Our Minister

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Rev. Richard E. “Rick” Hamilton serves as our Senior Minister. “I believe strongly in the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to create transformed lives. When we gather for worship or study, we are doing so to rehearse not only the story of the Gospel, but the ‘what does it mean to me, and what am I going to do about it’ power of the Gospel. Church at its finest challenges us to be humans at our finest - a reflection of the nature of God.”

"Our church mission is: 'called to be the presence of Christ in our community.' When we live according to Jesus' example to serve one another, we say to the world that Jesus is real. Working for love and justice is a radical idea---it is the kingdom of God! Our congregation has a real heart for our community, a love that stretches from Downers Grove to children across the globe in Belarus. It is humbling to serve such a generous and active congregation."

Rick is an Ordained Minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where he has served as Regional Minister for the Christian Churches in Canada, and as Deputy Regional Minister in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (The Great River Region). He has also served in Pastoral Ministries in Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Texas. Rick is a graduate of Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Brite Divinity School with a Master of Divinity. Prior to his ministry career, he worked in Sales and Marketing for the Procter and Gamble Distributing Company, Coca-Cola USA, and 3D Broadcasting Company. Rick has been an Executive Director of two non-profits: A Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Chapter and The Jubilee Fund. 

Rick is married to Sara Schomp Hamilton, who works in downtown Chicago for a major food company. They are the proud parents of two sons: Robert, a student at Eureka College, and Ryan a student of Naperville district 203.