Address

511 Canal St

Brooklyn, IL 62059

Overview of Organization

Lovejoy Temple is a COGIC organization serving a congregation of approximately 100-200. The ages and educational/professional backgrounds vary but, at least in terms of age, are weighted more toward older adults than young persons.

History of Organization

Lovejoy Temple is situated in one of the first black-established communities in the US. The population is currently about 770, which is down from 3500 in the 1950s and 60s. The church expanded its facilities 9 years ago, building a new sanctuary to the north of the existing one. The first sanctuary is now used as an all-purpose meeting room. The new sanctuary has room for about 400 parishioners, a beautiful Wurlitzer piano and choir area, a resting room for mothers, and an office for the pastor and receptionist. The building costs were paid off last year.

Summary of Organization’s Vision, Mission, and Goals

Lovejoy Temple has a 3-phase plan for reaching its mission of bringing people to God, particularly by reaching out specifically to young people, and helping improve the community and the opportunities available to its members. The first was to build the new sanctuary. The second is to build a school. The third is to implement programs and services that will aid members of the community in improving their quality of life, such as job search assistance and training older persons or others with little or no computer skills how to use computers so that they have more skills to offer potential employers and are not left out of current modes of communication. Computers will be a tool for the church to use in its school and for offering community services and programming. They expect the congregation to increase in size over the next several years.