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by Diane Strzelecki
May 2006
Leaders and members of Immanuel Lutheran, Glenview, Illinois, are moving forward on their conviction that a child care center is God's plan for the church. They hope to open their Open Arms Child Development Center for infants through 5-year-olds in October.
"I believe they have just about everything going for them," says Martin Barlau, Executive Director of the Open Arms Institute." Immanuel is in a community that is very short of childcare spaces. It is an upscale community, able to afford childcare, and it is ideally located near main expressways."
Wendy Pritchard, who in May was called to Immanuel as Director of Children's Ministries, will move from Florida to Illinois in July to help make Immanuel's Open Arms Child Development Center a reality. Although she will have less than three months to pull together a staff and organize the facility, she is confident it will happen.
"October 1st is fairly realistic, if I don't hit any brick walls," Pritchard says. "Pastor [Barber] and the other leaders at the church have done an awesome job getting a lot of the ground work done, organizing renovations, meeting with the fire marshall, etc."
"There is such a need for early childhood education in this area," Wendy notes. "The thought of ministering and helping families is very intriguing, especially to those parents who might be first-time parents. Helping them with their infant by providing a safe, loving and secure environment is vitally important."
"In terms of our facility, we have a lot going for us," notes Rev. David Barber, senior pastor at Immanuel Lutheran. "We have a full-size gymnasium and lots of green space for the children to enjoy."
But it will take more than studies and statistics and staff. The people of Immanuel must have “open arms” if the childcare center will become a way for them to bring Jesus’ love to the community. They are demonstrating those open arms already in their planning, their attitudes and their work.
Tom Amato, member of the congregation for 12 years and current congregational chairman, feels that the church is at its healthiest since he joined. He credits this new-found vibrancy to both the inspired teaching of Pastor Barber and the congregation's new focus on service. He is eager to see what God will do in the future.
"I would say our efforts moving forward will focus on continuing to build unity among congregants; using our spiritual gifts in service to God, and integrating the broader congregation in the Open Arms ministry," Amato says. "We also look forward to welcoming new members to our community; and furthering the ministry to become the 'mission outpost' in Glenview through ministry outgrowth of Open Arms."
"Childcare ministry is the finest means of connecting with a broad cross-section of the families in a community that there is," Barlau says. "I know of no other congregational program that is even a close second. This just leaves us to figure out how to relate to those families, particularly the non-churched ones, to draw them, over time, into the warm fellowship of the congregation and to the Savior's cross."
Pritchard believes there is a lot of work in store but remains excited about reaching the families with the Word.
"Something worth having is always worth working for," Pritchard says. "I hope that the leaders of Immanuel and I can work together to spread the Word and share the Good News with the community of Glenview and beyond."
And the vision of following God's call to serve the community has revitalized the congregation. "I have seen the momentum building as our Open Arms ministry develops," Amato says. "It's great how people are coming forward expressing their interest and offering their help."
Amato attributes this unity of purpose to the church's renewed focus on the Word of God and what it means for their lives—especially God's call to love our neighbor. He has seen both longtime members and new families stepping forward to support the vision. The selection of a three-person committee to interview stewardship campaign consultants illustrates this well: one member of the committee has been a member of Immanuel for more than 60 years; a second member, more than 30 years; the third member, for about 4 years.
"Our hope is that like the last 12 months, we will see a continuation of the strengthening of the bond between members as we continue our journey to do all
that we do in HIS name," Amato says.
Diane Strzelecki is a People Ablaze! journalist.
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