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Address 1109 N. Fourth Street |
Champaign, IL 61820 |
Phone 217-359-6920 |
Website http://www.thechurchofthelivinggod.com/
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The Church of the Living God
According to its website, “The Church of The Living God of Champaign, IL is affectionately known in Champaign-Urbana as ‘The Love Corner,’” because of its beneficial role in the community. The organization is very active in the community through the wide variety of its ministries and Sunday school programs it supports on a regular basis. While the church’s main focus is on youth, it aims to serve all in the community. The church is currently expanding its building through a much-anticipated construction project called: “Share the Love Capital Stewardship Campaign.” The expansion of the space has the aims of accommodating a larger number of community and developing larger facilities
The Church broadcasts its services on a regular basis and distributes CD/DVD copies of those services to the community, and supports digital literacy classes for both children and adults in its annex where the computer lab is located.
History
The Church of The Living God was first organized by Elder Lee Munson in 1946. Munson was the church’s first pastor; and along with Brother Johnnie Agnew, Brother Lee Thompson, and Brother Fitzhugh Odom all laid together the foundation and started The Church Of The Living God.
The church’s first religious worship space was initially provided through the kind assistance of Deaconess and Sister Agnew, who made her home at 709 N. Fourth Street, Champaign available. She was the first deaconess of the church and the wife of Elder Munson as well. Over the years, the ministry felt blessed in the way that it grew larger. It was then because of the growing numbers in the congregation that there was soon a need for more worship space. As a result, they started to worship throughout the 50s “at a funeral home and then also went through a couple of other church buildings before they got permanently established into a permanent place of their own” (Bishop Gwin). At first the “services were held in the Agnew's home, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and Parker and Sons Funeral Home, until a new church building was constructed in the Fall of 1960, at 801 N. Poplar Street, Champaign.” (e).
Upon his retirement in 1967, Pastor Munson appointed Eldress Mary Mullen to take over the pastoring of the Church. The church at this time grew such that they decided to build the current worship location of the Church of The Living God
Eldress Mary Mullen became the overseer for the organization right after her retirement in 1981; and then in July of that same year; “Elder Lloyd. E. Gwin (now Bishop) was appointed as the third pastor of the Champaign church.”(e). Bishop Gwin continues to serve as pastor.
The following is a timeline of technology history at the church.
1992 – The organization starts selling audio/ video recordings of its religious services and saw the advent of the future “Audio/Video Tape Ministry” that was to become the “Media Store.”
1994 – The church starts broadcasting its religious services via what are called “The Love Corner Victory Broadcast.” This regularly airs on WBCP - 1580 AM Radio on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m.
2000 – The first website version of the organization is launched, having been designed by relatives of the staff on a volunteer basis.
2002 – The church starts television broadcasting its worship services on a regular basis. The Love Corner Experience is aired on WBUI – CW TV (Channel 12 or 914 HD) on Sundays at 8:00 a.m.
2006 – The TLC Annex building located right across the street from the Church opens its doors to host the majority of the Sunday school classes and the computer.
2008 – The Church starts the After School Program (k through 12), through which kids learn how to read better through a variety of digital gaming/learning activities.
2009 – A Job Training program is initiated and runs quarterly. It offers ACT preparation for high school students, art classes, job searching/interview skills, and computer training.
Early 2010 – The church redesigns the old website.
2010 – All computers for staff use are integrated into a single network, and the church launches its online-based version of the Media Store for community members.
