At 432 E. Cruger Road in Washington, Illinois, Washington Apostolic Christian Church is a Bible-based congregation known for acapella four-part hymn singing, rotating lay preaching, shared Sunday meals, and fellowship across generations. Founded in 1976, the church supports children and students, single young adults, discipleship and mentoring, missionary work, and service to Washington and central Illinois. Two Sunday services and a Wednesday gathering are connected by song, Scripture, prayer, lunch, and time together.
From Lincoln Grade School to East Cruger Road
Several surveys of Apostolic Christian families in the Washington vicinity found substantial interest in establishing a local congregation. Organizational meetings were held at Lincoln Grade School, the first song service took place on April 25, 1976, and the first regular worship service followed that September. Gatherings and picnics helped the new church family build relationships, while four baptisms in its first year brought new members into the congregation. Volunteers then worked on the building at East Cruger Road, where worship services began on March 12, 1978.
The new congregation relieved overcrowding at nearby Apostolic Christian churches and gave area families a local church home. In October 1977, one Washington member was established as a local minister, and others were later added to the ministry as the church grew. Attendance passed 100 during the first ten years. That history of gathering families, forming relationships and making room for new members remains visible in the church's emphasis on shared meals, rotating ministers and participation by people from childhood through older adulthood.
A Vision of Love, Grace, and Truth
The church is founded on faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and seeks to proclaim the gospel, or good news, of salvation through faith in his name. It believes the Bible is God's Holy Word and is divinely inspired, inerrant, and infallible. Its vision describes a body of believers bound together through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, reflecting God's love, grace, and truth.
Its purpose is simple and direct: to glorify God by loving as Jesus loves. Four commitments shape that purpose:
- Present the gospel of salvation through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, repentance, and conversion.
- Teach and nurture believers toward a sanctified life and faithfulness by God's grace through his Word.
- Preserve sound doctrine by contending for the faith.
- Offer loving and humble service to fellow believers and all people in the name of Christ.
Two Sunday Services and a Wednesday Gathering
The main Sunday and Wednesday gatherings take place at 432 E. Cruger Road. Sunday is built around two services with a meal and fellowship between them:
- 9:30 a.m.: Fellowship time.
- 9:45 a.m.: Singing before the first service.
- 10:00 a.m.: First worship service and Sunday School.
- 11:00 a.m.: Lunch and fellowship.
- 11:50 a.m.: Singing before the second service.
- 12:15 p.m.: Second worship service.
- Wednesday at 6:45 p.m.: Singing, followed by worship at 7:00 p.m.
On the second Wednesday of each month, a pizza supper begins at 6:00 p.m. Worship and age-specific children's activities begin at 7:00 p.m. The church also broadcasts its services through Washington's AC Central livestream, and recordings are kept in the Washington sermon archive.
Acapella Song and the Rhythm of Worship
A typical service begins with about fifteen minutes of acapella singing. After a silent prayer as the ministers approach the pulpit, the service moves through an introduction, an Old Testament reading and reflection, a hymn and prayer, a New Testament reading, and a sermon that usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. A second minister offers closing thoughts, followed by a closing hymn, prayer, denominational greetings, announcements, and the congregation's dismissal from the front.
Song worship uses no instruments. The congregation sings in four-part harmony with soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts, giving every person an opportunity to participate. Hymnals include the Zion's Harp, containing hymns rooted in the church's heritage, and Hymns of Zion and Tabernacle Hymns, which includes familiar songs such as Amazing Grace, It Is Well, and Rock of Ages. Hymns of Worship and a collection of hymns and praise songs are also used.
Singing is not confined to the main services. It accompanies weddings, baptisms, Sunday School, and other church gatherings. A monthly Sunday-evening hymn sing centers on 45 to 60 minutes of congregational song, while special hymn sings may follow baptisms or precede weddings. Easter singing is another recurring part of the church's song ministry.
What a First-Time Visitor Can Expect
Visitors are encouraged to participate through singing, attentive listening, and silent prayer. A minister or church member may offer spoken prayers, and kneeling is the usual prayer posture, though people stand for special occasions such as weddings and baptisms. Bibles are available in the pews, and visitors may also bring their own.
The church generally follows a formal style of dress. Women often wear skirts or dresses, while many men wear dress pants and dress shirts, sometimes with ties or suits. Attendance is not restricted by clothing, however, and each person is welcome to wear what is most comfortable. Female members wear head coverings and male members leave their heads uncovered, a practice connected by the church to 1 Corinthians 11.
Women ordinarily sit with women and men sit with men. The church explains that this supports four-part singing, helps people attending alone feel included, and encourages relationships across family and generational lines. Visitors may sit with family or friends. The congregation includes Sunday School families, college students, working singles, young families, older adults, empty nesters, and elderly members.
