Rev. Dr. C. David Owens Sermon Collection
I Love to Tell the Story  …  About Hope

This volume collects sermons on the theme of Christian hope delivered by Rev. C. David Owens while he was Senior Pastor at First Congregational Church of Wilmette.  But sermons don’t belong in books; they need a congregation listening, squirming, waiting for the coffee hour to press their questions and comments on the preacher. So each sermon in this collection is presented with the response of one parishioner who shares his or her personal reflections with the reader.  By presenting both preacher and parishioner, this volume replicates in print the energy and spirit of a community fully engaged in dialogue with one another and with the Biblical text.

Rev. Dr. C. David Owens

     From the pulpit, Rev. C. David Owens often declared that he was just a “simple country preacher.”   In truth, he was a complex man who traveled far without ever losing sight of his roots in the coal mining region of Coalgood, Kentucky.  His family moved from Coalgood to St. Anne, Illinois, where the young Rev. Owens’ passions were “the Bible, basketball, and books.”  His basketball career took him to Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee where he was small-college All-American.  He earned his undergraduate degree in history.  During his study at Bangor Theological Seminary in Maine he took a year abroad at Manchester University, England, where he also traveled Europe on the All-England basketball team.

     After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Bangor, Rev. Owens served as a substance abuse counselor at Manteno State Hospital, Manteno, Illinois.  Rev. Owens was ordained as a minister in the United Church of Christ and served churches in rural Maine as well as Chebanse, Homewood, Flossmoor, and Wilmette, Illinois.  He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1980.  Rev. Owens taught Philosophy and World Religions at South Suburban College in Homewood, and served as adjunct faculty at Chicago Theological Seminary, where he was the founding director of the Center for Congregational Life.
   
     Rev. Owens’ final parish was the First Congregational Church in Wilmette, where he played a significant role in interfaith dialogue.  In 1997, Rev. Owens guided his parish in the establishment of a space-sharing and educational partnership with Congregation Sukkat Shalom which flourishes today.  Rev. Owens chaired the Wilmette Interfaith Religious Leaders and served as consultant to the Wilmette Human Relations Commission.  He was a founding member of R.E.L.A.T.E., Religious Leaders Acting Together for Equality.  He also served on the Board of the Center for Middle East Studies, North Park University. 

     Rev. Owens was diagnosed with prostate cancer during Lent in 2000, yet continued to lead his congregation with innovative and challenging ministry.  He preached and taught until just two weeks prior to his death.  Throughout his career and especially during his struggle with the disease, he embodied a story of hope.

If you would like to order your book(s), "I Love to Tell the Story  …  About Hope", you may contact Suzanne Ross (847) 251-6660, ext. 15, or you may complete your order form online.

When ordering online, please complete the order form below, click submit, and make your check or money order payable to First Congregational Church and mail to:

First Congregational Church
1125 Wilmette Avenue
Wilmette, Illlinois 60201

Attention: Suzanne Ross, Director of Christian Education