Historic Romanian Congregation Celebrates 50 Years
Chicago, Ill.– Philadelphia Romanian Church of God, Chicago, was founded in 1973 by pastor George W. Galis with a group of 35 people of Romanian immigrants. This weekend, the congregation will celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Philadelphia is the first Romanian congregation organized as a Church of God in the United States and has played an important role in the development of the Romanian Pentecostal Convention and Church of God Romanian Territory Office (RTO).
“We are looking forward to celebrating together 50 years of God’s goodness at Philadelphia Church,” said pastor Florin Cimpean, who also serves as administrative bishop for the RTO. “The year 2023 is the year of Jubilee for Philadelphia Church, 50 years of open doors of God’s goodness and faithfulness, of divine power and uncountable miracles, amazing experiences and victories.”
Over the decades, the church has met in five different buildings, worshipping in the current location since 1994, but will soon transition to a new campus, commonly known as the “Thecla Campus.” In its 50-year history, Philadelphia Church has only had three senior pastors: George W. Galis, Peter Lascau and Florin T. Cimpean.
“This speaks to the maturity and stability of our amazing community,” Cimpean stated. “I am so humbled and overwhelmed by the unmerited opportunity granted to me to serve the awesome people of Philadelphia Church for the last 22 years. I am standing in this moment with a heart filled with gratitude and love for God and the awesome people of this wonderful church. When I look at their beautiful faces, I truly see the face of God radiating through each of them. I see a history of family, faith, faithfulness, friendship, and freedom.”
According to Cimpean, from its beginning, Philadelphia church has become a haven for Romanians who escaped communist Romania to find a new life and freedom in the United States. Philadelphia Church has been at the forefront of innovation, creativity, and spirituality. It has become an open door and welcoming home for thousands of believers. Philadelphia Church has long been recognized for its worship excellence, the centrality of the Word, friendly environment, depth of its relationships, and missionary vision.
“Our church has left an undeletable mark on the Romanian diaspora and on society at large,” Cimpean continued. “I can say with much confidence that this 50th year of Philadelphia Church is the best in its history. It is a Kairos year when God is preparing us for greater things to come and is springing forward a synergy of visions, energies, and dreams. As we are preparing to move to a new campus and cast a new paradigm of ministry, we are visioneering the future and dreaming big dreams worthy of God.”
Philadelphia Church exists for the glory of God and strives to offer a place where unbelievers find salvation and believers become, through training and fellowship, influencers in church and society. The vision is to be a spiritual and relevant church in this generation, impacting its community and taking the gospel around the world.
The schedule of services this weekend includes Friday, October 20, at 7:00 pm,
Saturday, October 21, 6:00 pm, and Sunday, October 22, 10:00 am.
