New lift gives easy access to church facilities

Oak Lawn Bible Church has completed the installation of a new vertical platform (or wheelchair) lift at the church located at 9435 S. 54^th Avenue. 

A $27,000 Accessible Faith Grant from The Retirement Research Foundation enabled the church to replace its 25-year-old lift with a new modern lift that complies with the Americans With Disabilities (ADA) regulations. The new lift provides access to all three levels of church building for people in wheelchairs or anyone with medical conditions that make stairs difficult to use.

The new lift is fully equipped with an automatic light, power door openers, handrails, a non-slip floor, and a built-in emergency phone. Through the Accessible Faith Grant Program, The Retirement Research Foundation makes funds available to Chicago area houses of worship for accessibility improvements to their facilities. The Foundation hopes that such improvements will encourage increased participation of older adults at church and in community programs and activities held at the church. The cost of the lift was approximately $54,000, half of which was provided by The Retirement Research Foundation, and the other half from the church’s Capital Projects account, funded by church donors.

Oak Lawn Bible Church offers a wide variety of worship options and activities. On Sundays, the church has a Prayer Meeting at 9am, Sunday School for all ages at 9:30am, Worship Service at 10:30am. On Wednesday evenings, AWANA Club for children of the community in pre-school through 6^th grade and Escape for those in grades 6-8^th meets at 7pm, while a concurrent Bible Study meets for adults. The church also hosts an independent Bible study group on Thursday nights, not related to the church. For more information about Oak Lawn Bible Church, see our website at oaklawnbible.org, LIKE us on Facebook, or call the church at 708.857.9800. Information about The Retirement Research Foundation can be found at www.rrf.org.