NewStart Updates

Links to Key Pages on this Site:

New! -- The District Superintendent writes to potential church planters: "So You'd Like To Be a NewStart Church Planter". Click here to open file.

For Pastors interested in proposing a Church Planting Partnership Project with the District. Click here for relevant materials.

Visit the General Church NewStart Website and read articles like "13 Characteristics of a Church Planter."

One of the most exciting things about being a part of the Church of the Nazarene, is that we are part of a church planting movement! Below you will find regular updates on the various church planting efforts across the Chicago Central District. We have classified these efforts as NewStarts (brand new ministries where none existed before) and ReStarts (where a ministry used to exist but was closed and now a new effort takes its place). You will also notice below the names of the mother-churches and sponsoring churches. These are churches which have a missional vision and are partnering with the district and other churches in the establishment of new congregations in this tremendous mission field of Chicagoland.

08/09/04 Update

Upcoming NewStart Assessment Centers scheduled for Fall 2004

September 13-16, 2004
Kansas City, MO
To register call 1-800-306-8294
Registration deadline -- August 18, 2004

October 25-28, 2004
Lake Placid, FL
To register call 1-800-306-8294
Registration deadline - September 13, 2004

12/19/2003 Update

Fourth Quarter Update (12/19/2003)

We were privileged in the month of October to host, along with Olivet Nazarene University, the first bi-lingual New Church University session, offering instruction in both English and Spanish. What a delight to see some of our Hispanic church planters receiving tools and inspiration that will help them reach the fastest-growing segment of the US population. Our appreciation to Dr. Larry McKain and his team at New Church Specialties for their openness to incorporating Spanish-language instruction into their fine ministry.

Chicago Northside Church and Pastors Perabeau, Clark and Wilson report 3 new works this quarter. Northside has agreed to share its facility for the starting of two new works, a new Korean language ministry, and a new Mongolian language ministry.  Pastor Mie Hae Rhee and her husband lead the Korean work, and they have recruited a Mongolian-speaking Korean pastor to lead the Mongolian work. They are delighted that the Mongolian work is growing even fast than the Korean! Currently 25-30 Koreans and 30-35 Mongolians are gathering for prayer and worship. Along with these two NewStarts, Chicago Northside also houses an English, Vietnamese and Filipino congregations, and in years past has mothered Spanish, Arabic, Korean and Cambodian congregations, some who have moved on to their own facilities and mothered other groups as well. Also begun this quarter at Chicago Northside is a new arts-based ministry called The Intersection, led by Pastor Dave Clark. The Intersection aims to reach into areas of the city not reached by traditional church ministry, by offering after-school instruction, art and music classes, computer instruction, a summer day camp and more. 

Chicago First Church and Pastor Kevin Ulmet are involved in 4 very special and unique missional efforts. (1) They are sponsoring a new work in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Reaching Out Community Church, led by church planter Kenneth Robinson. Reaching Out Community currently meets in a storefront in this, the largest single neighborhood of the city of Chicago. Rev. Robinson and his family have moved into the neighborhood and are "reaching out" with the Good News to help transform the city for Christ. This is a brand new ministry in 2003. (2) Also in the Austin neighborhood, Chicago First Church is partnering with the district in the rehabbing of a old church structure at 500 N. Laramie which belongs to the district and which was purchased during the Chicago Thrust of the mid-1980s. The congregation was closed years ago, but the building retained for future use. Chicago First Church, which moved from the southside of the city to the suburbs several years ago, is back in the city with their commitment to leading ministry efforts in the Austin neighborhood. The building holds potential for multiple ministries, including worship, compassionate ministries, afterschool programs, etc.  (3) The Bridge, is a new Saturday evening worship service at Chicago First Church, designed to reach those with no Christian history. This new service, the third distinct weekly service for First Church, has met with tremendous results and has brought First Church close to the 1,000 mark in total weekly worship attendance. (4) New Horizons, a NewStart mothered by Chicago First Church in 2001, continues to grow and develop and is nearing readiness for formal organization.  Led by church planters, Jim and Janet High, the congregation began with a core group and finances donated by Chicago First Church, and have been worshipping in a community high school in the Chicago suburb of Frankfort, Illinois. New Horizons has located a potential exclusive use rental facility, and are hoping to sign a contract soon. Please keep this prayer request at the top of your list.

Real Life Community Church, a ReStart in the northwest suburb of Crystal Lake, is being led by church planters Jeff and Tannett Hodge. Saturday evening worship will soon give way to Sunday morning services in a school facility.  A potential Easter launch date has been considered and the core group for this new congregation is developing nicely. A strong missional vision and a passion for reaching the lost with Good News about Real Life in Christ are driving this committed congregation in this promising effort. Real Life is being mothered by the Elgin Church of the Nazarene, under the leadership of Pastor Rodney Miller.

The Elgin Church of the Nazarene has also begun a Spanish-language ministry in its facility. The Spanish ministry, under the leadership of Juan Carlos Garcia, is the third ministry at this multi-congregational church, joining an existent Laotian ministry. The Hispanic and Laotian pastors serve as associates to Pastor Rodney Miller. Pastor Juan Carlos and family have moved into the parsonage and are reaching out to a fast-growing Hispanic population in this northwest suburb.

The Chicago Oak Lawn Arabic has hired a recent youth ministry graduate from Olivet Nazarene University, Mike Graham, to serve as youth pastor to the second generation Arabic youth, whose ministry needs are quite different from their first generation immigrant parents. Pastor Graham and his wife have initiated an exciting English-language ministry among the youth that will help ensure the ministry of the congregation spans generational and cultural boundaries on the Mt. Greenwood neighborhood on the south side of the city of Chicago.

In Hickory Hills, a southwest suburb of Chicago, ReStart efforts are underway to begin a multi-congregational ministry, using the facility of a church that was closed two years ago. Currently sponsored by the district, efforts are being made to reach out to this multi-ethnic community which has a significant Anglo, African-American, South Asian and Hispanic population. Church planters Darrell and Mernestine Cole as well as Sunil and Alvina Gaikwad are on site and are beginning outreach efforts.

In the northwest suburb of Aurora, Suburban Community, a ReStart led by planter Bob Crane, is growing nicely. Now in its fourth year, it is seeing increased stability and steady growth.

In south suburban Richton Park, church planter Victor Walker, continues to lead a ReStart that has now grown to approximately 300. This ministry, House of Prayer Ministries, which began with a few children meeting in a conference room of a local Holiday Inn, moved into our Nazarene church facility in Richton Park when the predominantly Anglo congregation there closed.  Rev. Walker and District Superintendent Wilson have shared a mutual commitment to maintaining a clear, strong holiness witness in this predominantly African American community, and God is blessing that commitment.

Thanks for your prayers for these ministries and those who lead them.
 

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Last updated: July 25,  2007