By Tim Hadac
In a time when many churches struggle to fill the pews, a Presbyterian church in Hinsdale is expanding to Palos Heights.
The Palos campus of Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA), located within Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 12642 S. Massasoit, will host its first weekly service at 5 pm. Sunday, Feb. 9, according to Associate Pastor Brian Dennert, who serves as lead pastor at the new site.
The church held its fifth and final preview service earlier this month, a warm gathering of several dozen people of all ages—from infants to the elderly.
“For the past few years, we’ve noticed that about 20 to 30 people from this area—Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Orland Park– have been attending our weekly services in Hinsdale,” Dennert observe. “So at some point we thought, ‘What if we brought the church down to that area? We could more easily invite friends, be more involved in each other’s lives.’
“We have a vision of the church that’s not just Sunday morning or Sunday evening for an hour, hour 15, but throughout the week—where we’re in each other’s homes and with each other, and that’s more easily done when you’re local and not driving up [Interstate] 294 at 4 or 5:30 p.m. throughout the week,” Dennert added.
Dennert joined the church in Hinsdale in 2009 and soon after became a part of the staff. In March of 2013, he and his wife, Beth, moved from Lisle to Crestwood to start growing the Palos branch. They are the parents of two—Emma, 3, and Micah, 6 months.