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Chicago’s Historic Liberty Baptist Church Inaugurates New Pastor

By A.L. Smith

During 2019, an ecumenical bedrock institution celebrates its 101st year of spiritual service to Chicago’s historic south side Bronzeville community. Within the next couple of weeks, people of faith from across the Chicago will gather to witness the ‘Transition & Transformation’ of this renowned church, as Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago’s 7th and newest Spiritual Leader and Pastor Reverend Andrew D. Hunt, Jr., CPA, M.Div., is officially inaugurated at the ‘Transforming Our Legacy for New Generation Leadership’ Church and Community Installation Weekend on July 12-14, 2019.

Rev. Andrew D. Hunt, Jr., CPA, M.Div., in addition to being a noted professional certified public accountant, Pastor Hunt served for many years as the former leader of Chicago’s Transformation Church. Rev. Hunt is a south side Chicago born and bred cum laude graduate of the legendary Atlanta Morehouse College, the historically Black college alma-mater of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Accompanying his duties at Liberty, Pastor Hunt is currently an Auditor with the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for auditing bankruptcy filings for the United States Trustee Program. A proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Rev. Hunt is a loving husband, father and grandfather who shares his life with his adored and accomplished family: wife Chyna, B.S., MBA, a Director at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and their two daughters Drew, a high school Junior at Morgan Park Academy, and Shannon a Spelman College graduate and PhD candidate at New York’s Pace University, whose husband Mykel is also pursuing his PhD degree at the City College of New York, while co-parenting their son Lucas.

Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago (LBC), is located at 4849 S. King Drive. Respected across Chicago and the nation as the ‘Church with the Common Touch’, this institution is a founding member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention

(PNBC), a nationwide conglomeration of nearly one-thousand mainline African-American Baptist institutions with over 2.5 million members in the U.S. and across the globe, emphasizing civil rights and social justice. The PNBC movement supported Rev. Dr. King’s struggle for freedom for African Americans. It was the PNBC that provided a denominational home for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago served as Dr. King’s organizational headquarters during the 1960’s Chicago Freedom Movement’, thanks to his fellow Morehouse College classmate and former LBC Pastor, Rev. A.P. Jackson, along with many of the Baptist leaders in the local Civil Rights Movement.

Reflecting upon this strong legacy, Rev. Hunt says, “For over a century, Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago has worked in the service of God, providing faithful inspiration and direction to several generations of committed believers. Today, I am deeply and humbly honored to have been chosen by the leadership and congregation as the 7th Pastor of this venerable church as we together, united in Prayer and Purpose, embark upon a new era of transforming, elevating and spiritually connecting the awesome potential of our current and future generations.”

The Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago Trustees, Deacons Ministerial Staff, and Club Presidents cordially invites the public including friends, family and members of the faith community to attend this exciting and festive weekend of events, which kicks-off with a celebratory, welcoming Installation Banquet at the Chateau Bu-Sché, 11535 South Cicero, in Alsip, Illinois on Friday, July 12, 2019 starting at 6:00 p.m.

On Saturday, July 13, 2019, the men of Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago will fellowship together with Pastor Hunt at Burr Oak Bowl, 3030 Burr Oak Avenue, and on Sunday, July 14, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago, 4849 South King Drive, the Official Installation Morning Worship Service for Rev. Andrew D. Hunt, Jr., CPA, M.Div., will take place. The keynote speaker will be LBC Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Darrell L. Jackson, B.A., M.Div., and during the 3:30 p.m. afternoon Installation Celebration, words of inspiration will be given by Dr. Spencer Isaac.

Founded in 1918 by several spiritually united and advocacy-oriented members in the home of Bertie Boone, Liberty has steadily grown and played a pivotal role in the shaping of Chicago’s history. Many prominent speakers, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Hon. Mayor Harold Washington, and the Hon. Barack Obama a then little-known, young man aspiring to become the Illinois Senator from Hyde Park, who evolved into the nation’s first Black President and South Africa’s Bishop Desmond Tutu, among others have spoken powerful words of inspiration from the Liberty pulpit.

Liberty also hosted one of the city’s largest rallies during the election campaign for Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African-American Mayor, and today remains active in the fight for social justice on multiple fronts.

The Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago family invites everyone to join them during this exciting Pastoral Installation Worship Service Weekend. For more information call (773) 268-6757.

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