02 August
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20:21
God has a mission to reconcile all of creation through Jesus Christ. Just as God sent Christ into the world as the center of that mission, Christ sends the church into the world to continue that mission. As Alan Hirsch writes, “[i]t is not so much that the church has a mission, but that God’s mission has a church.”
So, when it comes to missions at Second Baptist, we want to be asking “God questions:”
- What is God doing in our neighborhoods, our city, our region, and our world? What does God want to do?
- How can we discern where God is already working and joyfully participate?
When the church discerns and acts in step with the Spirit, it becomes “a sign, a foretaste, and instrument of the in-breaking reign of God.” (Leslie Newbigin, A Word in Season: Perspectives on Christian World Mission, 94).
Come join us in carrying out God’s mission in the world!
Ongoing Mission Opportunities
Click an image to learn more.
Every child deserves to walk into school feeling confident and ready to learn. That’s why Bruce Hobart started the West Virginia Shoe Mission in 2014. His simple but powerful belief? Breaking the chains of poverty begins with a pair of tennis shoes.
WV Shoe Mission provides brand-new shoes to elementary school children in McDowell County, West Virginia – one of the most underserved areas in our country.
Your Impact Makes a Difference
Since 2014, caring donors like you have helped us give over 8,500 pairs of new shoes to children in need. Imagine a child’s joy when they receive their very own pair of brand-new shoes that will help them feel confident, comfortable, and ready to focus on learning.
How It Works
Bruce personally works with guidance counselors at McDowell County elementary schools to get each child’s name, age, and shoe size. Then he shops for every single child, rents a truck, and drives the shoes to West Virginia to hand them out personally. Your donation goes directly to purchasing shoes – no administrative costs, just shoes for kids who need them.
This year, our goal is to help 710 kids!
HOW TO DONATE
Mail or Drop Off
Make checks payable to: Second Baptist Church
Write “WV Shoes” on the memo line
Mail to: Wendy Martin, Financial Administrator
Second Baptist Church
9614 River Road, Henrico, VA 23229
Or drop in the collection plate on Sunday
Online Donation
Visit our online donation portal using the link here.
Select “West VA Missions” from the drop-down menu
This ensures your donation goes directly to the shoe mission.
Thank you in advance for any support you can provide!
The Clothes Closet serves our community year-round by providing gently used clothing to neighbors who are in need or have found themselves in an emergency situation.
Donate Clothing: Please drop off your seasonal, gently used clothing in the 3-drawer bins in the FLC Commons and office hallway. Volunteer: Year-round, volunteers meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 1:00 pm to sort through donated clothes and size and hang them. Additional times are the 2nd and 4th Friday mornings from 9:30-11:30 am. Obtain Clothing: For those in ESL, the Clothes Closet is open to students on the 2nd and 4th Monday nights at 8 p.m. In coordination with the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, the Clothes Closet is open to the community on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month from 9:30 – 11:30 am. If you are interested in stopping by, please call the church (804.740.7101) to confirm that these ministries will be open that week.
The Loaves and Fishes food pantry provides food, prayer, and grocery-store gift cards to those in need. In coordination with the Clothes Closet Ministry, our food pantry doors are open to the community every 2nd and 4th Friday from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m (2nd Friday only in November and December). If you are interested in stopping by, please call the church (804.740.7101) to confirm that these ministries will be open that week.
Recent Events
“MardiBras & More” Event – April 2026
Second Baptist was the host site for our community mission partner, Into the Neighborhood, and their “MardiBras & More” distribution event. MardiBras seeks to connect people around a common cause of serving women who are in recovery, homeless, incarcerated, or on a low/restricted income by collecting and giving away bras, new underwear, pads, tampons and more.
On April 11th, over a hundred and fifty volunteers and women from the community gathered at 2BC to enjoy connecting over coffee and donuts, lunch, and doing uniquely expressive crafts. The participants also processed through three stations in three shifts with volunteers to “shop” for free shoes, underwear, bras, and feminine products. It was a sweet time of hospitality and generosity for all who participated.
Rise Against Hunger Meal Packing Event – March 2026
On March 7, we hosted more than 250 people from our church and the community to pack more than 50,100 meals for hungry children overseas. Again this year, we partnered with the amazing folks at Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030.
To all of our volunteers and participants, we want to say a mighty “THANK YOU!” for showing up with your energy, your smile, and your servant love. Well done, good and faithful servants! We look forward to coming together again next year for the fellowship and fun, the music, the stylish hairnets, the hunger education, and the joy of serving together. You can watch the news report from Channel 6 here or read the report from Channel 8 here.
Meals you packaged are headed to the Philippines!: The Philippines consists of over 7,000 islands in the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean. One of the most environmentally disaster-prone countries in the world, it faces near-constant threats of natural disasters like earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions. These disasters cause displacement and major loss of livelihoods and infrastructure, and disproportionately affect poor communities in rural areas, where people rely on agriculture and fishing. The Global Hunger Index, which assesses food insecurity based on indicators that measure undernourishment and undernutrition, categorizes the Philippines as having a “moderate” level of hunger overall. Rise Against Hunger serves the regions of the Philippines where hunger is most urgent.
Your impact: To address some of the food security challenges that children, families, and communities in the Philippines face, Rise Against Hunger partners with organizations that support educational programs by providing meals to children at schools and early child development centers. This is a key part of Rise Against Hunger’s Nourishing Lives pathway. In some cases, the food children receive at school will be the majority of the food they eat in a day. The meals you packaged will help ensure that children have access to the consistent nourishment they need to live healthy lives and successfully pursue their education. Read more about how your meals make an impact by checking out our Pathways to End Hunger!
Slingshot Men’s Recovery Event at Second Baptist Church- December 2025
The Wellness Center, in partnership with Into The Neighborhood, hosted a Slingshot Men’s Recovery Event. 2BC volunteers, along with volunteers from other churches and several men’s recovery houses, gathered for a fun day of Holiday Cheer. We enjoyed playing games, sports, and holiday gift-making. Then, we gathered together for lunch, a devotion from one of the men’s recovery leaders, and time for hanging out and sharing.
Slingshot Men’s Recovery Event at the James River – August 2024
The Wellness Center, in partnership with Into The Neighborhood, hosted a Slingshot Men’s Recovery Event on Saturday, August 17th at the James River. 2BC volunteers along with volunteers from other churches and several men’s recovery houses gathered for a fun day at Robious Landing Park. We enjoyed kayaking, swimming, corn hole, bocce ball, volleyball, and frisbee. Then, we gathered together for lunch, a devotion from one of the men’s recovery leaders, and time for hanging out and sharing.
Missional Pizza Party to Support Rise Richmond – August 2024
On Sunday, August 11, 2BC volunteers enjoyed fun, food, and fellowship in the Family Life Center as we stuffed almost 100 backpacks with school supplies to benefit our Jazz Christmas Mission Partner, Rise Richmond. Many thanks to all those who donated school supplies, money, and time! It was a particular joy because, at the event, we were joined by Rise Academy’s principal, Dr. Brittany Lopes, and Assistant Principal, Moira Sallade.
Backpack Donation to Crossover Clinic – August 2024
Whitney Milici, a member of 2BC’s Mission Council, dropping off hundreds of backpacks the church recently donated to Crossover Healthcare Ministry. As the new school year approaches, Crossover will be donating over 1,000 backpacks to students in Richmond City, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County.
Upcoming Events
Stay tuned...