History of Friendship Church

Date	Event or Activity
Spring, 1973	A planning group of three families (Mr. & Mrs. David Bradford, James and Linda Funderburk, David and Mary Bice) began determining the amount of interest for a Bolingbrook Methodist church.
Winter, 1973	Responding to the planning groups advertising, a get-acquainted session was held at North View Elementary School. Nine families began meeting for lay services and Bible study.
March 1, 1974	Rev. Charles Klosterman, on a sabbatical leave, agreed to become part-time pastor for the Bolingbrook Mission, United Methodist Church.
March 3, 1974	The first Sunday service for Bolingbrook Mission was held at North View with 19 worshipers plus children.
June 15, 1974	Charles Klosterman was appointed full-time pastor of Bolingbrook Mission.
August 18, 1974	Bolingbrook Mission Methodists elected their first officers.
September 29, 1974	The first Bolingbrook High School Sunday service was conducted.
October 20, 1974	The Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church officially recognized The United Methodist Church, Bolingbrook Illinois, as a properly organized local church. There were 81 charter members.
January 19, 1975	Friendship United Methodist Church became the new name by a 34 - 29 vote of the congregation.
July 6, 1975	A contract was signed with Centex Homes to purchase the site of the present church building and property. Membership in Friendship had rise to 108.
September 7, 1975	Church members participated in the Bolingbrook village parade with a float "Open Doors to Friendship."
December 19, 1975	The present 3.77 acres on east Boughton Road became the legal property of Friendship church.
April 13, 1976	The United Methodist Women held their first meeting. The Friendship group was officially recognized by the Northern Illinois Conference May 18.
November 8, 1976	The Building Committee was instructed by the congregation to employ an architect and to prepare a financial plan for constructing a church building.
July 31, 1977	Authorization was given the Building Committee by church members to undertake the long-planned building program.
September 18, 1977	Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the new church building. Two hundred confirmed members comprised Friendship United Methodist Church with an average Sunday attendance of 185.
November 19, 1978	The first Sunday service was held in the new church building. A Thanksgiving Dinner was held the previous evening.
December 3, 1978	A Consecration Service was held with Bishop Paul Washburn and District Superintendent James Paulson attending.
April 8, 1979	Two worship services were held on Sunday morning at Friendship for the first time. There were now some 250 members with an average attendance at the one Sunday service of 210.
Summer, 1979	The first Vacation Church School was held at Friendship.
December 2, 1979	The two Sunday morning services became permanent as membership had risen to almost 300 people.
November 9, 1980	An education wing was authorized by the congregation to be added to the existing building.
June 16, 1981	Rev. Tom Cross became pastor of Friendship United Methodist Church.
September 27, 1981	Ground breaking ceremonies for the new education wing were held.
January, 1982	Friendship Singles held its first meeting.
January 24, 1982	The United Methodist Men gathered for their first meeting.
April 25, 1982	The new education wing was commemorated with a Consecration Ceremony.
Nov, 1982	Friendship's Drama Group got started with a play performed at the annual church Thanksgiving Dinner
October, 1984	The members of Friendship celebrated the church's 10th birthday.
February 12, 1986	The first Ash Wednesday service was conducted at Friendship.
July 1, 1987	Dr. Royal Speidel was named pastor of Friendship United Methodist Church. Membership now stood at approximately 500 persons.
October, 1988	Friendship Church began supporting the Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) center in Joliet, Illinois.
November 13, 1988	The education wing was named the Klosterman Wing during a dedication ceremony at the church. Pastor Klosterman spoke at the service. Charles and Bernice Klosterman were instrumental in Friendship Church's birth and growth.
May, 1989	Weekly potluck suppers began on Wednesday nights.
July, 1989	Central air conditioning was installed in part of the church. The remainder of the building was air conditioned in the summer of 1995.
October, 1989	Friendship church celebrated its 15th anniversary.
November 12, 1989	The first Asian worship service was held.
February, 1990	A gift of $1000 became the basis for the Friendship Fund. By 1998 the fund was valued at almost $30,000.
March, 1990	The stained glass window was placed in the sanctuary. The work of art was a gift from Stained Glass Overlay of Bolingbrook.
April, 1990	The Building Study Committee was tasked to see if additions to the present church building were needed.
April 24, 1990	A Statement of Purpose was adopted: "The purpose of Friendship United Methodist Church is to make people disciples of Jesus Christ within our congregation, our community, and our world, including people of all ages, ethnic groups and handicapping conditions."
July, 1990	The 9:00 a.m. worship service began being televised every Sunday on Bolingbrook's cable television station.
September 2, 1990	To alleviate crowded parking conditions, the second Sunday service was moved from a 10:30 a.m. start to 10:45.
September 8, 1990	Saturday evening worship services started.
September 9, 1990	A Church Conference approved a Building Committee and asked it to create a Master Plan for Friendship.
Fall, 1991	A Stephen Ministry began at Friendship with 10 trained ministers. By 1998 this number had grown to 45.
March 8, 1992	A special church conference approved the architect's Master Plan and Phase One concepts and authorized the Building Committee to start raising funds for Phase One building additions.
November 22, 1992	Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the new construction which would add 4700 sq. feet of new space to the existing 9700 sq. feet and double the size of the rear parking lot.
