Church in Orland Park Reaches out to Arab-American Christians with Noor Services

posted on: May 25, 2018

SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE

BY: GINGER BRASHINGER

Calvary Church in Orland Park recently added to its family of worshipers by offering Arab-Americans a place to practice their Christian faith.

An afternoon service called Noor — from the Arabic word meaning “glorious light” — made its debut at the church on Easter, which was celebrated April 1 by Arab-American Christians. They were led in prayer and scripture by Orland Park resident Lawrence Haddad.

“We want to draw all people out of darkness and into the glorious light of Jesus Christ,” Haddad said.

Haddad said the Noor services are more like Christian services had been “in the beginning,” with more “gospel teaching, Bible preaching,” rather than being services steeped in tradition and ceremony.

The “more contemporary” approach to preaching, Haddad said, is partially to engage young Arab-American Christians, who are important to the success of Noor.

“What Lawrence is tapping into is this really beautiful reimagining of church for the next generation,” Calvary Church Pastor Ron Citlau said.

Citlau said Haddad, an optometrist with a practice in Lansing,began attending worship services at Calvary with his wife, children and extended family about three years ago.

“And when I say family, I mean we’re talking thirty, forty aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers,” Citlau said.

As Citlau and Haddad began to form a friendship and a bond, Citlau said he learned about Haddad’s deep faith and urgent need to share the story of his rebirth of faith.

Haddad, 45, said he had grown up “in a good Christian community” and believed the teachings of his faith, but he began to feel his life was missing something.

“I lived as a good person up to the age of about 27 and then the Lord entered my life and changed it completely,” Haddad said. “It was an absolute transformation. I couldn’t help but wanting to share it with my loved ones. … It was just coming out of my pores. I had to share.”

Haddad wanted to preach in a church of his own that would welcome Arab-American Christians, making them feel welcome, comfortable and at home while he shared the “gift” of faith he experienced that could also change their lives, he said.

“I knew it was so good and it was free and an unlimited amount,” Haddad said.

Despite his passion, Haddad’s first attempt at forming a congregation failed because he “couldn’t break through about sixty people,” Citlau said.

But Haddad knew his congregation was out there and that he just needed to tap into the network of “thousands” of Arab-American Christians in the Chicago area, he said.

“We have bridges built everywhere,” he said.

Despite that, Haddad struggled to find a way to let his people know he had something important to share with them about their faith.

Citlau and Haddad, who had become partners with the common goal of bringing people together in faith, brainstormed ways to make that happen at Calvary, 16100 S. 104th Ave.

“He was talking about the idea of trying to (preach) again.” Citlau said. “Somehow we just began to dream about … What if we do it together? What would that look like? What if together we could reach more people, do more excellent service and really empower Lawrence to live into his dream?”

After a “beautiful outreach” by Calvary Church that included “thousands of mailers,” Haddad said his dream came true.

About 200 people attended the first Noor worship service, which was conducted in both Arabic and English.

“We were pretty impressed,” Citlau said, noting attendance has continued at the same pace.

Haddad, who has a masters’s degree in Biblical studies from the Moody Theological Seminary, plans to complete the ordination process through the Reformed Church denomination to which Calvary Church belongs. In the meantime, he will continue to preach at the weekly 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon service specifically serving the Arab-American Christian community but open to everyone.

There are more challenges to meet and more goals to attain, Haddad and Citlau said. They both agree that they will work together purpose to meet the needs of the Arab-American Christian community while working toward the goal of bringing everyone together.

Citlau and Haddad will occasionally switch services, and they share duties working with the youth of the congregation. Father’s Day activities will include one large service at 11 a.m. at which both men will preach.

“Even though we have these different flavors of services, we are one family,” Citlau said. “We’re in it together.”