awareness to this global crisis and to encourage others that they can make a difference. We partner with Rockford University’s Sex, Slavery and Society class and RAMS (Regents Against Modern Slavery) to host awareness events, collect essential supplies for a trafficking safe house and assemble work parties to fix up the safe house.
Our mission is to move people from ignorance to awareness and from awareness to activism that we may see the end of all aspects of the modern-day slave trade in our lifetime.
Community Garden
Located on the property of First Covenant Church, volunteers from church and the neighborhood group of Alpine Ridge plant and care for vegetables in 8 raised beds. The garden donates to “Plant a Row“, a local food pantry. The produce donated to the pantry is usually over 100 pounds. Anyone in our neighborhood is welcome to the produce too. The only stipulation is that if you pick a vegetable, please pick a weed. This ministry has been going for over 12 years. Last year a Boy Scout in the church built four more raised beds for his Eagle project which brought us more available gardens to the disabled.
Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ is a nonprofit organization seeking to empower disadvantaged teens spiritually, socially, and emotionally through creative programs and healthy relationships with adult mentors.
The Mission of Youth for Christ is to reach young people, working together with local churches and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to prayer and the Word of God, passion for sharing the love of Christ and commitment to social involvement.
Rockford Rescue Mission
Rockford Rescue Mission shares hope and help in Jesus’ name to move people from homelessness and despair toward personal and spiritual wholeness.
The Crisis programs provide food and shelter to hundreds of men, women and children each day. The Life Recovery Programs offers long-term, Christ-centered help and hope for men and women struggling with addiction, domestic violence and other desperate circumstances. The Mission Works! Center tutors, trains and tests people for the workplace. The Performing Arts Center encourages music and arts exploration and our Hope Clinic offers free medical, nursing, chiropractic and dental care.
Kairos
The mission of the Kairos Prison Ministry is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities.
The vision is for a Community spiritually freed from the effects of imprisonment reaching all impacted by incarceration, through the love, hope, and faith found in Jesus Christ.
World Vision - Global Walk for Water
Thousands of participants around the globe united to walk or run in World Vision’s Global 6K for Water each year. Six kilometers is the average distance people in the developing world walk for water, which is often contaminated with life-threatening diseases. At First Covenant Church we have sponsored a walk for the past three years. Because of Covid-19 each team member walked in her and his own neighborhood to social distance. Even with that deterrent we were able to raise over $600 for this need. Join us each May as we Walk for Water.
Rockford Reachout Jail Ministries
Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry has served our community by preparing incarcerated adults and youth to live a crime-free and Chirst-centered life after they leave incarceration and return to our community.
Reachout Inside delivers the Gospel through over 30 weekly Christ-centered classes. Reachout Outside pairs men and women returning from jail or prison with a certified Reachout Life Coach. Reachout Youth helps to prepare incarcerated young people to stay in school, off drugs and out of gangs.
Rock House Kids
Rock House Kids is a nonprofit organization that strives to feed Rockford’s inner-city children physically, spiritually and emotionally. Since 1999, we have cared for kids, ages 6-18, by providing a safe, warm and nurturing environment four evenings a week. God’s love is shared with inner-city children through Biblical principles, with physical and spiritual solutions. Hot meals are served while the kids enjoy music and an instructional time. The program is led by compassionate, adult volunteers who teach basic life skills, encourage the kids to do their best in school, and develop positive goals for their futures.
Christmas in a Box for Ukraine
During our winter season, volunteers get together at a fun filled packing party to pack gift bags filled with toys, clothes, school supplies and treats. All of the items have been donated from the church attendees. These bags are sent over for our sister church in Ukraine. This is a way of blessing and helping their ministry as they draw people to their church in many ways such as summer Bible school, help with soldiers’ families and holiday celebrations. Each bag can show Jesus’ love to these children in need.
Crossroads Kids Club
First Covenant Church has mobilized a group of people to share the Good News at our neighborhood elementary school, Maud Johnson School. We are fortunate to lead a church based club in a public school and connecting these children and families to the life of our church so that they might experience the abundant life that Jesus promised. Every Wednesday during the school year a team gathers with a great bunch of children after school and check in with them on how their day has been, enjoy a treat, play games and hear a dynamic Bible story that speaks to their life.
*Because of Covid-19 we are limited in this ministry for the time being. Stay tuned for updates.
Deer Ridge Ministries
Dear Ridge exists to provide a five day refuge for pastors and their spouses. The retreat house and grounds provide a place of peace, refreshment and rest for body and soul at no cost to their guests! Self-directed paths of study are provided for all retreat attendees. There are several choices of studies provided for your week of spiritual renewal.
Deer Ridge also offers a Prayer Chapel where guests come for a day of Sabbath prayer and meditation in privacy and in the midst of the beautiful 5 acre landscape.
Reading Buddies
Reading buddies is a program that brings together volunteers from the community and First Covenant Church to read with third grade students at King Elementary School. The Reading Buddies program helps these students practice their reading skills on a weekly basis and provides a mentoring relationship with their adult buddy. This is another ministry that is very practical in its need and shows Jesus’ love to these students.
*Because of Covid-19, we are limited in this ministry for the time being. Stay tuned for updates.
Get Involved
For more information about how you can support our Community Ministries, please contact office@firstcovrockford.org.
