Barack Obama, Mayor Richard M. Daley and Emil Jones, Jr. To Join Bishop Arthur M. Brazier in Ground Breaking of $8 Million Family Center for the Apostolic Church of God Saturday, July 22, 2006.

What:   Official Ground Breaking Ceremony for the
        Apostolic Church of God (ACOG) Family Center

When:   Saturday, July 22, 2006
        9 a.m.  Continental Breakfast
        10 a.m. Commencement of Ground Breaking
                Comments from Confirmed Speakers:
                 --  Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, Pastor
                 --  Mayor Richard M. Daley
                 --  Emil Jones, Jr., President, Illinois State Senate
                 --  Barack Obama, U.S. Senator

Where:  Apostolic Church of God
        6320 S. Dorchester
        Chicago, Ill.
        773.667.1500

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, Mayor Richard M. Daley, Illinois State Sen. President Emil Jones, Jr., Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich Spokeswoman Cheryle Jackson and 20th Ward Alderman Arenda Troutman are all confirmed attendees to help kick off construction of the newest part of the Apostolic Church of God campus.

The ACOG Family Center is an $8 million project funded entirely by contributions from church members, according to Dr. Arthur M. Brazier, Apostolic Church of God Pastor. His motivation for commissioning the family center's construction is two-pronged: one, it will provide relief space for the growing needs of ACOG's 18,000-plus congregation, many of whom are teenagers or young adults with families; two, it stands as further manifestation of his church's mission, a symbol of solidarity and good faith between the congregation and the community to which it belongs. The center is scheduled to be complete in the next 10-12 months, and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected to commemorate the milestone. Bishop Brazier has promised that once officially opened, the facility will be paid-in-full.

"The Bible talks about being equally yolked, and this facility is a starting point towards bringing young people into the fold of a Christian lifestyle," Bishop Brazier says. "It will be a space where church youth can meet, participate in sports, receive mentoring, serve as mentors and gain access to all kinds of teaching tools--lectures, symposiums, group discussions, etc.--that will be beneficial to their growth and development."

As currently planned, the 37,000-square-foot, wheelchair-accessible center will have:

--Eleven (11) meeting rooms

--Garden roof

--Gymnasium

--Locker rooms w/showers

--Nursery room

--Rehearsal studio

--Storage center

Bishop Brazier says these features and facets are designed to give youth a creative outlet to express their thoughts and ideas while promoting spiritual growth and physical development in tandem with one another.

"Many young people fall victim to destructive, unchristian behavior because of peer pressure and a lack of values in some households. With the family center, we seek to have a space where young people can use each other as peers, as behavioral and developmental models of what a positive, Christian life looks like and can be. We have faith this new addition to our church campus will be a great benefit to our congregation and community."

For more information about Apostolic Church of God, visit www.apostolicchurchofgod.net.