A Non-Denominational Church on St. Charles Road
Parkview Community Church gathers on a tree-lined stretch of St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where it runs two Sunday morning services at 9:00 and 10:30 AM in person and online. The congregation describes itself as a community of people who follow Jesus, believe his teachings, and embrace a Christianity that intentionally tilts toward Relationship over Religion, Grace over Guilt, Compassion over Complacency, Unity over Uniformity, and Curiosity over Certainty. With a sizable staff, a wide range of weekly programs, and a thirty-one year pastoral legacy just now being passed to a new Lead Pastor, Parkview is a church that takes both Sunday morning and the rest of the week seriously.
Two Services on Sunday Morning
Sunday is built around two identical worship services that fill the auditorium at 764 St Charles Road. The worship is described as a mix of modern and contemporary music styles, played by a band and a choir that pull from a rotating setlist including songs like Man of Your Word, Fresh Wind, King of Kings, The Only One, Our Father, New Wine, and See A Victory. Both services are also live-streamed on the church's YouTube channel, and an archive of past messages is available through a dedicated messages page and a podcast on Apple and Spotify.
The preaching is shared. Rather than relying on a single voice in the pulpit, Parkview uses what it calls a Teaching Team Approach. The core preaching team meets weekly for Preaching Camp, where members debrief the previous Sunday's sermon, sharpen the upcoming message, and look two weeks ahead. Manuscript review, series brainstorming, and a quarterly all-preachers gathering round out the process. The congregation hears from Lead Pastor Andy Klenke, Pastor Emeritus Ray Kollbocker, Women's Pastor Christina Jackson, and Creative Arts Pastor Carlos De La Cruz on a rotating basis, with other staff members given occasional opportunities to teach.
Visitors can expect a relaxed atmosphere. The church notes that its family services are intentionally a little more casual and interactive, with families invited to attend together to make the room feel more welcoming and accessible. Bibles and study guides for small groups are available for series like the James study (Faith + Works, Love Grace Mercy, True Community, Giver of Gifts, Patience is a Virtue) and the Red Letter Questions series.
A New Season for the Church
Parkview is in the middle of a deliberate leadership transition. Ray Kollbocker served as Lead Pastor for 31 years before stepping aside in January 2026, when Andy Klenke took the role. Ray had joined the staff as High School Pastor and spent the last six years as Teaching Pastor, so the succession was an internal one. The elders worked with the national search firm Shepherd's Staff, conducted four rounds of interviews with Andy, interviewed his wife Brittany, gathered staff feedback, and presented Andy to the congregation for an affirming vote, which passed unanimously. Ray continues as Pastor Emeritus, occasionally teaching on Sundays, working with the Justice Center, and stepping in where he is needed.
The church has mapped out a four-phase path for what comes next. A Listening Tour ran through Fall 2025, gathering input from staff, volunteers, and congregants. The Build phase began in January 2026 and runs through the year, laying the groundwork for new priorities and staff values. A Soft Launch is planned for Spring 2027, with a full Launch in Fall 2027. Two priorities have already emerged: serving and connections. The leadership is also working through several staff transitions, including the departure of the previous Women's Pastor after 13 years, the promotion of Christina Jackson into that role, and a change in the Executive Pastor position. Monthly updates, podcast episodes, and videos are posted on a dedicated New Season hub so the congregation can track the journey.
Distinctives That Shape the Church
Parkview uses the word distinctives to describe four practices that it considers central to its identity.
Men and Women in All Levels of Leadership. Parkview affirms the gifts of both men and women across every area of ministry. The church reads passages in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy as tied to specific cultural situations rather than universal standards, and embraces what it calls unity over uniformity. It also makes space for complementarians to serve and thrive in the same community.
A Commitment to Justice. Parkview sees justice as an expression of the gospel itself - loving, welcoming, and standing with the marginalized. The church runs a Justice Center that offers free legal aid through a partnership with Administer Justice, and a Peacemakers fund supports people within the church community who are taking steps into peacemaking.
Financial Integrity. The church is certified with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), undergoes an annual external audit by CapinCrouse, uses a third-party HR reporting agency, keeps accounting offsite from church staff, publishes financial reports, and maintains consistent elder board oversight. Public financial reports and giving history are available through Pushpay.
