CHICAGO, IL (March 17, 2008) \u2013 Beverly Covenant Church opened its doors March 9 to revelers at the large St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade on the city\u2019s south side, reflecting a change in the congregation\u2019s attitude toward reaching out to people in the community, says member Janet Borggren.
\n
\nIn recent years, the church has embraced the parade – which draws 260,00 people – as an opportunity to minister to the visiting crowd, as opposed to resenting its presence, Borggren says. Several hundred people walked to the church, located a block off the parade route, to take advantage of clean washrooms, hot beverages, a warm place to rest, and food.<\/p>\n
The congregation was not always so accommodating. \u201cFor many years, the parade was just a nuisance,\u201d Borggren says. \u201cAs the parade grew, parking became more and more difficult. Traffic snarls kept many members from attending.\u201d<\/p>\n
The revelry also upset some church members. \u201cThe level of drinking, particularly under-age drinking, was disturbing,\u201d Borggren says. \u201cWe resented the way the parade interfered with our ability to worship. Slowly, God changed our mindset. Increasingly, we began to see our location as an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beverly Covenant began the day with a 9 a.m. worship service celebrating the ministry of St. Patrick and the Christ he worshipped, Borggren says. The service incorporated Irish dancing, Irish hymns, readings from The Breastplate of St. Francis (a dramatized interview with the saint), and a postlude on bagpipe.<\/p>\n
Church members welcomed visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\u00a0 \u201cAlthough many guests limited their visit to a quick bathroom break, others stayed to chat or ask about our programs,\u201d Borggren says.<\/p>\n
The response of several people was evidence of deeper needs. \u201cMany pamphlets about domestic abuse were taken from our women\u2019s restroom,\u201d Borggren says. \u201cA young man about to enlist in the U.S. Army asked for prayer.\u201d Pastor Don Nelson prayed with a cocaine addict.<\/p>\n
The church didn\u2019t intend to use the event primarily as a fundraiser, but donors contributed $400 to help finance the youth group\u2019s summer mission trip to Montana, Borggren adds.<\/p>\n