Alpine Chapel and Fusion Church in Lake Zurich, Ill., have created an ideal partnership consisting of two separate churches, one building, different members, and the connecting piece of worship of one God.

Several months ago Alpine Chapel opened their doors to Fusion Church; the two remain separate churches yet function as a unique community of believers. Fusion Church has held their Sunday services in Alpine Chapel at no cost since December 2008 and is allowed full use of the building. Alpine Chapel senior pastor Ronn Read expressed that one of their major goals is to fully utilize their building, which is now in use almost every night of the week.

“I think that’s a great message to other churches,” said Fusion Church lead pastor Eric Lerew.

Read and Lerew had interacted prior to their partnership through friendship and involvement with Catalyst of Lake County. Before the partnership began, Alpine Chapel was looking to reach more people in their 20s and 30s. Because Fusion Church was already focusing on young adults in the community, they were invited by Alpine Church to conduct services in the Alpine building. At the time, Fusion decided not to make the change, but several months later, Lerew contacted Read to see if the offer was still open.

“We were focused on reaching outside the church and were starting to move into planting churches,” Lerew said, “so we decided we could relocate our Sunday morning [services].”

The two churches now meet at different times — Alpine on Sunday mornings and Fusion on Sunday evenings — in the same building. Both fellowships refer visitors or members to the other church if they feel it is a better fit. For example, Fusion attracts a younger crowd so Alpine refers younger people to Fusion if they are looking for something that better fits their style.

“By working together as a church, we can create powerful partnerships to reach people,” said Lerew.

Lerew also expressed his excitement that, because meeting in Alpine Chapel’s facilities has eased the financial burden on the church, Fusion Church is now freer to minister to the community and send their members into the community to make a difference. Alpine Chapel is open to additional opportunities to serve other churches and the community.