Huntley church's groundbreaking a family affair

After five years of praying, planning and providing financially, worshipers at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church will finally have a place to call their own.

Members gathered at their Huntley property, corner of Main Street and Manhattan Drive, on Sunday afternoon for a festive groundbreaking ceremony. Everyone was asked to bring a shovel, and the children even decorated theirs for the occasion.

The proposed 12,000-square-foot building was outlined in chalk on the soil where it will stand.

"Folks will be asked to take a place on the outline, and we will formally break up the ground out there," the Rev. Mark Boster said last week.

The church put up a large tent for a special afternoon service on the property. Families each received a square piece of fabric that will eventually become part of a quilt.

"We're going to ask folks to draw or write things on that little quilt patch that they believe God is going to do through the building," Boster said.

Can you sense the excitement? This project has been a long time coming, ever since Shepherd of the Prairie purchased the eight-acre plot in 2003. Ideally located, it stands next to Huntley's library and across the street from the new Municipal Complex.

"We are so excited to be in that place and so excited to get going finally on the building that we've been praying to build for the last five years," Boster said. "I just think we're in a pristine location to reach out to our community and extend the love of Christ to people."

Construction on the 240-seat facility, which SOTP plans to expand to 600 seats in the future, begins shortly. The church hopes to dedicate its new home sometime next year.

In the meantime, the congregation continues to hold two Sunday services at Cosman Cultural Center, SOTP's temporary home, and rent office space at Citizens First National Bank in Huntley, where Bible studies and other activities take place during the week.

Mayor Chuck Sass and other village leaders were scheduled to be on hand for the groundbreaking, Boster said. He also invited U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama; as of last week, however, both had yet to RSVP.

Finding their roots: It was in 1708 that eight earnest Christians gathered for baptism at the Eder River, near what is now Schwarzenau, Germany, turning their backs on the persecution that awaited adherents of "believer's baptism." Only infant baptism was legal in the Kingdom of Prussia.

But that audacious act, for which some spent time in prison, gave birth to what eventually became known in the United States as the Church of the Brethren, celebrating its 300th anniversary this year.

Nearly 1,000 Brethren from 18 nations - including a delegation from Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin - traveled to Schwarzenau earlier this month to remember their founding fathers. They celebrated by the River Eder, and many brought home samples of the river's waters.

This past weekend the Highland Avenue church celebrated the anniversary again, this time by inviting other Chicago-area Brethren congregations to join them for the denomination's traditional "Love Feast," which includes feet washing, a fellowship meal and Communion.

But the church has been celebrating all year, really. "Some of the worship for several months focused on the main emphases of our tradition," said the Rev. Joel Kline, pastor at Highland Avenue.

In March, the congregation hosted an anniversary concert by Brethren songwriter/musicians Andy and Terry Murray, who sang about peacemaking and conscientious objection during war.

"Probably what we're most known for is being one of three historic peace churches," Kline said, adding that reconciliation and acts of service are also among the denomination's cherished values.

"We take Jesus' teachings about being peacemakers seriously, particularly the verse that says you should love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

There must have been lots of prayers ascending in Schwarzenau, back in 1708.

Give blood: Speaking of acts of service, here's a good one. First Congregational Church of Dundee will be hosting a blood drive Sept. 6 for hospital patients who need the gift of life.

Heartland Blood Centers will be at First Congregational, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee, from 8 a.m. to noon. Call Londa Krueger at (847) 428-8211 to get more information, make sure you fit the eligibility requirements or schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome, with a photo ID.

Oh, and did I mention? Heartland is celebrating the grand opening of its new center in St. Charles with a drawing for two Vespa scooters, one Wii system and an iPod Nano. Come to the First Congregational event next week and get your name in the hat.

• What's going on at your church or synagogue? Do you have an interesting program, new staff, big plans? Someone who deserves recognition or something a little out of the ordinary? Contact "In the Spirit" at cmchojnacki@yahoo.com.