Original Article: The Chicago Crusader
One of Bronzeville’s historic anchors now plans to expand its work to serve the community and unite generations with a new, state-of-the-art facility. Apostolic Faith Church, located at 3823 S. Indiana Avenue, will open its new, 3,000-seat worship complex on November 26, 2017 at 3:00 pm with a special ceremony and a series of special events through early December.
“The theme for our Grand Opening Celebration is Crossing Over with Multiple Generations,” said Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D. “It’s a meaningful reflection of our congregation and our commitment to the work that we have done to connect families and bridge communities throughout our history.”
The space has been designed to support myriad programs and services that help to improve the quality of life for Chicago residents. In addition to the worship facility, the new complex will include a youth multi-purpose center, an administrative annex with classrooms for education and a space for young people and families that will serve as a safe haven. Construction began in October 2015 in conjunction with the church’s 100th anniversary. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, Alderman Pat Do-well, church members and friends, and a host of state and local community, civic, political and religious leaders were on hand to break ground for the new complex.
During a special ceremony on November 26, thousands of church members, their guests, other church clergy and national, state and local dignitaries will march or “cross over” from the current building to the adjacent new complex for the grand opening.
The Grand Opening Celebration will continue with these events:
- Sunday, December 3: First worship services in the new complex at 8:00 and 11:00 am
- Wednesday, December 6: Night of Unity with pastors from across Chicago at 7:00 pm
- Thursday, December 7: Worship service with Bishop Carolyn Showell, from Nationwide Ministry in Baltimore, at 7:00 pm
- Friday, December 8: iHeart Radio’s “Give and Receive” Christmas Concert at 7:00 pm. Attendees are asked to bring a toy or canned good for admission.
- Sunday, December 10: Worship services at 8:00 and 11:00 am with Bishop Marvin Sapp, Gospel Music Artist and Pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church, in Grand Rapids MI.
“We are extremely excited about this milestone in the church’s history,” said Bishop Smith. “I’d like to personally invite everyone to join in the celebration by coming to any or all of these events that commemorate how far we have come, while also focusing on the important work that lies ahead.”
Apostolic Faith Church has been located in and served the Bronzeville community since its inception in 1915 and is one of Chicago’s longstanding congregations. Bishop Smith, who is an attending physician specializing in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, was named pastor of Apostolic Faith Church in 1980.
For more information on the Grand Opening Celebration, call 773-373-8500 or visit www.afcchicago.org.
