Two Elgin churches are partnering to do important local ministry all year long

Nearly all religions find that attendance goes up during festival seasons.

That is certainly true for Christianity, where many people feel more urgency to participate during Christmas and Easter. This trend was interrupted by the COVID pandemic. In response, many congregations added online worship to reach people in a new way.

As the pandemic has ebbed a bit in recent weeks, more and more people are returning to church and attendance in most settings is 60 to 75% of previous attendance numbers.

But as we look forward to a spike in attendance for Easter, congregations and their members continue to do ongoing and important ministry in the community.

With ongoing pandemic issues, a war in Ukraine, and the array of societal issues that need care and support, congregations function in important ways all year - not just at holidays.

Consider two local congregations who are partnering to do more and more ministry.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 357 Division St. in Elgin is a church with neighborhood outreach.

Not the traditional "doughnut" where a church reaches far out because former members moved far away, this church is eagerly planning events and programs to serve people of proud cultures and backgrounds.

They participate with neighborhood partners in a nearby congregation and synagogue and the immediate neighborhood is vibrant with shared purpose, even an occasional local band in the parking lot.

The church, functioning in many ways as a community center, keeps its meeting areas open to AA and other groups.

Committed to putting faith into action, this church has opened for serving meals several days each week, eager to accept volunteers from other area churches, just to keep the food available.

Another example can be found at Zion Lutheran Church, 330 Griswold St. in Elgin. Hot meals are served on Tuesdays for residents and low-income people, community groups use the facility for all sorts of activities (six AA groups are in the building), and a mentoring partnership between the church and the neighboring elementary school means one to one mentoring with at-risk kids in school.

Further, Zion offers a BeFriender ministry where a trained lay person visits someone who is going through a life challenge such as divorce, death of loved one, job loss, etc. to provide support by being with the person, listening to them and praying for them.

So, this year, while coloring Easter eggs for the children and grandchildren, consider the impact that people of faith have in our community all year round and consider participating in a local church.

Learn more about the ministries and worship opportunities at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at holytrinityelgin.com or Zion Lutheran Church at zionelginil.org.