A Teaching Team Approach. As described above, preaching is shared intentionally across multiple voices, with no single personality dominating the pulpit.
What the Church Believes
Parkview describes itself as non-denominational and evangelical. Its stated beliefs cover God (one God eternally existing in three Persons), Jesus Christ (conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, sinless life, died for the sins of the world, physically rose from the grave, ascended into heaven, will return), the Holy Spirit (gives new life, indwells every believer), and Scripture (inspired Word of God, the final authority for belief and conduct).
The church teaches that every person is created in God's image, that sin has broken each life, and that salvation cannot be earned by good works but is God's gracious gift through Jesus Christ, received by faith. On human sexuality, Parkview holds that Scripture teaches sexual intimacy is to be experienced exclusively within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.
Baptism is practiced by full immersion as a public declaration of trust in Jesus and identification with his death and resurrection. Communion is observed as a sacred act of remembrance, open to all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
Family Ministry: Kids, Students, and Camp
Family Ministry is one of the largest areas of the church and includes three programs.
Parkview Kids serves children from babies through fifth grade. Babies and toddlers through age five experience a curriculum that introduces them to God through music, stories, and crafts. Kindergarten through third grade gather for games, large group worship and teaching, and small group time. Fourth and fifth graders have a pre-teen program with hangout time, a large group game, music, teaching, and small groups. Each age tier has weekly online lesson plans available through the Parkview App and Playlister. The Kids Ministry also provides a sensory space, one-on-one buddies, and adapted programming for children with special needs. Family Dedications, separate from baptism, give parents a public way to commit to raising their child in a home centered on Jesus, with a Saturday service for family and friends followed by a Sunday celebration.
Parkview Kids Camp runs summer programming for elementary, early childhood, and a student leadership track. It is housed under its own domain at parkviewkidscamp.com.
Parkview Students covers middle school and high school. On Sunday mornings, middle schoolers meet in the 772 House at 9:00 AM for worship, teaching, and small groups, while high schoolers gather in Room 203 for Breakfast Club - bagels, donuts, Bible study, and real conversation. On select Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, both groups come back for Middle School Night and High School One Night, evenings built around pizza or dinner, worship, teaching, small groups, and games. Periodic weekend retreats, called Encounter, take students away for worship, reflection, and small group time. Six Flags trips and other outings are also part of the calendar. The student ministry is run by Student Pastor Jake Ochoa.
Women and Men
Women's ministry at Parkview centers on a Tuesday morning or evening Bible study that opens each fall. The study walks through the stories of eight women of the Old Testament and combines teaching, small group discussion, and weekly faithwork assignments. Christina Jackson, the Women's Pastor, leads the program with a team of volunteer table leaders and a long-time volunteer teacher named Alekka. Held Co., a support group described as a space for moms to come as they are, is another piece of the women's ministry footprint.
Men's ministry is a newer initiative focused on large group gatherings, social events, and Bible study. A Saturday morning Men's Breakfast brings more than 100 men together for a meal, fellowship, and a message designed to move them toward action. The ministry also organizes Monday Night Football watch parties, trivia nights, Top Golf outings, bags tournaments, and other social events that give men a way to connect outside the church building. A separate Bible study and a planned fall study round out the offering.
Community Groups for Every Stage
Community Groups are small conversational circles that step away from the rows of Sunday morning and meet during the Fall and Spring semesters. They run across age, stage, and area of interest, and registration opens each semester. Sermon study guides for current series are posted so that group members can dig into the same passage together during the week. People interested in leading a group can apply through the church, with the Director of Connections and Groups, Abbi Littrell, walking alongside new leaders.
Care, Recovery, and Support Groups
The Care and Recovery ministry is built around the conviction that everyone is in recovery from something. Hadessa Hobson leads the team as Director of Care. The Minister on Call line, reachable at (630) 469-4306 option 9, responds to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Pastoral Prayer is available by calling extension 300, and a Benevolence Ministry assists Parkview members who are facing financial hardship.
