About Friendship UMC
Vibrant, Diverse, and Dedicated Congregation
Our Mission
Our congregation strives to glorify Jesus Christ in all we do, at church and in our daily lives. As we go out into the world, having been strengthened by our life together and the power of the Holy Spirit, our desire is to make a difference, to proclaim Christ by what we do and what we say. We are a congregation in mission and ministry to our local community and the world.
As members, we make a commitment to faithfully participate in the ministries of our church by our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
We take the service part seriously! As members of Friendship Church, we want to serve passionately. What is your passion? With many ministries available both within our church, out in our community, and globally in our world, we are confident there is a place where you can serve Christ by serving others.
The United Methodist Church: Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds
Friendship United Methodist Church is part of the global United Methodist Church, whose mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
We share a theological heritage with our brothers and sisters in other Christian denominations. At the same time, we are proud of our distinctive Wesleyan emphasis such as our fundamental understanding of God’s grace, the importance of holiness in our hearts and in all aspects of our lives, and a call to mission and service as we work toward the kingdom of God. Our congregation is a part of the Prairie Central District of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Everyone is welcome!
Friendship Church is a dynamic multicultural and multigenerational congregation. As followers of Jesus Christ, we celebrate God’s gift of diversity and unconditional love. We are a Reconciling Congregation and welcome persons of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, socio-economic conditions, physical and mental abilities, and family status. For more information, please visit Reconciling Ministries Network website by clicking here.
At Friendship Church, we welcome all people into full inclusion in the life and ministries of the church. No matter where you have been in life’s journey, we invite you to come and join us on our walk of faith, helping one another and the world to see the face of God, experience the love of Jesus Christ and live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Living the Gospel
The UMC is founded on a Wesleyan theology of grace, anchored in Scripture, and based in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the continuing movement of the Holy Spirit.
We embrace the fundamentals of the Wesleyan tradition and dedicate ourselves to the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
We embrace a Church anchored in Scripture and a theology of grace.
We embrace a Church that aspires to be a more just and inclusive force in the world.
We embrace the connected power of 12 million souls united, working towards good in the world.
We embrace a Church that has uplifted our own lives and the lives of our friends, family, and those we cherish.
We embrace a Church built in loving relationships rather than uniformity in thought and action.
We embrace a Church where everyone does not have to agree and where everyone is welcome.
Meet Our Staff
Rev. KyungHae Anna Shin
Senior Pastor
Pastor KyungHae Anna Shin was appointed to Friendship UMC in July 2011. She graduated from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea, and its Graduate School, majoring in Religious Studies, and from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. She was ordained in 1993 as deacon and in 1995 as an elder. She has served in the congregations Capron, Hinsdale (associate), and Oswego Prairie, prior to coming to Friendship. Pastor Anna was certified as a Qualified Administrator of IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) in 2010 and re-certified in 2022.
Pastor Anna loves to help people find their call that brings joy to their hearts, believing that is what Jesus was passionate about. Jesus wants us to live life to the fullest. (John 10:10) She is deeply aware of the need for a community where everyone belongs, to live to the fullest. She is passionate about building a community where honest and brave conversations can happen to have a better understanding of who we are, individually and together, and be challenged and grow in love toward the society where love and mercy are practiced and experienced.
Pastor Anna and her husband Joo Won-Jong have three young adult sons living in Seattle, WA and a 20-year-old turtle. In her free time, she likes listening to all genres of music, singing along, playing piano, drawing, dining out with friends, and hiking with family.
Pat Prins
Director of Administrative Services and Facilities
Pat began working for Friendship Church so long ago she doesn’t remember when she started, but it was more than ten years ago. During that time, she’s been the Building Manager. This includes supervising the janitor, making sure rooms are scheduled and cleaned for various activities, rentals, complying with the inspections required by the Village of Bolingbrook, and running the office, printing materials, mailings, and whatever else is needed. She has been a member at Friendship for many years, along with her husband Greg and three grown children. She enjoys the outdoors and camping with her family.
John Douglas
Music Director
John began singing at the age of four and took quite naturally to the piano. His mother played from the hymnal and sing all the time and he had the ability to play the same by ear. John’s father died when he was nine and his mother remarried a Lutheran Pastor who moved them to Barrington, Illinois around 1970. He immediately began to sing and play (organ too) for the services and truly hasn’t looked back since!
John studied Vocal Education and Piano Performance at UWEC and, upon finishing school, began to sing and dance around the country with an Actors Equity card. He ended up in New York for about 20 years of being involved in theatre, soaps, and playing professionally. He feels music is something we all have within us, something that unites our spirits, and he hopes to unify us through it. John once felt how nice it would be if every minute of our lives could be set to music, but for now, he’ll settle for the time we spend together in worship.
Daniel Chavez
Projectionist
Daniel’s current duties include operating the sound system for Friendship Church services, setting up the cameras, editing, reviewing, and projecting the messages, prayers, Bible verses, and hymn lyrics on the wall screens. He also projects the words for praise band rehearsals.
Daniel graduated from North Central College in Naperville with a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication and a minor in Computer Science. After graduation, he passed the CompTIA A+ exam and was awarded a certificate in technical troubleshooting. The skills he learned qualified him for his current job as a tech assistant at a Lisle elementary school in District 202. In his spare time, Daniel likes to read non-fiction.
Ann Natale
Graphic Designer
Ann started as Friendship Church’s graphic designer in May 2023. Ann uses their skills to create graphics for the eFocus, announcements for the church, and visuals for each worship service.
Ann graduated from North Central College in Naperville with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and a minor in Speech Communication. Currently, Ann is pursuing a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and is in the candidacy process of becoming a deacon in the United Methodist Church. In their spare time, Ann enjoys singing, reading, knitting, crocheting, and playing board games.
Vanessa Ely
Communications Director
Vanessa is a Marketing & Communications professional with experience in both congregational and corporate settings. She finds joy in communicating the story of God at work in the local church. She began supporting FUMC in January 2024.
Vanessa graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Religious Studies. She is currently an M.Div. Student at Northern Seminary. Vanessa’s work is committed to help cultivate spaces of belonging that draw people into encountering the deep and transformative way of Jesus. In her spare time, Vanessa loves hosting loved ones, writing, and talking about culture and theology.
Theresa Manning-Donahue
Director of Children & Family Ministries
Chris Bosacki
First Friends Preschool Director & Lead Teacher
Chris Bosacki is Director and Lead Teacher at First Friends Christian Preschool. She has worked at the preschool from 2003-2007 and 2012-2022 (closed during COVID), and was thrilled to have the preschool open again for the 2022-23 school year!
Chris loves working at Friendship and creating a learning environment for preschoolers, reading stories, and singing songs. She embraces the challenge of making each day interesting, surprising, and fun for students, feeling blessed to be able to do so in a beautiful environment, supported by a great community. In her free time, Chris likes to tend to her garden, take nature walks, and read.
Contact Us
If you have questions or would like more information about Friendship UMC, please contact us at info@friendshipbolingbrook.org or 630-972-1011.
Friendship UMC is the winner of Best of Bolingbrook Business-Nonprofit Category
Connect with us
Phone 630-972-1011
Email info@friendshipbolingbrook.org
Address 305 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Office Hours
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
9 a.m. to Noon Wednesday
© 2023
