Chicago Mennonite
Voluntary Service

Chicago Mennonite Voluntary Service is a volunteer program where participants live together in a house in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. The volunteers serve local nonprofit companies located across the city of Chicago for one to two years.

This page is currently under construction. Stay tuned for more information!

Join A Community

The Chicago MVS unit is located in Pilsen, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood filled with close-knit families and an abundance of public murals. On a typical summer evening, children can be seen playing games along the sidewalks, families sitting on porches late into the evening, and music heard playing through open windows. The area is also known for its animated community life. Nearby public transportation helps connect MVSers with Chicago’s broader diversity.

Join A Cause

Chicago MVSers will combine their gifts and abilities to follow Christian principles in their career as they serve those affected by political, social and economic injustice. All placements require a commute on Chicago’s public transportation system.

The Pilsen Neighborhood

Located on Chicago’s Lower West Side, Pilsen is a working class, residential neighborhood that was originally settled by Czech Americans and became predominantly Mexican American during the 1960’s. Pilsen is now home to a colorful diversity of Latino American culture, Pilsen is known for art, music, dining, and nightlife. Fiesta del Sol, a four day celebration of Mexican culture, and one of the largest in the country, draws over 1.3 million people to Pilsen every Summer.

Chicago MVS Support Committee

Our support committee currently has 5 actively involved members ready to welcome volunteers. We are:

  • Kara Breems

  • Rev. Ashley McFaul-Irwin

  • Tom McKibben

  • Mark Walden

  • Kiernan Wright

Read More About The Support Committee

Supporting Congregations

The Chicago MVS unit is blessed with two supporting congregations, Ellis Avenue Church (Alliance of Baptists) and Lake View Presbyterian Church (PC-USA). The relationship between the Chicago MVS unit and each church has been framed in this way in our dialogue: It is “not a contractual obligation with specified deliverables. It is rather an agreement that the Church and MVS desire to partner with one another, which is expected to take tangible but as yet unknown forms as the relationship unfolds.”

Ellis Avenue Church

Ellis Avenue Church is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Formed within the Southern Baptist Convention but part of it no longer, this progressive congregation is a member of the Alliance of Baptists and is pastored by the Revs. Jonathan Friesen and Jorja Porter; Jonathan is of Mennonite extraction.

Ellis Avenue Church is located in the Kenwood community on the south side of Chicago, and represents the cultural richness of the south side: the global community around the University of Chicago, the Black communities which surround the U of C’s Hyde Park neighborhood, and other ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown and Pilsen. The congregation is a small, dynamic church family supporting one another in all kinds of ways.

Pastor Jonathan wrote, “This is a “no-brainer” that we be… a supporting church for the MVS unit… Ways to include the unit in the life of the church include:

  • Invitations to participate in worship (as they are interested and comfortable)

  • Invitations to join… the Intergenerational or Quiet and Prayer Retreats

  • Invitations to participate in church fellowship opportunities

  • The Free Store could be a resource if they need anything (e.g. kitchen stuff); The Free Store has also been a place where the unit can get rid of stuff they don’t need that are cluttering the house too. It could also be a volunteer opportunity as well.

  • Events to welcome/acknowledge the new household members and to have folks share at the end of their experience”

Lake View Presbyterian Church

Lake View Presbyterian Church is located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, two blocks from Wrigley Field. LVPC is part of the “Boys Town” area and home to the Third Space community center, the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, a theatre company and more.

Pastor Ashley writes: “Lake View Presbyterian Church is honored to serve as a supporting congregation for Mennonite Voluntary Service in Chicago. Decades ago Mennonite Volunteers came to our congregation and assisted with multiple projects. We are excited to partner again many years later. As a community committed to living out inclusive and engaged faith, we look forward to welcoming the volunteers into the life of our congregation. We are committed to extending hospitality by inviting volunteers to worship, sharing meals, and offering a community of care and encouragement throughout their year of service.

Beyond offering welcome and fellowship, Lake View is also glad to provide practical support. Our church facilities will be available as a meeting space for retreats, enrichment days, and gatherings that nurture reflection and community among the volunteers. We can also provide virtual meeting space through our professional Zoom account. Many of our members are deeply connected to non-profit organizations and justice-focused ministries across Chicago, and we are eager to help volunteers make meaningful connections as they explore and deepen their service work. In addition, our members will lend a hand with work days at the MVS house, helping ensure a safe and welcoming living environment.

We are excited to walk alongside the volunteers, sharing friendship, resources, and encouragement as they live out their call to serve and seek the common good in our city.”