Senior Pastor, the Chapel Scott Chapman

The past year has truly been a truly amazing time at The Chapel. God has done truly wonderful things in so many people’s lives. As I look over this past season of ministry, I am grateful for everyone who has served God in our church and helped to make it such a remarkable place. I find that at times it’s helpful to slow down and take stock of life and reflect on what God is doing in our lives. In that spirit of gratitude to God and wonder at His ability to empower ordinary people like us, I want to briefly share with you some of what He has done through His servants at The Chapel since the beginning of the year.

• Our children’s and youth ministries have helped 5,868 students grow closer to God.
• Our compassion team responded to 1,348 requests for help from people in our church who needed food, clothes, financial relief, shelter, counseling, and prayer.
• We held mobile food pantries and collected more than 30,000 lbs of food through ShareFest providing 44,000 meals to over 8,000 families.
• We launched a work ministry to help people who are unemployed due to the economy.
• We helped three children be adopted into Chapel families through the Adoption Scholarship fund and placed 15 children in Chapel families through the Safe Families program.
• We have helped 2,737 people connect with God and each other through small groups.
• We baptized more than 100 people since January and loosely estimate that more than 400 people have come to Christ through the weekend messages.
• We provided back to school supplies for 850 local school children in need.
• We have 80 volunteers who regularly serve more than 130 inmates and their families at the Lake County Jail.
• Our Adopt-a-School program has been a huge success. All of our campuses have adopted and are working to improve schools in our area.
• The Barrington campus has launched a “sidewalk outreach ministry.” Volunteers take the train two times a month after church to downtown Chicago to feed, clothe, and pray for the homeless.
• The People to People ministry that launched out of our Mundelein campus fed nearly 1000 people (more than 4,000 meals) in September. They also provided clothing, housing, tutoring, furniture, and more to hundreds of others.
• We hosted a conference with Chuck Colson for 475 local pastors.
• Catalyst, our network of churches, has grown to more than 75 local congregations.
• We helped plant a church in Round Lake.
• We grew as a church on all of our campuses, and have helped thousands rediscover God.
• Last year The Chapel and Catalyst partnered with these ministries to advance the Kingdom: Groundwire, Free Wheelchair Ministry, Living Water International, Salvation Army, Wing Haven, International Teams, Prison Entrepreneurship Program, Girls Connected, Oasis for Orphans, Compassion International, Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, The Dream Center, Northern Illinois Food Bank, The Youth Campus, Willow Creek Association, Sunshine Gospel, Fellowship Housing, TIM (India ministry)
• This year, we have given away $729,000 outside our doors; an amount equivalent to about 8% of our overall budget.

This has already been a wonderful year of ministry, and we still have a couple of months to go!

Lord Jesus, thank You for using us to love others and to genuinely help our neighbors. Thank You for guiding us and empowering us every step of the way. Thank You for our people who so tirelessly serve You because they love You. Lead us on – always forward to help You build Your Kingdom here on earth. Amen.