A small food pantry, called Parkview Pantry, is kept stocked for anyone who stops by the building. The Justice Center connects people with free legal aid through Administer Justice and offers volunteer opportunities for those who want to help.
Active support groups meet throughout the week. Alcoholics Anonymous meets on Monday at 7:00 PM and Tuesday at 7:30 PM at the 772 House. Compass is a weekly group for men seeking support in sexual integrity. Other ongoing groups include DivorceCare, Family to Family (for family and friends of people with mental health conditions), GriefShare, Loss of Spouse, Mental Wellness, Mind Matters (for adolescents), Skills for Big Feelings (for kids), Intuitive Eating, and Held Co. (for moms). The church also keeps an updated list of outside resources for those needing immediate financial help, including 211 of DuPage, People's Resource Center, The Outreach House, Glen House Food Pantry, and Glen Ellyn Walk-in Ministry.
Parkview Collective: Local Outreach in the Schools
Parkview Collective is the church's community engagement arm, directed by Community Development Pastor Alison Gardiner. The Collective focuses on schools, families, and the broader Villa Park neighborhood. Weekly opportunities include reading with students at Schafer Elementary, tutoring ESL adults, greeting and welcoming Spanish-speaking families, and running lunch groups for elementary and middle school students. Monthly opportunities include activities for kids during Spanish PTA. Longer commitments include running after-school clubs, and one-time events like resource fairs, spring break camp, summer camp, and monthly Saturday events at local partner schools.
Team World Vision: Clean Water Across the Globe
For several years, Parkview has fielded a Team World Vision marathon team that raises money to provide clean water for children and communities in developing countries. The team welcomes runners of every level, with training plans, weekly email encouragement, fundraising guides, and an organized race weekend provided. In 2019 the team raised $241,095 against a $250,000 goal. The team is coordinated by Pastor Christina Jackson, and inquiries can be directed to twv@parkview.cc.
Worship and Creative Arts
The Worship and Creative Arts team, led by Carlos De La Cruz, seeks to create an environment where artistic gifts are cultivated and celebrated. Music at Parkview is intentionally diverse in style, from modern worship songs like The Blessing and Promises Never Fail to older favorites like Here Below from the Parkview Virtual Choir. Featured songs are shared on a Spotify playlist, and age-specific playlists for early childhood and elementary families help bring the music home. The church also highlights a Songs We Love playlist that rotates throughout the year.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Building
Parkview hosts weddings and funerals for members and the surrounding community. Melissa Poling serves as the Wedding and Funeral Coordinator, supporting couples and families through the planning process, counseling, and ceremony arrangements. The building includes an auditorium for services and a gym that is used for gatherings like Parkview Playdates, where parents and kids meet on Thursday mornings for open play. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Giving, Stewardship, and the Parkview App
Parkview gives through Pushpay, both online and through the church app. Recurring gifts can be set up, giving statements are available 24/7, and ACH bank transfer is encouraged as a lower-cost option. Donors can also give appreciated stocks, set up Donor-Advised Funds, pursue employer matching gifts, or include Parkview in estate and will planning. Financial reports are published regularly and an annual independent audit is conducted by CapinCrouse. Public financial reports and giving history are accessible to anyone in the congregation.
The Parkview App, available for iOS and Android, functions as a midweek guide with resources, sermons, music, event registration, and giving. Messages and the Parkview Podcast are also distributed through Apple and Spotify.
Getting Started at Parkview
Anyone interested in connecting can fill out a Connect card or Pre-Register their family to add children to the check-in system before their first visit. Vision Night is a regular gathering where the congregation hears what God is doing at Parkview and where the church is headed. PKVW Cohort is a free four-week class that helps people discover their gifts, passions, and story. The New Season hub keeps everyone up to date on the leadership transition, and a monthly podcast episode and video update walk through the same material.
Parkview describes itself as a place where imperfect people are loved and valued by God, and where the staff are just like anyone else. With two Sunday services, a teaching team approach, deep investment in kids and students, a robust care and recovery network, and an active posture toward local schools and global clean water, the church offers a lot of on-ramps for anyone looking to explore faith, get connected, or serve alongside others.