For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? [ Esther 4:14 ]

Family of Park,

We are preparing because we believe something greater is coming.

God raised up Esther to be in a crucial, influential position for the sake of saving God’s people “for such a time as this.”  We believe that God has raised us up to seek the renewal of the city of Chicago through the powerful truth of the Gospel. We believe that this is our “Esther” moment.

We’ve been on a journey at Park over the past few years – we’ve prayed, imagined, and seen God perform a miracle as construction is nearing completion at our ministry center at 1001 N. Crosby. For the first time in our church’s 20-year history, Park Community Church will have a place to call home.

To receive what God graciously wants to give us next we must be prepared.   To get us ready, our Elders have called us to a season that we are calling Preparing for More. 

The process of preparation transforms us into the likeness of Christ, and prepares us to receive new gifts, new insights, and new hope.

Throughout the Bible, God used times of preparation to deepen His people’s view of Him.  To grow their faith so they could trust Him more.  To reveal areas that are not in alignment with who He is so they could repent and seek Him.  The Elders believe God will use this season at Park to do the very same things.

The Elders have chosen five areas to focus on for this next chapter in Park’s history… five areas of preparation, so we may be ready to receive whatever God has chosen to entrust to us.

Praying

deepening our intimacy with Him so we might hear Him better and love Him more

Volunteering

having everyone in the serving game, using our talents, spiritual gifts, and passions to renew the city

Connecting

helping to find a place for everyone in a small group so that no one tries to walk the spiritual journey alone

Including

rearranging our schedules so we may invite those who do not know Christ and include them in our lives and us in theirs

Giving

learning to be stewards of what has been financially entrusted to our care so we might invest in and build the Kingdom

As Park walks through this season of preparation, keep this question on the forefront of your mind: What am I doing that is eternal and that will outlast me?  I invite you to join us as we are Preparing for More.

Jackson Crum, Lead Pastor