Community Worship: Rev. Grace Imathiu

Lakeside is thrilled to welcome Rev. Grace Imathiu, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Evanston, Illinois, as Preacher of the Week July 7-11. This week’s preacher is supported by Bill & Nancy Carlson.

Imathiu will lead the 10:30 a.m. Chautauqua Community Worship Service on Sunday, July 7 in Hoover Auditorium.

Michael Shirtz and guest artists will provide musical leadership during the service, while the liturgy will be led by Rev. Dr. Charles Yoost, Senior Director of Religious Life & Pastoral Care. Worship music for the 2024 summer season is supported by James E. Beardsley and Doris F. Beardsley.

Following the opening prayer, children (ages 5-11) will proceed to Bradley Temple for Children’s Church with Chip Richter. There will be a message by Richter, songs, crafts, lemonade and cookies to share. Preschoolers are welcome if accompanied by an adult.

Imathiu has served churches in Kenya as a church planter, a superintendent minister overseeing 68 rural churches in Nkubu and an urban minister to an ecumenical congregation in Nairobi with strong outreach to the neighboring slums of Kawangware. She is intimately familiar with the church in its many theological expressions and social locations.

Imathiu loves people and has a passion and gift for inspiring and nurturing communities of faith to live out loud the prophetic story of Jesus. For Imathiu, the quintessential expression of the resurrected Lord’s presence is a community whose very DNA is in radical hospitality which births a loving and a healthy tension that is ideological, theological, racial, ethnic and cultural.

As an African who is married to a European and is raising an American son, she is committed to advocating for the inclusion of all people. She has preached in Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Togo, Liberia, Denmark, Australia, Malaysia, Brazil and all throughout the United States.

Imathiu is married to David Hay Jones and they are the parents of one child.

Guests are welcome to attend Community Worship free of charge by requesting a complimentary Church Pass between 7:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday; valid until 1 p.m. The pass includes admittance for guests and auto. This pass must be presented to the gate attendant upon departure. If the time allotted is exceeded, the guest(s) will be charged a fee. This pass does not include access to the Grindley Aquatic & Wellness Campus pool. Complimentary passes are available for all worship services and Faith for Living Hour.