The Lawndale Christian Ministry has served as a lifeblood of the Lawndale community for decades. Along with helping those with health and wellness needs, the ministry is a 1K Man March sponsor.
The Lawndale Christian Community Church began decades ago as a sports-based youth group. The church’s founder, Wayne Gordon, was a teacher and coach at Farragut Career Academy. In 1975, he started a program called the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Gordon, along with 14 other fellowship members, went on to create the church in March 1978, with the intent to reach the community’s “unchurched” people and show them God’s Word. This is one of the church’s main principles.
It was founded to help address the needs of the Lawndale community, specifically the lack of health services available to residents.
The church managed to secure a building early on, one on Ogden Avenue that needed much work. The dilapidated church offices, clinic, and basketball court all stood as obstacles to the church’s growth. Despite the huge task at hand, the youth were determined to get things up and running. Many could be seen working on the floor and the building’s roof during their spare time.
Their efforts caught the attention of sponsors such as the Chicago Community Trust and the Chicago Bears. Donations from both organizations allowed the church to complete its renovations, and the Lawndale Christian Health Center was born. In 1984, the clinic opened with a health fair, giving free screenings and booking first appointments for people.
The health center has grown from five people on staff to 100 medical providers across six clinics. The Lawndale Christian Fitness Center (LCFC) opened in 2005. It is a safe place for many seniors in the community to be more active. Brian Gannon had aspirations of starting a Christian fitness center. Coincidentally, he began attending the church when its members discussed creating a center of their own. So he quit his job as a P.E teacher and has been a wellness director at the center for 16 years, starting about a year after the center opened:
“I’m sitting in church and thinking ‘wow. I need to be a part of this.’ So I left teaching and went back to school and got a Masters in Exercise Science and…pursued employment at Lawndale Christian Fitness Center.”
Jarell Kelly has managed the fitness center for six months. He played football at Tennessee State University and pursued degrees in exercise science and sports management. While he had another job offer at a different facility, he was persuaded to work at Lawndale Christian Fitness:
“I told my father-in-law about my offers from facilities, including from Lawndale. Soon as I said Lawndale, he said I should politely decline the other offer because I have to be there (Lawndale).”
Kelly has a personal connection to the center as it was his father-in-law’s construction company that helped build the facility where he now works. He and Gannon recognize that it just takes little things to tie someone to another person or organization.
“It was enough for me to go all-in on the actual position and help build the culture here.”
The center is focused on community engagement. It offers a range of activities outside of general fitness in an attempt to “get people moving.” People can sign up for adult recreational leagues in sports like basketball, flag football, and volleyball. Many members meet on Saturday mornings to walk together.
Gannon spoke of the center’s sponsorship of the upcoming 1K Man March to celebrate Mothers on May 7, 2022, from noon to 4 pm. Participants are encouraged to “walk a mile” in their mother’s shoes. Gannon and Kelly both attribute the center’s sponsorship of the march to a similar ambition — the event is in line with Lawndale Christian Fitness Center’s goal of getting people to be more active.
Wirtten by Chiagozie Onyewuchi
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
Interview: Brian Gannon and Jarell Kelly; Lawndale Community Fitness Center; April 13, 2022
Images Courtesy of the Lawndale Christian Fitness Center
