Larkin Avenue Baptist Church

1. Larkin Avenue Baptist Church An Introduction

2. Welcome We want to share with you, in a few moments, a little bit about our church. Of course, the best way to find out about a church is to actually “check it out.” We are using this approach to share with you because there is a lot that we are excited about at LABC. You can also visit our church’s website at http://www.labcelgin.org

3. Just Who Is Larkin Avenue Baptist Church? We are a group of believers who have been on the near west side of Elgin for approximately 61 years. We are located at 1158 Larkin Avenue, between two Elgin landmarks – Larkin High School and Herb’s Bakery! No, we aren’t in a desert; it’s just been really hot this summer!

4. Just Who Is Larkin Avenue Baptist Church? We are a group of believers who are committed to the Scriptures. People in our church use a variety of translations, but one thing we are committed t0 is the authority of God’s Word. We believe that Scripture trumps the latest fads in cultural thinking.

5. Just Who Is Larkin Avenue Baptist Church? We are a group of believers who are loyal to historical Baptist principles. A good primer to these principles can be found at http://www.baptistdistinctives.org With regards to the Lord’s Kingdom Work throughout the world, we partner with other Southern Baptist congregations. More info can be found at http;//www.sbc.net

6. Now, let’s get a little more specific about Larkin Avenue Baptist Church, and what it is like . . .

7. What about the ministries of LABC? Our food pantry has been in existence for three years, serving approximately 8-12 families per week. We serve a local agency which works with children who are victims of abuse. Once per month approximately 10 kids come to our church facility where they eat with us and play in our Rec Room, and then make a craft. In the past year, we have been involved in : Kits for Kids, sponsored by Baptist Global Response (http://www.bgrkitsforkids.com) Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/) Christian Activity Center in East St. Louis, Illinois - one of the poorest cities in the US (http://www.cacesl.org/)

8. What about the ministries of LABC? It is our joy to be a “host”! Every summer, mission groups from across the Midwest come to help start and strengthen churches in the Fox Valley Area. Many of these mission groups will stay in the facilities of LABC where they are able to take showers, do laundry, and eat good meals, when they aren’t playing billiards or Wii in the Rec Room. We also have the joy of hosting Spotlight Youth Theater (http://www.spotlight.org/kane) which several Judson students enjoyed during their “younger” years!

9. What about missions and LABC? Missions is very important to LABC. • We have special worship services which focus on missions each quarter. • Through Facebook, we stay in contact with missionaries on three different continents. • We have adopted a people group of 100,000+ people in Asia who have never heard of Jesus. • We have provided college scholarships for the children of Southern Baptist International Missionaries who are from Illinois.

10. What about missions and LABC? • We have provided financial resources to the First Baptist Church of Coelemu, Chile to rebuild their building after the 2010 earthquake which destroyed much of Chile.

11. What about discipleship and LABC? Larkin Avenue Baptist Church is about to enter a new chapter in her history. The church recently decided to move it’s Sunday morning Bible study ministry (Sunday School) to Tuesday night. We’re going to call it L.A.B.S. - Life Altering Bible Study. Our Senior Adults will continue to meet at 9:00 am on Sundays, but the rest of us will enjoy a Fellowship Hour in our Fellowship Hall. On the next slide, we’ll share what will happen on Tuesdays (beginning September 4) at 6:30 pm -

12. What about discipleship and LABC? Preschoolers and Elementary Age Kids will participate in TeamKID where the “KID” stands for Kids in Discipleship. Kids will use recreation, Bible study and missions activities to learn more about God’s plan for them. Youth will continue their studies in Fuel. Students learn how to live their faith. This group is being led by the Pastor until a Minister of Students is called by the church. Our multi-generational group of adults studies through surveys of various books in the Bible. For instance, in the Fall of 2012, this group will be studying the two letters of Peter and Jude’s letter as well. Exploring The Bible

13. What about discipleship and LABC? The church is currently searching for a teacher for a new Bible Study for those who speak Spanish that we would like to begin.

14. What about music and LABC? Larkin Avenue Baptist Church demonstrates maturity when it comes to worship styles. Because it is intentionally a multi-generational church, there are people who love the hymns and others who are passionate about contemporary Christian music. The church has chosen to do all it can to enable anyone who enters our doors to worship God in a meaningful way. During a typical Sunday service, you’ll sing both Isaac Watts as well as Chris Tomlin Songs. The church is open to growing musically, as it has been a very strong church, musically, throughout the years.

