Christ Church seeks to fill community need in western suburbs; hundreds attend kick-off event
More than 500 people attended the launch of Christ Church Esplanade in Downers Grove on Feb. 4. It's the first multisite branch of non-denominational Christ Church in Oak Brook. The new church comes at a time when 80 percent of churches nationwide are either in decline or have plateaued.
"We hope to be a place that gives people a new experience that is both engaging and inviting," said the Rev. Eric Camfield, campus pastor. "We want to bring the church experience into the present - which is crucial to reversing the decline in church membership and attendance across the nation."
Research conducted by MultiSite Solutions in 2017 shows that within a 10-minute radius of the new church location in Downers Grove there are approximately 250,000 unchurched people.
"We saw a need for a new kind of church in the west suburban area," said Camfield. "We want to revitalize the expression of church in our day so more people can grow and serve while being part of a caring community."
A study by Dr. Jeffrey C. Farmer at Tennessee Temple University found overall attendance rose more than 20-percent at newly planted churches. The research shows that unchurched Americans and those not happy with their current church see new churches as a chance for change. It's an opportunity to breathe new life into the church experience by modernizing how people worship, while adding to what they experience by attending services.
Christ Church takes a classic but current approach to their worship services by offering both classic and contemporary services at their Oak Brook location, a contemporary hybrid at the Downers Grove location, online live-streaming of their services, as well as broadcasting sermons on radio and TV.
The Downers Grove site, housed inside the corporate Esplanade building, benefits from floor to ceiling windows overlooking a lake and nature preserve.
"During a very moving worship service, a beautiful scene of blowing snow began outside," said Amy Moran, Christ Church Esplanade Executive Assistant, "With all the windows looking out over the lake, it was like being inside a snow globe!"
It was a long day for more than 70 Serve Team members who started arriving as early as 6:30 a.m. to begin the set-up process. The last of the team didn't leave until 2:00 p.m. Through the gracious gift of a Christ Church member and Giordano's, hundreds of people stayed after the worship service for pizza, celebration, and fellowship with one another.
Christ Church Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Daniel Meyer was there to greet and mingle with those in attendance.
"Our passion is to bring people closer to God and live in community. This new branch location and kick-off event perfectly brought that to life. We hope to see attendance increasing each week as word spreads about all that this new community will offer the surrounding area," said Meyer.
There is ample covered parking at the new location in addition to a round-about drop off to accommodate those with mobility challenges. Christ Church Esplanade is located at 3500 Lacey Drive, in Downers Grove, Ill. For more details: cc-ob.org/esplanade
About Christ Church:
Founded in 1965, Christ Church is a multisite, non-denominational church with more than 6,000 members. It features a variety of worship options including both classic and contemporary services. Christ Church offers people of all ages the opportunity to build life-changing relationships with God and one another with a rich range of spiritual growth resources, and a selection of service ministries aimed at creating positive change in the world. Services are held on the weekends at the Oak Brook and Downers Grove church sites, as well as online via livestream at cc-ob.org/online. Sermons can also be found on WPWR TV, WFLD TV, and WGN AM 720. For more information visit cc-ob.org.