Pastor | Governance | Cong. Nurture | Youth | Brethren
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Embrace Community
“This is my commandment, that you love one another
as I have loved you.”
John 15:12
Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren was established by
27 members in 1899. We are now a community of just under
400 members, some of whom are employees of the
Church of the Brethren General Board offices in Elgin.
In our congregation you will find people of varied ages,
occupations,
backgrounds
and
ideas
who together
genuinely
seek to follow Jesus and practice what he taught.
As a community of seekers and disciples, we support and
encourage each other in simple, day-to-day ways: gathering
to worship God, delighting in one another’s
gifts, sharing fellowship meals, studying the Bible together,
caring for each other in times of sickness and trouble, enjoying
thoughtful companionship, and reaching out in service to
the community and the world.
 Pastor Joel Kline came to the Highland
Avenue congregation in July, 2002. He was born in Dixon,
Illinois, the son of a Church of the Brethren pastor. He
is a 1971 graduate of Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania,
where he majored in sociology. Joel went from college to
Bethany Theological Seminary. Upon graduation from seminary
in 1975, Joel accepted a call to the Hanoverdale Church of
the Brethren in Pennsylvania. Joel’s interest in a
deeper spiritual life led him to begin a Doctor of Ministry
program at Bethany, which he completed in 1983. His doctoral
study was entitled, "Journey of the Spirit: Church of
the Brethren Spirituality." In 1986 he accepted a call
to the Beacon Heights congregation in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
where he served for sixteen years.
Joel has served on a district board, chaired a district
ministry commission, served as a district moderator, chaired
the Annual Conference committee on ministerial ethics, led
worship at Annual Conference, served as an officer of the
Brethren Minister’s Association, been secretary of
the Brethren Journal Association, and written two books for “Passing
on the Promise”— Reaching Out in Word and
Deed and Growing in Christian Discipleship.
Joel lives in Elgin, Illinois, and has three grown children.
Governance
All members and associate members of the congregation are
eligible to vote in regular congregational business meetings,
which function as the final authority and ultimate governing
body
of the church. An elected church board is invested with administrative
powers to act on
behalf of
the congregational business meeting. The board appoints individuals
to ministry groups that are empowered to carry out
the programs of the congregation. Current church governance
groups are:
- Church Board
- Personnel Committee
- Christian Education Ministry Group
- Worship Ministry Group
- Congregational Nurture Ministry Group
- Witness Ministry Group
- Stewardship Formation Ministry Group
- Building & Properties Ministry Group
- Outreach & Growth Minstry Group
Congregational Nurture
Fellowship Meals: Everyone is welcome to Common Meal, every
Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. from October through May.
A small donation is accepted. Potlucks and picnics are scheduled at various times
throughout the year. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a program of occasional in-home get-acquainted dinners. Men’s Breakfast meets every Tuesday at 7am at the Colonial Cafe in Elgin; all men are welcome.
Older Adults: Seasoned Servants, for adults over 50, meets regularly for activities, service
and fellowship.
Miracles Groups: Support for individuals recovering from mental illness and their families, including a group for youth and young adults.
Gifted Hands: Meets monthly for hand-crafts (knitting, crocheting, embroidery) and informal conversation.
Music: Choirs are available for singers of all ages: Adult
Choir, Hallelujah Choir (K through 2nd Grade), Choristers
(3rd to
5th
Grade), and Agape Singers (6th through 12th Grade). We also
share musical gifts in special music events, particularly
in the summer months.
Summer Activities: The Brethren-run Camp Emmaus in Oregon,
Illinois, offers summer camp for children and youth. Family
camps are offered
Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. Vacation Bible
School is offered one week each summer for all ages.
Youth Group
Highland Avenue youth meet regularly for Bible
study, fellowship and service projects. Youth activities
are planned by the Highland Avenue Youth Cabinet.
Brethren Links
Brethren.org is
the official website for the Church of the Brethren.
- Church of the Brethren General Board is the primary ministry arm of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, the denomination's highest elected authority.
- What's
new on www.brethren.org features recent
updates to brethren.org
- Youth
and Young Adult Ministries Office for
information on programs for youth such as workcamps,
Christian Citizenship Seminar, and National Youth Conference;
Ministry Summer Service internships; yearly Young Adult
Conference
- What's
Where is a handy, alphabetized-by-topic
guide to agencies, programs and media related to the
Church of the Brethren General Board and partner organizations
- Brethren
Volunteer Service (BVS), a major Brethren
program since 1948, provides an avenue for people to
give their time and skills to help a world in need.
- Church of the
Brethren Credit Union (CoBCU) serves Church
of the Brethren members,
relatives and employees
of
Church of
the Brethren organizations.
cob-net: Ron
Gordon’s wonderful and extensive (unofficial) Brethren
resource. A real treasure-trove: please visit!
Online
Services Connect Brethren on the Internet is
a website maintained by Jim Miner that includes links
to list servers, and many other Brethren resoures.
Illinois/Wisconsin
District Youth—Church of the Brethren. Information
about events for youth in the Illinois/Wisconsin District
of the Church of the Brethren.
Camp
Emmaus is an area retreat, camp and outdoor
ministry center located in Mt. Morris, Illinois.
Pinecrest
Community (Mt. Morris, IL) is a Brethren-affiliated
retirement community.
Brethren Colleges. The six colleges affiliated with
the Church of the Brethren are Bridgewater in
Virginia, Elizabethtown and Juniata in
Pennsylvania, University
of La Verne in California, Manchester in
Indiana, and McPherson in
Kansas. These six, along with Bethany
Theological Seminary in Indiana and the Church
of the Brethren General Board, cooperate on Church
of the Brethren Collaboration on Admissions (COBCOA).
Other Links
Community Crisis Center (Elgin, IL)
City of Elgin, Illinois |
