Church on a Weekday: Real Ministry Through Everyday Community Needs

When you picture “church,” what comes to mind? A sanctuary filled on Sunday morning? Preaching, singing, sacraments? That’s part of it—but Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church in Sauk Village, Illinois invites us to imagine something more. In a small town with a small congregation, they’ve become a hub of hope by opening their doors not just for worship—but for food, clothing, mentoring, and healing.

And they’ve done it with a congregation of about 40 people.

Here’s what you and your church can learn—and do—from their example.

1. Start with What You Have

Emmanuel CRC’s story: They didn’t wait for more members or money. They looked at their building, their neighborhood, and their calling—and opened a food pantry and thrift store. Small doesn’t mean insignificant. Ministry starts with mustard seeds.

Small steps you could take:

• Open one room in your building one evening a week to serve free meals or distribute groceries.
• Offer your space to a local addiction recovery group—especially if there’s a need but no nearby meeting place.
• Partner with a neighborhood school to run an after-school club or homework help group in your church basement.

The invitation is simple: Let your space breathe. Let it become a place people come to all week long—for hope, not just hymns.

2. Build a Sustainable Model

Emmanuel’s thrift store funds their pantry. It’s not flashy, but it works. Proceeds pay for food and basic needs, while community members get affordable clothing and goods.

Small steps you could take:

• Host a quarterly thrift or yard sale as a fundraiser for your church's service work.
• Create a small pop-up shop or coffee stand in a church hallway on Sundays or Wednesday evenings. Let teens help run it as a service project (and you may discover a few budding baristas, too)
• Use proceeds from a thrift sale to fund something specific and visible—like backpacks for local kids or a new freezer for a food shelf.

Think of this not just as fundraising—but relationship building. These spaces allow people to linger, talk, and connect with the church in ways that feel natural and welcoming.

3. Discern as a Community

Emmanuel CRC participates in Resonate’s Go Local process, using practices like “Dwelling in the Word” and communal listening to discern how the Spirit is leading them.

Small steps you could take:

• Commit to a season (e.g., 6 weeks) of intentional prayer and discernment.
• Use Scripture listening practices in council or ministry team meetings.

• Involve a diversity of voices—especially younger members, newcomers, and community partners. Your best ideas and thinkers are probably already walking alongside you.

  This isn’t about jumping to action—it’s about cultivating attention. As one leader at Emmanuel CRC put it, “We listen before we act.”

4. Think Local and Global

While Emmanuel CRC is deeply invested in its local neighborhood, it also supports global missionaries. One strengthens the other.

Small steps you could take:

• Connect local ministry with your global partnerships, (one great thing about being in the CRC is our wonderful mission and service agencies like Resonate Global Mission or World Renew—e.g., “We’re collecting food here and sending support there.”
• Invite missionaries to speak about how small churches make a big difference
• Participate in service trips that help your youth see that justice and compassion are both local and international.

Faithful presence in your zip code equips you to care far beyond it.

5. Be Patient—and Keep Showing Up

One of Emmanuel’s leaders said, “Sometimes people look at a church and want immediate results. That’s not how God works.”

Take the long view.

• Celebrate small milestones—one person helped, one neighbor welcomed. For that one person, it can mean the world.
• Keep relationships central: consistency builds trust.
• Let your neighbors know: We’re here. We’re staying. We care.

Because this—these everyday acts of service and presence—this is church. And it matters.

Emmanuel CRC doesn’t just do ministry—they embody it in ordinary places. Their work reminds us that the gospel is good news for the whole person: body and soul, here and now.

You don’t need a megachurch to make a difference. Just a few people with open hands, open hearts, and a willingness to say:

"Yes, Lord. Use us."