The United Church of Rogers Park and community members will bid farewell this weekend to Reverend Wendy Hardin when she delivers her final sermon after serving five years as a spiritual leader in the north side Chicago community.
"We have all come to count on Pastor Hardin's sensitivity, passion, and commitment to our community" said United Church of Rogers Park lay leader David Carroll. "Pastor Hardin's leadership on community service and local issues, and her ministry to Rogers Park's youth, will be greatly missed. We wish her well."
Members of the Rogers Park community are invited to attend Rev. Hardin's farewell celebration. Her final sermon is at 11am on Sun., June 26 at United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse Ave. A festive celebration will follow.
Rev. Hardin's record of achievement at United Church goes beyond doubling Sunday worship attendance and mentoring five Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary student pastors. Her initiatives enhanced the church's community service work, which included a series of widely attended church/community forums in 2002 on issues affecting the lives of Rogers Park youth. She helped develop a successful Youth/Adult Mentoring and Empowerment Ministry and a Summer Children's Day Camp for local kids. In addition, the church launched a Morse Avenue Community Walk Project and now houses Operation Cease Fire, an anti-violence organization. Rev. Hardin's leadership on church inclusion of lesbians and gays and their families reflects her passion for community involvement. Rev. Hardin will begin a ministerial sabbatical in July to raise her two children with husband Steve Hermann.
On July 3, United Church will welcome its new pastor, Rev. Dan Davis, who lived in Rogers Park during the 1970's and currently serves as a pastoral minister in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.
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