Our church membership is a blend of white-collar professionals with blue-collar laborers and is predominantly White (90+%) along with Asian American, African American, Hispanic American and Native American members. This racial mix mirrors our immediate surrounding communities of Lisle, Lombard, Oak Brook, Westmont, Darien, and Woodridge with slightly different percentages. 

We are more liberal and progressive than much of our surrounding area.  We use our time, talents and treasure to reach our helping hands both outward and upward to those in need around us regardless of their background. We live our Mission, Vision, and Values statement as we continue to become a more Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive (EDI) congregation.

Downers Grove’s adjacent communities are also more affluent than the rest of Illinois and the US. This includes higher median incomes and employment rates, lower poverty rates, and remarkably higher educational attainment rates of at least a Bachelor’s degree. The village of Downers Grove is the least racially diverse of the seven communities, and Westmont and Woodridge are the most diverse. 

Downers Grove is most similar to Lisle and Darien when comparing income and education. Lombard, Westmont, and Woodridge have lower household incomes and less educational attainment than Downers Grove. Of note, Woodridge has the lowest poverty rate of the seven communities, at 4.5%. 

It is worth noting the two "outlier" communities reached by UCCDG: Westmont and Oak Brook. Both villages are east of Downers Grove but represent very different communities. Oak Brook is the smallest and wealthiest community (median income: $146,409), and most highly educated (67.3% with at least a Bachelor's degree). Oak Brook is also older with a median age of 53.9, has the largest Asian population of the six communities (32.8.%), and has the highest percentage of languages other than English spoken at home (36.5%). 

By comparison, Westmont is more racially diverse than the surrounding communities, as mentioned. The village has the lowest median household income ($76,543), the highest poverty rate (11.4%), and lower educational attainment (Bachelor's degree or higher: 48.6%) than surrounding areas. With such close proximity to Downers Grove, Westmont represents an opportunity for outreach and service through our church. 

Hope’s Front Door (HFD) is an excellent example of how the demographics of our community shape our ministries. Former Associate Minister Laura Hoglund led a group of local clergy and community activists who created this ministry 22 years ago to better serve people who were turning to individual churches for assistance. 

Today, HFD is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, supported by numerous area churches including ours, foundations, businesses, community organizations and individual donors. In 2022, HFD served approximately 6,500 individuals & families - a 51% increase in the total number of households served and 102% increase in the number of new households served compared to the previous year. 

Our Senior Pastor Scott Oberle currently serves on the HFD board. Several of our church members volunteer at HFD, helping residents access food and transportation as well as health and wellness services. Our church and its members participate in fundraising activities, school supply and coat drives, and serve as volunteers in their Pathways programs, which teach money management and life skills to help residents change their own life’s trajectory. HFD contracts significant office space on the 6th floor of our church building. 

Demographics and urgent need shaped the creation of the Community Kitchen and our involvement and support of PADS. 

With our surrounding community of DuPage County having approximately 73,000 people living below the poverty line with many more on the edge, our work with the Community Kitchen and PADS is a clear reflection of how that demographic has shaped that ministry.