Pastor Glen McCarthy hopes to reach out to diverse communities in Chicago’s Loop through Restore All Ministries, a Christian Reformed Home Missions partner.
“I grew up in the South Side of Chicago in struggle, but God blessed me with an education and the chance to go to seminary,” said McCarthy.
After attending seminary, he became involved with Loop Christian Ministries and launched Restore All with a Bible study in March 2012.
This grew into several cell groups meeting in homes and now culminates in a monthly worship service held every third Friday night at Loop Church. About 50 people and 15 volunteers attend.
“The Loop Church is liturgical, and while I love the creeds, the rich historical tradition, and the hymns, we have a full band and a blended worship style with hymns and hip-hop,” McCarthy says.
A bivocational church planter, McCarthy works at Chicago Public Schools in the office of school improvement. He sees difficult situations through his job and dreams of reaching out with Christ’s restorative hope.
“I believe God wants to bring people of all backgrounds together,” he said. “I want to grow our base in the South Loop, emphasize outreach, and grow a church culture of going into hard places, countering the world’s ways with God’s ways.”
About the Author
Lorilee Craker, a native of Winnipeg, Man., lives in Grand Rapids, Mich. The author of 16 books, she is the Mixed Media editor of The Banner. Her latest book is called Eat Like a Heroine: Nourish and Flourish With Bookish Stars From Anne of Green Gables to Zora Neale Hurston.
