On Easter, North Aurora church celebrating first year after merger

"New Name, Familiar Location" appears on the brochure for Living Hope Church in North Aurora. The former Union Congregational Church, 405 W. State St. since 1962, is the familiar location.

However, on Easter Sunday last year, two churches came together to begin worshipping and serving as one church - Living Hope!

The other church in this story is Christ the King Church in Batavia. Christ the King was a church plant from College Church in Wheaton that started back in 2001.

In the years following, the pastors of both churches became prayer partners and friends. Eventually the churches went through an extensive exploration process and voted to merge. The first year has been a time of getting to know each other and adjusting to the changes inherent in mergers. That said, Living Hope Church loves guests and made a point to invite people from nearly 200 homes in the immediate neighborhood to a Christmas concert in December.

Besides offering a blended worship service of contemporary and traditional music styles, the church is rooted in solid Bible teaching and warm Christian love.

On Sunday evenings, during the school year, the church reaches out with an AWANA program for kids age 3 to sixth grade. It also offers a weekly youth group for middle school and high school students.

In the summer, Living Hope Church sponsors a weeklong sports camp for children. Along with small groups for adults, all of these things are an expression of the church's vision to "Magnify Christ by embracing His vision of disciples making disciples."

For more information about the church and its programs, visit www.livinghope.ch.