Harvest Bible Chapel is calling Highland Park its new home after serving the community in Winnetka the past three years.
The change in venue allows church services to move from the Winnetka Community House to its new place of residence at 1731 Deerfield Road in Highland Park, after acquiring the property from the Redeemer Lutheran Church in early August.
“Having our own space allows us to do things throughout the week,” said Jason Acres, campus pastor. “We have the capacity to hold more services.”
Harvest Bible Chapel holds its church service at 9 a.m. every Sunday and with the new building in their possession, they’re able to seat 50 additional people.
To date, Acres has served seven years as a pastor, leading student ministry at the Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, until he departed for Winnetka three years ago to oversee the church’s first campus on the north shore.
Acres said becoming a pastor and planting a Harvest Bible Chapel has been a part of his plan for a while.
At age 44, his faith plays an instrumental role in his life not only as a husband and a father but a pastor and a lover of Christ.
“I couldn’t think of any reason not to do this,” he said of overseeing the Highland Park church. “Timing was right.”
Acres said the congregation has been pleased to call the Highland Park church its new home.
“Everyone’s really excited,” he said. “When you have a place, you can make it how you envision it. When you rent out a facility, you don’t have as much flexibility.”
Harvest Bible Chapel underwent renovations August 1-23, allowing the building to better fit their needs, according to Acres.
“The worship center adds a welcoming feel,” he said, noting how the building’s renovations mirror the openness of the Highland Park church’s congregation.
Harvest Bible Chapel offers a number of opportunities that help in creating a sense of community among its members.
“One of the things that we do well is getting people involved in the community – church services, small groups,” Acres said.
Acres said having the congregation break out into small groups is especially nice because it allows people, whether they’re single, female or male, to get to know one another.
The recent move also places the Highland Park church in a position where it can reach new people, according to Acres.
“We’re just kind of the new kids on the block,” he said.
Harvest Bible Chapel held its first service in their new home on Sept. 13 and since then, they’ve reached out to the community in a number of ways.
Acres said it was especially nice to see the turnout at the church’s Harvest Festival held in late October.
“We’d love to invite anyone from the area to give us a try,” he said.