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405 West State Street, North Aurora, Illinois 60542 |
Meet Our Pastor |
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. |
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The Rev. Mark C. Alvis accepted the call to the pastorate of Union Congregational Church following a vote by the congregation on Sunday, April 10, 2005. A member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference since 1990, Rev. Alvis has served on its Board of Directors and Nominating Committee.
Rev. Alvis is a graduate of Biola College and Talbot Theological Seminary. He describes his personal theological pilgrimage in these words: Having served several pastorates in California, Rev. Alvis came to North Aurora from Middletown, New York, where he had been pastor of First Congregational Church. In introducing himself to the North Aurora congregation, he commented, “I am a ‘team player.’ I believe God’s blueprint for local churches is for a plurality of elders who work together for the welfare of the body. Nothing excites me more than seeing lay people minister effectively.” Rev. Alvis began his ministry in North Aurora on June 26, 2005. He and his wife Cindy have five children and two grandchildren. At Union Congregational, Rev. Alvis succeeded Rev. Larry Wentzel who moved to another assignment in May, 2004. Dr. Richard Leonard, C.C.C.C. Area Representative for northern Illinois, served as Interim Minister from July, 2004 until June, 2005. Co-chairmen of the Pastoral Search Committee were Harvey Sterkel and Mike Williams. |
“During my 28 years of pastoral ministry, I have studied my way out of dispensational theology and into Reformed theology. I am a five-point Calvinist and an optimistic Amillennialist. I love the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference because it welcomes believers from a wide spectrum of evangelical viewpoints. We stand firm on the essential doctrines of the faith and practice charity on issues where good people have differed for hundreds of years. ‘Iron sharpens iron’ (Proverbs 27:17); it is good to be around believers who can challenge viewpoints about Scripture that may not have been thought through carefully.”