Children Grow Up in the Church Family
Sunday School welcomes children from age three upward. At 10:00 a.m., students and teachers gather for singing, prayer, announcements, and an opening lesson before classes begin. Classes are generally organized by grade, while high school students join the Bible Class. The schedule also includes Christmas and Easter programs in which the children sing and recite memory verses together.
The church provides a baby room with changing pads, toys, and supplies, along with nursing and sleeping rooms equipped with cribs and rocking chairs. Infants and toddlers remain with their grown-ups during services, and childcare is not provided for that age group.
On the second Wednesday of each month, ACTIVE combines a congregational Bible study with a devotional and activities for students through eighth grade. Vacation Bible School is held every year with lessons, singing, crafts, games, and an all-church Sunday School picnic. Middle school boys can join Body Builders, which uses devotions and activities to build friendships and connect biblical teaching to life. Girls in grades six through eight can join Growing Godly Girls for monthly lessons and activities with adult mentors.
High school students participate in the Bible Class, game nights, service projects, mission trips, and gatherings with other Apostolic Christian youth groups. Regional Apostolic Christian Youth Fellowship events bring students together for worship, teaching, activities, sports, and the host congregation's afternoon service. Mission trips generally occur every other year and combine service with devotionals, recreation, and fellowship.
Manna for Moms and the Young Group
Manna for Moms gathers young mothers for prayer, testimony, and encouragement from older mentoring sisters. From September through April, the group meets monthly from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Babysitting is available in the church basement.
The Washington Young Group includes single brothers, sisters, and converts. It typically gathers on Friday nights to study the Bible, sing, pray, serve, and build friendships. Activities include testimony nights, service projects, hymn sings, singing at nursing homes, potluck meals, game nights, and an annual weekend trip.
Discipleship Through Word and Relationship
Discipleship is understood as becoming a learner of Jesus and growing more like him in heart, thought, action, and attitude. The all-church discipleship format combines Bible teaching from ministers with testimonies from congregation members about applying those lessons in everyday life. Earlier themes have included sharing the gospel, enduring suffering, pursuing peace, prayer, stewardship, and loving as Jesus loves.
Small discipleship groups begin with three or more people connected by a shared interest or need. Existing formats include mentoring for newly married couples, Growing Godly Girls, Body Builders, and Manna for Moms. Additional studies are organized at various times of year, often during spring or fall. A one-on-one mentor program is also available to anyone attending the church.
Family study time is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on the second and fourth Sundays before the first worship service. Elder Fred Witzig leads an in-depth examination of Scripture using maps, history, cultural background, and shared discussion. Children are welcome, and young students can make presentations connected to the biblical theme.
Meals, Potlucks, and the Annual Rhythm
Lunch is always served between the Sunday services, and everyone is invited. The menu changes from week to week but commonly includes sandwiches, vegetables, fruit, chips, cookies, bars, doughnuts, rolls, coffee, and other sweets. The shared meal is treated as an important part of church fellowship rather than simply a refreshment break.
The rotating potluck brings people together in groups of eight to 12. Groups meet every other month during September, November, January, and March for a meal, Scripture reading, conversation, and sometimes games. Assignments rotate so individuals meet people beyond their usual circle. Hosts typically provide the meat, and guests bring covered dishes to share.
Other annual gatherings include an Invite-A-Guest weekend, a fall campout with potluck meals and outdoor worship, a minister appreciation dinner, Christmas caroling in central Illinois communities, and a final-evening picnic after Vacation Bible School. At the close of worship, people also exchange greetings from Apostolic Christian congregations they have visited, carrying those greetings back to their own churches.
Serving Washington and the Mission Field
Washington Church has long partnered with the community. Its examples include placing a Christmas Nativity scene in Washington Square, singing monthly with residents at Washington Christian Village, participating in the annual Mennonite Relief Sale, and joining WHIP, Washington Helps its People. Following an F-4 tornado, the church became a focal point for volunteers collecting food and supplies and assisting with cleanup and repairs throughout the community.
The congregation sends and supports Matt and Ruth Gerber, who serve in administration at a school and in the pulpit ministry of the Apostolic Christian Church in Ixtlan, Mexico. A Mission Support Team meets regularly to pray, discuss support, and welcome new members. The church also participates in HarvestCall, the mission organization of the Apostolic Christian Church of America, which supports ministry and relief in various regions of the world.
Volunteers take Bible studies and worship into local jails and prisons. Those serving in prison ministries complete an application, background check, and training. The church maintains Bibles, large-print materials, children's story books, Spanish Bibles, devotionals, and tracts for distribution. It also connects members with Apostolic Christian Counseling and Family Services, whose professional counseling, marriage and parenting teachings, conferences, referrals, and online courses address mental health and relationship needs.
Giving is available through online giving by credit card, debit card, or bank transfer. The church's history, worship, lay ministry, shared meals, discipleship, and service remain joined together in its purpose to glorify God by loving as Jesus loves.