THE VISION
Our vision for 2025 is simple. We want to make practicing disciples who love Christ, know His Word, and engage their neighbors with the life-transforming power of the Gospel.
We will fortify the city congregation.
This includes building fiscal strength, operational infrastructure and excellence, and developing core leadership.
An opportunity to secure a 24/7 space and begin exploration for a marquee property for ownership.
Developing the HTC leadership team with 2-3 new hires of seasoned leaders
Further develop existing ministries, strengthen our children’s ministry, expand our multi-ethnic leadership, and grow the financial and operational excellence of the Downtown congregation
An Opportunity for New Space & Leadership +
After 15 years of meeting in The Murphy Auditorium, Holy Trinity Downtown has a chance (and a need) to find 24/7 space in the heart of the city.
In Chicago, all the arteries of transportation flow into the center of the city, which pulses with the life and vibrancy of thousands of people. We have found a space one block west of the Art Institute of Chicago at 218 South Wabash in Chicago's cultual mile. This new property has the promise of allowing for much enhanced children’s ministry, training opportunities throughout the week and Sunday Worship space. We are excited about the next step of our journey together.
Holy Trinity remains committed to multiethnic leadership development and we are ready to begin a national search for an additional leadership position within our Downtown staff.
This person and eventually, people, will position HTC Downtown for growth and movement into our next decade of ministry.
Your prayer and faithful giving to the Chicago 2025 campaign will allow both of these opportunities to come to fruition. We are excited for this next step of the journey together.
We will invest in neighborhood impact.
Jesus did his ministry by connecting with people on the streets they walked and the places they lived, and we believe following the Way of Jesus includes following his model for discipleship.
HTC Downtown has a rich history of equipping leaders, yet in this cultural moment we sense God calling us to continue building disciples by extending our reach into Chicago’s neighborhoods even further. We can accomplish this by:
Launching a network of eight Intentional Christian Communities, devoted to reaching out in mission and evangelism in their neighborhoods across Lawndale, East Garfield Park, Austin, Streeterville, South Loop, Hyde Park, Bronzeville and UIC.
Building on our community group structure to deploy leaders who can more effectively serve the neighborhoods of the city.
We will train practicing disciples.
In the heart of a post-Christian, highly-individualized, fast-paced, urban environment there is a great need for the church to reimagine daily discipleship. We live in a culture that presses us to indwell the story that our faith is a private, Sunday morning activity reserved for personal, moral edification. But we believe that the Bible tells the true story of the whole world and it is a story with implications for every person, on every day, in every neighborhood and every industry across the city. To live into this counter-narrative we must know this story and be immersed in it on Sunday morning and beyond.
Introducing the HTC Institute +
In general, our church ministry rhythms are framed around our Sunday celebrations, Community Groups, and ICCs. In addition we have a number of key ministries targeted to specialized groups and stages of life. The Holy Trinity Institute for Discipleship and Mission is being designed to support these discipleship efforts with the following:
- Reading One-to-One
- Classes
- Public Forums
- Training Cohorts (Burnham Fellows, Ministry Leaders etc)
- Internships and Residencies (Pastoral Resident, Teaching Fellow)
- Content (podcasts, blogs, curriculum, articles, books etc)
- Retreats
We want to see every member of HTC Downtown and beyond equipped and empowered to flourish as a follower of Christ in our post-Christian urban context.
