“The building is old. The people are new,” declared Pastor Emmanuel Sarpong, reflecting on the journey that brought the fourth Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist church in the Lake Union into existence. “I see God’s hand working at this time. When you’re working with God, you realize He is in control. He does things on His own time.”
Debbie Michel
May 15, 2025A chorus of voices singing “To God Be the Glory” echoed outside the newly purchased 15,000-square-foot church building in Channahon, Illinois, as members of the Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church gathered on Sabbath, May 10, to celebrate a milestone more than a decade in the making—the official opening of their new spiritual home.
“The building is old. The people are new,” declared Pastor Emmanuel Sarpong, reflecting on the journey that brought the fourth Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist church in the Lake Union into existence. “I see God’s hand working at this time. When you’re working with God, you realize He is in control. He does things on His own time.”
The story of Living Hope is not only a local victory but also part of a broader movement. Since the 1980s, Ghanaian immigrants have steadily grown in number across North America, driven by educational opportunities and economic migration. Today, there are about 230,000 Ghanaians living in the United States, many of whom are deeply committed Christians with strong evangelistic zeal.
Seventh-day Adventism has found fertile ground within this community. Ghanaian Adventists have planted churches in major cities including New York, Washington, D.C. Worcester (Massachusetts), and Toronto, often beginning with small group gatherings in homes. The North American Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Association (NAGSDA) is a network of sister churches led by pastors and lay members working closely with the NAD. They are organized into five zones—Northeast, Midwest, Central, Western, and Pacific fellowship—overseen by a central administration of president, secretary and treasurer who are assisted by regional presidents. These churches have become spiritual and cultural hubs for Ghanaians seeking worship in their own language and traditions, while also reaching out to their broader communities.
Pastor Sarpong came to the Lake Region Conference from the Ohio Conference in 2009 and, together with the church board and members, quickly saw the need for a Ghanaian congregation in Chicago’s western suburbs. At the time, Ghanaian Chicago Church, was the only Ghanaian church in the city of Chicago, and it had been established by Ghanaian Andrews University students in the mid-1980s. “Some members were traveling long distances from the suburbs,” he noted. “But some were hesitant to form a new flock because the fellowship amongst the group was so strong.”
Evangelistic meetings in Romeoville and Bolingbrook in 2010 and 2011 saw positive responses, but no church was planted. Between 2013 and 2017, the group continued gathering in homes. “We kept pushing by God’s grace,” said Sarpong. “Prayer does things. Even if it takes years, it will happen in God’s time.”
In 2020, even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, a renewed focus took shape: the group began praying together every day at noon, specifically asking God to provide a church building. Then in February 2023, their prayers were answered when a Baptist church building in Channahon went up for sale. Originally listed for $650,000, the congregation negotiated it down to $600,000. The Chicago Ghanaian Church made a $300,000 down payment and the remaining $300,000 was made possible through a mortgage loan from the Lake Union Revolving Fund.
Inside, they discovered another unexpected blessing—a fully functioning food pantry complete with walk-in freezers and trucks for deliveries. “We had no choice but to invest in the ministry that was already there,” said Sarpong. Today, the food pantry serves over 200 people every month and is registered with the Northern Illinois Food Bank. “The pantry is a tool, an icebreaker. People here may not know Adventists, but they know we care.”
Opening day brought its own surprises. Just as Sabbath School began, smoke from a forgotten pie in the oven triggered the fire alarm, summoning local fire and police. “Fire trucks and police made it grand!” quipped Sarpong. He jokingly told the new visitors, ‘I should’ve invited you—and you came by yourselves!’
The congregation gathered in the parking lot and decided to hold the ribbon-cutting ceremony right then and there. Among the guests that day were Channahon Mayor Missey Moorman Schumacher, Lake Region President Garth Gabriel, Treasurer Kent Nichols, Vice President for Multicultural Ministry Eddie Allen and Lake Union Vice President for Multicultural Ministry Carmelo Mercado. Also present was chief of the Asante tribe in Chicago, Nana Kwabena Osei. Mayor Schumacher welcomed the new congregation warmly. “This building has deep roots,” she said. “We’re thrilled you’re here, continuing the food ministry.”
Mercado offered a blessing for the church: “Praise the Lord for this opportunity to minister to this community. We’re thankful for the Living Hope Church, that they will be a symbol of hope and a light for the community.”
Living Hope was formed with 50 members of the Ghanaian Chicago Church and has already grown to 70–75, as more Ghanaian Adventists from nearby have joined. Plans are underway for prophecy seminars in early 2026 to further connect with the surrounding community.
“Ghanaians are evangelistic,” said Sarpong, who holds a Ph.D. focused on Ghanaian immigrants’ response to servant leadership. “Wherever two or three gather, they start a fellowship group. But leadership in our culture often means being served—not serving. That’s why we teach servant leadership rooted in Christ’s example.”
Today, Living Hope Church stands as a symbol of that philosophy—serving both spiritual and practical needs, grounded in prayer and propelled by faith.
“Let God work His plan,” said Sarpong as he reflected on the years of waiting for the new building. “You can’t rush His time. But when He acts—it’s beautiful.”
Debbie Michel is editor of the Lake Union Herald.