15. What about music and LABC? To provide leadership to the church in building up its Music Ministry, the church recently called Paul McMullin as its Interim Minister of Music.

16. Could there be a place for you at LABC? Only God knows that? On the next few slides are words of testimony from three recent Judson graduates who were members of our church while they were at Judson. We love them, and miss them. They will remain in our hearts for years to come. Our prayer for you is that you find the church where God wants you. A place where you can be nurtured, and where you can nurture others. Perhaps Larkin Avenue Baptist Church is that place.

17. My time at Larkin Avenue Baptist Church “Larkin Avenue Baptist Church is one of the most gracious and loving churches I’ve ever had the joy of being a part of. I grew up overseas, and was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to find an inviting church while in college. During my four years at Judson, Larkin became my family; my home away from home. I felt so cared for and valued, and the church was such an encouraging and safe place for me as I learned new things and survived college. From my very first day visiting up until the day I left Elgin, this church was always there for me with open arms. It honestly is one of the things I miss most now that I’ve graduated, and I wish more than anything that I could bring my Larkin family with me as I move on to a new city and to new adventures.” Alessandra Spellman, Class of ‘12

18. My time at Larkin Avenue Baptist Church “I had come to Judson from another state and was welcomed into the arms of this church as a home away from home. Whether it was helping with children’s Sunday School, singing in a holiday choir, repainting the youth room, putting materials together for the annual Easter Egg Hunt, I was always encouraged that there was a place for me at LABC!” Cindy Shortt-Gillespie, Class of 2009

19. My time at Larkin Avenue Baptist Church “I was a member of Larkin Avenue Baptist Church throughout my time at Judson, helping to lead music and teaching the youth Sunday school class. The church is small; and it is a place where I was able to serve. The people are genuine; and they are those whom I learned much from and with. I am asking the Lord to send more laborers to LABC, for the harvest is plentiful.” Jake Bostwick, Class of ‘09

20. Your Involvement at Larkin Avenue Baptist Church There are several ways to be involved – • An occasional guest • Attend LABC, along with perhaps 1-2 other churches, on a regular basis • Attend LABC as your “primary” church • Attend LABC and become active in its activities • Become a formal member of LABC (we offer something called Dual Membership for those who would like to be members of LABC, while keeping their church membership “back home”). Contact the pastor to help know how you can “best fit in.”

21. PS – About the Pastor Richard Sanders is a native of the south suburbs of Chicago. He has been married to his wife, Debbie, for 25 years. He has three sons – Jon is a Seabee with the US Navy and is married. He is preparing for his third deployment. He graduated in 2008 from Westminster Christian School in Elgin. Josh is in the US Navy training to be an Air Traffic Controller. He is married and gave Richard and Debbie their first grandchild  He graduated in 2011 from Westminster Christian School in Elgin. Joe is a junior at Westminster Christian School where he is Student Government Vice President. He is giving serious consideration to a career in – you guessed it – the US Navy!

22. PS – About the Pastor Richard is serving at LABC as a bivocational pastor, meaning he pays his bills with his paycheck he receives for working as a Community Service Officer with the Elgin Police Department! He does that so he can do what he truly loves – pastoring the people of LABC! You can read his testimony at http://www.mostimportantthing.org/ and typing in the name Richard Sanders under the “People” tab.

23. A Note to You from Richard I set foot for the first time on the campus of my alma mater in 1976. It seems like yesterday. I couldn’t wait to get on my own, yet it was so hard. I was pretty lonely even though I was with hundreds of other people. God was really with me and one of the many ways He blessed me in college was by leading me to a church where they treated me like a king! Seriously. They took me in and loved me. School was school, but church was church – my church family. That little church made such an impression on me that I’ve tried to lead our church to be the same kind of church to students at Judson. I hope you’ll give us a chance to love you and know you, and maybe treat you like a king, or queen. Please call me at 847-902-0820 if I can ever be of assistance to you. I mean that. Blessings, Richard

24. One Last Thing . . . If you need a ride, call 847-902-0820 by late any Saturday evening; leave a message if there is no answer. Someone will call you back. By the way, you won’t be picked up in this van . . .