Ellis Avenue Church is a small, historically influential and active body of believers. The Church is remarkably diverse, in every way: gender, race, financial means, family histories and faith and educational backgrounds. Our motto is" Celebrating Diversity, Building Community in Christ". "Ellis Avenue Church seeks to grow in every way into Christ our head. Being brought together as a worshipping community from many, diverse backgrounds, we are joined and knit into one body. Celebrating our multi-faceted gifts and with each part working properly, we intend to build each other up in love and to share God's saving grace with our community and our world." We are an autonomous Baptist Church supporting diverse mission efforts including those of the Alliance of Baptists, with which we are affiliated.

Worship and Ministries

We meet each Sunday morning at 10:45 am for worship, ministry of music and prayer. There are classes for various age groups of children in parallel with the sermon time. Special services are arranged for religious holidays. The Church members have a historic commitment of dedicating time, individually and collectively, to children and youth, including those in the families of members as well as to the wider community. We have a long history of community involvement, including the support of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Interfaith Council and its Food Pantry, the STRIVE Tutoring Program, and participation in a number of justice ministry organizations.

Women have traditionally shared the leadership roles in the Church, including that of senior pastor. The church has had other models for the role of senior pastor: including a Sri Lankan, a pastoral team of ordained pastors, and husband/wife teams. We have ordained men and women for special ministries and have sent and supported missionaries throughout the world.

The church has a deaconate of four individuals who serve staggered two-year terms. The Deacons serve and support the pastor in the ministries of the church. They also represent the congregation, and as such, the pastor is accountable to the deacons.

Monthly business meetings are preceded by a noon meal. A spring weekend retreat to a rural area occurs in most years. Weekly meetings of cell groups, prayer groups and adult Sunday school classes have been important parts of our life.

Demographics

The Church is in Kenwood, just North of Hyde Park, along Lake Michigan, and most congregants live within three miles of our building, though a few travel as many as 40 miles each week. The general area of Kenwood, Hyde Park and Woodlawn, contiguous communities on the mid-Southside of Chicago, is a rapidly redeveloping community of about 70,000 people. The community serves as home for numerous seminaries and several museums and educational institutions of higher learning, including the University of Chicago. Hyde Park is one of the most integrated as well as economically diverse neighborhoods in the country: dozens of languages can be heard in the local schools. Good schools are available and the church is heavily invested in public education.

Pastoral Candidate Qualifications

The candidate should have a strong testimony of the Christian life; be of excellent character; have a Masters of Divinity degree; have the ability to deliver Biblical sermons connected to everyday life; be comfortable in the diverse community described above; and have excellent communication skills in groups and one-on-one.

The candidate should have at some experience among several of the following areas:

We are looking for a pastor who is willing to be a servant leader and to help develop the ministry of individuals in the congregation. Our church desires an energetic and dynamic speaker with a passion for Christ. We are seeking someone to help our church grow both spiritually and numerically.

The pastor should reside in the community and must have transportation. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Considerations are available for moving expenses, housing costs and benefits.

Individuals of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Contact

Resumes or expressions of interest should be sent to:

Peggy Sanders
5415 S. Dorchester Avenue 1A
Chicago, IL 60615-5328

Or send via email to: psanders@ellisavenuechurch.org
See more about the church at http://ellisavenuechurch.org

Mission and Affiliation

Worship and Ministries

Demographics

Pastoral Candidate Qualifications

Contact