FriendSpeak
FriendSpeak is a program that serves international visitors to Greater Lafayette. We enjoy helping people with their English, and we also enjoy getting to know people from different cultures. Click on the switch below that describes you in order to get more information.
Non-Native English Speakers
Native English-Speaking Volunteers
Non-Native English Speakers
Do you want a free way to improve your English speaking and listening skills? Then come join us for FriendSpeak. You will be matched with a trained native English speaking conversation partner who will meet with you for about one hour each week and help you practice your conversational English at no cost to you.
You will receive a free workbook, which includes excerpts from the book of Luke in the Bible, to read and discuss with your conversation partner. Our FriendSpeak volunteers have all been trained to start with the stories in this book. The stories give us a place to start in conversation and help us cover a variety of everyday life topics.
We are interested in learning about you and your experiences, both in your home country and in the U.S. Volunteers join FriendSpeak because they want to help, but also because they want to build friendships with our international guests.
We typically meet together at 6:00 on Sunday evenings during Purdue’s Fall and Spring semesters. The meeting place is the Christian Student Center, 115 Waldron St., West Lafayette (just one street over from University St.). We start with a free home-cooked meal where everyone, volunteers and readers, can talk and make friends with other native and non-native English speakers. After dinner, the one-on-one conversation partners find space for their reading and conversation sessions.
If Sunday nights do not work for you, then we will try to find a volunteer who can meet and talk with you on another day. In addition to our Sunday night conversations, we also host various American cultural experiences like a Halloween party, Thanksgiving dinner, and Super Bowl party. We invite you to join us in practicing your conversation and meeting new friends.
If you are interested in FriendSpeak, please send us an email. Because we follow Purdue’s semesters, FriendSpeak is active from January-April and September-November.
Join Us
This is a broken place for broken people—but we know a good doctor, and every day we strive to Know Him and Make Him Known. If you want to join us, you’re more than welcome.
Food Pantry
In order to better serve our community, families in need can make use of our well-stocked food pantry on a monthly basis.
Sermons
Couldn't make it last Sunday? Or would you like to catch up on sermons from the past? Either way, we keep a library of past sermons for you to take in at your leisure.
Our Ministries
FriendSpeak
Elmwood's proud to be involved in FriendSpeak. This is a program that gives non-native English speakers a chance at not only improving their conversational English, but it also gives them a friend.
Elmwood's proud to be involved in FriendSpeak. This is a program that gives non-native English speakers a chance at not only improving their conversational English, but it also gives them a friend.
Christian Student Center (CSC)
Elmwood’s Christian Student Center on Purdue’s campus is making a difference in the lives of college students that are searching for and deepening a relationship with Christ.
Elmwood’s Christian Student Center on Purdue’s campus is making a difference in the lives of college students that are searching for and deepening a relationship with Christ.
Youth & Family Ministry
Elmwood believes in the importance of ministry to teens and their families. Elmwood keeps teens involved in worship and a variety of activities.
Elmwood believes in the importance of ministry to teens and their families. Elmwood keeps teens involved in worship and a variety of activities.
LIFE Groups
Elmwood’s Life Groups are made up of six to twelve people who meet each Sunday evening in homes. They provide opportunity for Bible study, fellowship, and community.
LIFE Groups
Elmwood’s Life Groups are made up of six to twelve people who meet each Sunday evening in homes. They provide opportunity for Bible study, fellowship, and community.
Hispanic Ministry
Elmwood enjoys interacting with and ministering to members of the extensive Hispanic community here in Lafayette. We have a Spanish class/service at 10:40a.m. each Sunday.
Elmwood enjoys interacting with and ministering to members of the extensive Hispanic community here in Lafayette. We have a Spanish class/service at 10:40a.m. each Sunday.
Adult Ministries
We have active ministries for men, women, seniors and widows. Learn more and keep updated.
Adult Ministries
We have been in a partnership with Glen Acres Elementary School since the 2013/2014 school year. The goal is to bless our community by blessing children and families through their school.