March, 1993	The Administrative Board adopted a Vision Statement which stated: "The Vision of Friendship United Methodist Church is to do all things with excellence unto God."
September 19, 1993	A Consecration Service celebrated the new building additions.
Spring, 1994	The number of active groups at Friendship reached 125. There were 57 task groups (work areas, committees and boards) and 68 learning, nurture and support groups.
May 7, 1994	Friendship began offering a Contemporary worship service on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. which replaced the traditional service.
May, 1994	A comprehensive assessment of the standing and stature of Friendship United Methodist Church was issued by the Long Range Planning Committee.
October, 1994	The 20th anniversary of Friendship Church was celebrated.
April, 1995	The Long Range Planning Committee issued "A Long Range Plan for Friendship United Methodist Church, 1996 - 2000."
June, 1995	Pastor Speidel received the 1995 clergy Denman Evangelism Award for his efforts in making disciples for Jesus Christ.
September, 1995	The 10:45 Sunday service returned to a traditional worship format. Friendship offered three distinctive contemporary and traditional weekend services.
January, 1996	Friendship averaged some 300 worship services attendees for each Saturday/ Sunday weekend.
February 25, 1996	Friendship launched a 12-week Worship Attendance Crusade as part of Vision 2000.
March 26, 1996	The Administrative Board participated in a Vision 2000 retreat at the church.
December, 1996	An updated assessment of the Standing and Stature of Friendship was issued by the Long Range Planning Committee.
February, 1997	The Royal and Rita Speidel Scholarship was established by Garret-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston.
February 13, 1997	Friendship Chapel was dedicated by Pastor Speidel.
July, 1997	Dr. Speidel exchanged pulpits with Pastor Ian Haile of Northfield Methodist Church, United Kingdom.
September 28, 1997	"Circle Weekend" was celebrated. The congregation was asked to invite unchurched friends and acquaintances to worship at Friendship that weekend.
December 7, 1997	The Administrative Board and Council of Ministries of Friendship were merged into the Church Council administrative structure.
Summer, 1998	Friendship volunteers participated for the third year in Red Bird missionary construction projects in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky.
Winter, 1998	Participants in the Disciple Bible Study program, begun in 1992, reached 130.
Dec, 1998	Friendship United Methodist Church was made up of 646 members.
June 16, 1999	The Church Conference of Friendship Church voted to proceed with the development of a new Methodist Church on the southwest side of Bolingbrook.
October, 1999	Friendship United Methodist Church culminated a year long celebration of its 25th "birthday." Friendship Church was officially recognized by the United Methodist Church on October 20, 1974.
January 15, 2000	Rev. Paul Nolden was appointed associate pastor to develop the new Methodist Church in southwest Bolingbrook, later named Crossroads United Methodist Church.
June 11, 2000	Dr. Kent Hunter, a specialist in church growth, gave his consultation report to Friendship Church. It consisted of his observations of the church and 75 recommendations. The latter was delegated to the appropriate committees for action plans.
March 11, 2001	Crossroads of Faith United Methodist Church held its first weekly worship service in Jamie McGee Elementary School in Bolingbrook. Approximately 150 worshipers attended.
August 26, 2001	The three Friendship weekly church services were combined for a special day of worship. The "One Family Worship" service was held in a tent adjacent to the church property Sunday morning with the annual church picnic immediately following.
August 28, 2001	The Statement of Purpose of Friendship Church was revised by the Church Council to read as follows: "The purpose of Friendship United Methodist Church is to make people disciples of Jesus Christ within our congregation, our community, and our world, including people of all ages and ethnic groups and persons with disabilities. Making people disciples involves bringing them to an initial commitment to Jesus Christ, nurturing their growth and understanding of the Christian Faith, encouraging their regular worship and praise of God, offering them opportunities for close fellowship with other Christian disciples, and providing them with training, resources and ways to serve God and Humanity."
October 31, 2001	Dr. Royal Speidel retired as Senior Pastor of Friendship United Methodist Church. On October 28 a reception was held at the church in the afternoon with a dinner that night at the Holiday Inn in Bolingbrook to honor and to say farewell to Pastor Speidel and his wife Rita.
November 1, 2001	Jamie Hanna Williams assumed the duties of Senior Pastor of Friendship United Methodist Church. Rev. Williams was formerly pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Deerfield, Illinois.
November 27, 2001	The Vision Statement of Friendship Church was revised by the Church Council to say the following: "The vision of Friendship United Methodist Church is to be a growing community of faith, passionately modeling the life of Christ through significant relationships with both seekers and believers. We will demonstrate the relevance of the Christian faith through traditional and contemporary creative expressions of that faith."
June 22, 2008	Pastor Jamie Hanna Williams preached her last sermon at Friendship Church. Rev Williams is taking a sabbatical to further her religious education.
July 1, 2008	James C. Saltzman assumed the duties of Pastor of Friendship United Methodist Church. Rev. Saltzman was most recently the pastor of Grace Methodist Church in Joliet, Illinois.

Friendship United Methodist Church 305 E. Boughton Road Bolingbrook, IL 60440 (630) 972-1011 or www.friendshipchurch.com ... where friendship is more than a name!

Friendship United Methodist Church
305 E. Boughton Road Bolingbrook, IL 60440
(630) 972-1011 or www.friendshipchurch.com

... where friendship is more than a name!