Who Are We?

First let us tell you a few things about ourselves, the Christadelphians of Champaign County (CCC). We are five families who live in the area, and who have prayerfully decided to start a mission church with the help of the Bloomington and Chicago Christadelphian churches in Illinois.

The Pratts: Ray is a banker at Busey Bank. Dana is a homemaker and helps run their mini-farm. They both are UI grads. Nicolas is their oldest son. He has attended UIUC and is currently attending DePaul University in Chicago. Simeon is in his first year at Wesleyan University in Normal. They have lived in Deland for the past 21 years. They previously belonged to the Bloomington church.

Photo (left to right) - Simeon, Dana, and Nicolas; Ray is in the back.

The Millays: Jennifer also works at Busey Bank and is the sister of Dana; Emilee will be starting her first year at Heartland College. Jennifer is trained as a pastry chef so she will be providing our church with many wonderful culinary treats! They have lived in Downs for the past 5 years and attended the church in Bloomington. Before that they were members of the church in Chicago.

The Fadelles: Norm worked as a IT systems analyst in the Chicago area for 30 years. Currently he works as operations director for the Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation (WCF). Deb is a homemaker, grandmother, and parent caregiver. Abby is a senior at Illinois State University. They live in Mahomet, having moved there a year ago. They came from and served in the Chicago church.

Photo: Norm with 2nd grandson Daniel
 

The N. Zilmers: Norm is a retired pharmacist and Jo is a retired bookeeper. They live in Mahomet in the same home as the Fadelles, Deb being their daughter. Paul Zilmer is their son. Norm and Jo also came from the Chicago church, which they served in for many years.

The P. Zilmers: Paul is a retired IT project manager at State Farm and Jane is a librarian in the Bloomington Public Library. They have lived in Bloomington for over 35 years (with a six-year gap in the 80's), and were workers in the Christadelphian church there. They recently returned from six months of mission work in South Africa.

Photo (left to right): Jo, Jane and Deb



Besides some blood-relative connections, all of us are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and committed to serve him. We believe that Jesus' command to his apostles to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15) is applicable to us.
 

As for Christadelphians in general, you may want to ask:

Are they new?
Where are they found?
How are they organized?
What do they believe and teach?
What kind of lives do they lead?

The answers are found below:

Who Are The Christadelphians? Are They New?

The Christadelphians are a small religious body who has deliberately attempted to get back to the faith and character of the early Christian church. We have been in existence for over 150 years. The word "Christadelphians" means "Brethren in Christ".  It was the official name taken to identify a group of believers who had a conscientious objection to military service in the civil war.  In 1864, the document was duly notarized and filed in Ogle County, IL, which is near Rockford.  There has been a Christadelphian presence in that area ever since, and an active Christadelphian church in Rockford for the past 85 years. 

Where Are Christadelphians Found?

We are located throughout the world. Like the early Christians, we meet in homes, rented rooms, and in some cases, our own halls or church building. For where we are locally, look at the Where? tab at the bottom of the page.
(Acts 1:13; 2:46; 18:7; 19:9; 28:30)

How Are Christadelphians Organized?

We are a lay community patterned after first century Christianity. Members of each congregation are addressed as "Brother" and "Sister", and all have responsibility for the welfare of the church. A strong common belief binds our Brotherhood together. Christadelphians are organized in a loose worldwide-confederation of autonomous congregations (ecclesias) in approximately 120 countries.
(Matthew 23:8-12; Romans 12:4-6; 16:1; 1Corinthians 12:4-27; Galatians 3:28)

What Do Christadelphians Believe and Teach?

We believe that the Bible is God's only revealed message to mankind, given to bring responsive individuals to the obedience of faith. The Bible is our only authority, and we teach that it should be read prayerfully and with care at every opportunity.  For further specifics, click on the Our Beliefs tab.

What Kind of Life Do Christadelphians Lead?

God's Way of salvation gives effective direction to our lives. We try to rely fully upon God and develop a faith that is active in prayer and good works. At the same time, however, we recognize that salvation is by grace.
(1Corinthians 1:3-11; 1Peter 2:1-5; 2Peter 1:5-11; James 2:17,5:16; Ephesians 2:5-10)

With God's help, we seek to please and obey Him every day, striving to imitate Christ who faithfully obeyed his Father & unselfishly gave himself for mankind. We pay taxes, are subject to governing authorities, but are conscientiously opposed to participation in war.
(Philippians 2:13, 4:13; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 2:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-2, Romans 13:1-7, 2Timothy 2:3-4, John 18:36, 2Corinthians 10:3-5)

We therefore endeavor to be enthusiastic in work, loyal in marriage, generous in giving, dedicated in preaching, cheerful in living, and happy in our God.
(Ephesians 6:6-8; 1Thessalonians 4:1-8; 2Corinthians 9; 2Timothy 4:1-5; John 16:33; Matthew 5:1-16; Philippians 4:4-7)