Project Archives

ONE MILLION HOMES IN CHICAGO
By Jim Barclay    From the Lake Union Herald, June 15, 1976

To proclaim the gospel to 1,000,000 homes in the city of Chicago requires significant resources. We have partially recognized this in our three-year effort to raise $170,000 to cover the direct costs. There are other resources also required, but the most significant one is our time. God has given to each of us an equal share of time each day. He also gives us a challenge to use a part of that day to carry the gospel to someone who has not had the privilege of hearing it.

During the next few weeks the 10,000 church members of Greater Chicago will form a team to do just that. This will be a team effort of approximately 45 churches belonging to the Chicagoland area of the Lake Region and Illinois conferences.

Another resource required for this effort is warehouse space. The West Suburban Consolidated SDA School at 3031 South 25th Avenue, Broadview, Illinois, has graciously permitted the use of their gymnasium as a warehouse. Beginning June 7, the warehouse will be receiving various items in quantities of 1,000,000 each.

You may be interested to know that one of the items being received, the book Steps to Christ, is being printed by the largest paperback book publisher in the world, W. F. Hall Printing Company of Chicago. Their annual paperback book capacity is 500 million books. The production of Steps to Christ will run at 15,000 books per hour and our order of 1,000,000 books will take about 67 hours to produce on their high-speed presses. To deliver this order requires three semi-trailer trucks.

In addition to the book Steps to Christ there will be three other printed pieces in the package. These have been produced by one of the finest color shops in the Midwest, Patterson Printing of Benton Harbor, Michigan.

The creative writing, artwork, and layout for these three pieces in the package plus the envelope were all done by and/or under the direction of Paul Nelson, a professional advertiser who is a member of the Hinsdale SDA Church.

After all the various items are received in the warehouse, about 10,200 No. 3 U.S. mailbags will each be loaded with the materials that will make up 100 envelopes to carry the gospel message to 100 homes.

This job will require a large number of workers for a short period of time. If you live in the Greater Chicago area and would be willing to help, please call ********** and schedule some time for work. The warehouse will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Friday hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will also be there working Sabbath from 3 to 10 p.m. We need you now-please come help!