Nearly 1,000 Attend Chicago Area Church Launches

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Oct. 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Community Christian Church celebrated the launch of three locations the weekend of October 19-20.  A total of 915 people attended the Celebration Services that launched the new Lincoln Park | Old Town, the new Glen Ellyn, and the re-launched Lincoln Square sites of Community Christian Church.

“We are still celebrating and thanking God for all that happened this weekend at our Lincoln Park | Old Town and Glen Ellyn launches and the grand re-opening of our Lincoln Square location,” said Jon Ferguson, Co-Founder and Network Leader of Community Christian Church.  “While attendance numbers only tell part of the story, we are thrilled that288 people celebrated for the first time at Lincoln Park | Old Town, 508 people came for the launch in Glen Ellyn, and 119 people were on hand as Community Lincoln Square opened its doors in a great new location and partnership with Gateway to Learning.”

COMMUNITY Lincoln Square now meets at and partners with Gateway to Learning, a local non-profit dedicated to providing services for individuals with special needs to reach their full potential.  Already, COMMUNITY attenders have contributed to Gateway by completing building and ground improvement projects and volunteering at Gateway’s programs.  “Gateway to Learning Board Member Victor Bernstein spoke at our ribbon cutting about how the Spirit of God has always been present at Gateway, and that during COMMUNITY’s service, he felt that spirit in us,” enthused COMMUNITY Lincoln Square Pastor Tammy Melchien.  During their Celebration Service, COMMUNITY gave Gateway to Learning a $3,453 donation, which was raised during the church’s annual Celebration Generosity weekend.  Gateway To Learning posted on its Facebook page, “Thank you all for a wonderful celebration, and a huge thank you to Tammy Melchien and the members of COMMUNITY for collecting nearly $3,500 in donations for our program! We look forward to seeing where this amazing partnership takes us next, and are so glad to be sharing our home with Community Christian Church.”

COMMUNITY Lincoln Park | Old Town, which meets in historic Germania Place, is serving Chicago’s 43rd Ward by participating in a variety of programs, including their biggest event of the year, a senior bingo night.  “We couldn’t be more proud to continue to extend the mission of helping people find their way back to God across Chicago,” raved Lincoln Park | Old Town Pastor Eric Metcalf. “Some of our strategic partners attended and were blown away by their experience, including Alderman Michelle Smith.  Sandra Lyles, who we've been partnering with to serve an elderly community, attended for the first time and said she'll be back every week!” A team of 45 volunteers pitched in to produce the Lincoln Park | Old Town launch, and as a result, 50 families requested more information about getting involved in COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY Glen Ellyn has begun serving its community by fundraising for Bridge Communities, a transitional housing program for homeless families in DuPage County based in Glen Ellyn. Seventy five volunteers were involved in Glen Ellyn’s launch, contributing in everything from hospitality to children’s ministry to the arts.

Ferguson added, “It’s exciting to think that many of these people [who attended the launches] will have the opportunity to find their way back to God over the next few months and eventually join us to reach more people who are far from God and restore God's dream for our communities.”

Founded in 1989 by five college friends - including Jon Ferguson and his brother Dave, who serves as COMMUNITY’s lead pastor - Community Christian Church is steadfastly dedicated to its mission of helping people find their way back to God.  With the newest launches, COMMUNITY now operates through 14 locations in Chicago’ city and suburbs.  Each of COMMUNITY’s locations is active in its community, participating in such varied activities as barbeques, hands-on improvement days, food pantry collections, family events, and more.

Community Christian Church is a nondenominational Christian church whose mission is helping people find their way back to God.  Community currently serves through 14 locations throughout Chicagoland.  To learn more about Community Christian Church, please call 630-388-5000 or visit www.communitychristian.org.