Our mission team decided more needed to be done to promote inter-racial communication and to build stronger relationships with African-American churches in St. Louis. In 2017, Second Baptist met with the leaders of four other American Baptist churches, and formed an ongoing mission project with the goal of increasing understanding by discussing difficult subjects such as racism and working together to give a helping hand to those in need. Today five churches meet quarterly for Courageous Conversation and to collaborate on mission projects. The churches include Antioch, Dayspring, Second Baptist, Southern Union Missionary and Third Baptist. 

Mission projects are simple and offer direct assistance. We collect small household items and appliances for Southern Union. In return, we are recipients of aluminum cans from Antioch for recycling by our Karen (immigrants and new U.S. citizens from Myanmar/Burma). At Thanksgiving, we supplied over 800 cans of food to assist Antioch in serving the needy in their community. Second Baptist also supports Christmas Adopt-a-Family programs in under-served communities. Second Baptist has many other missions, including a back-pack project for students needing assistance for school supplies. Monetary support is provided to: St. Louis Area Food Bank, Room at the Inn, Habitat for Humanity, and The Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project. 

Second Baptist is blessed to have several families who are full participants in our church who have come to the U.S. in the past dozen years as refugees. 

These families are originally from Burma (Myanmar), but due to political strife, relocated to refugee camps in Thailand.  Their original languages are Karen or Karenni. Now, most of our Karen members speak English very well but still enjoy worshiping in their original language.  Our congregation has helped these new citizens navigate through many hurdles, and we share many joyous occasions!

In August, three members became American citizens: Thoo Lay Paw, Wah Gay Moo and Tha Blay Paw.  Melanie Keeney, an attorney and SBC member spoke at the ceremony while other church friends joined the group.  We are proud of the accomplishments of nearly a dozen former refugees in our congregation who are now citizens!

Our dollars focus on remote world events that need our attention or community missions in our own country and Puerto Rico. The funds for the four major offerings support our young future ministers and missionaries with the education and guidance needed to be strong leaders. Also, dollars are sent to areas devastated by natural disasters or places providing assistance to refugees. Second Baptist provides individual gifts to other worthy organizations and projects.

ABW of Second Baptist donates monetary contributions to charities providing grass roots help. Local charities include the St. Louis Area Foodbank, Heat-up St. Louis, and St. John’s Community Ministry Services. World missions support include monetary gifts for clothing, food, hygiene, school supplies, diapers and disaster relief to more than 10 countries.

Our youth spend volunteer time with many worthy local charities.

-World Food Day, an annual food-packaging event to help feed hungry people living locally and abroad. 

- KEEN St. Louis, helping kids with disabilities stay active. 

- St. Louis Crisis Nursery, taking care of families in crisis by spending time with their babies and small children.

-Gateway Greening, cleaning up gardens for the growing season. Vegetables are given to people around St. Louis who can’t afford fresh vegetables. 

-Great River Greenway “Confluence Trash Bash”, an annual clean-up around St. Louis County and North St. Louis. 

-Christmas Caroling at care centers, bringing cheer and blessings.

Each year our children support a special project with Heifer International, a charity organization working to end hunger and poverty around the world by providing livestock and training to struggling communities.

This year the Primary Class studied poverty in Africa and as their response sponsored a fundraiser called “Milk Money Project” to provide milk to school children in Tanzania. With the leadership of our children and their teacher, the church raised $800 to provide milk for 11 students for a year. 

Last year, the children and church community got into a good-spirited competition on raising money for goats. Nearly $1,200 was raised to purchase 10 goats through Heifer International to provide milk and a sustainable food source. Some in the congregation even had goats named after them, quite an honor!