Showing 257 results

The Evangelical Congregational Church of Highland Park marked its official founding on June 28, 1896, with the dedication of its newly erected church building, but the church’s origins date back further. The early church was comprised of German speaking pioneer settlers from Pennsylvania who had been members of the Evangelical Association found by Jacob Albright. In 1839, these settlers started a church in what is now North Northfield. Some of these church families relocated to Highland Park and formed a group that by 1873 was part of the Des Plains circuit. A church building was erected in 1883 on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Green Bay Road. In 1894, the Illinois Conference of the United Evangelical Church was organized following a division of the Evangelical Association. The First United Evangelical Church of Highland Park was organized under this conference and construction began on the permanent church building.

Upon the dedication of the church building in 1896 by Bishop Rudolph Dubs, H. H. Thoren became the first pastor. The church originally held its services in German until introducing an English service in 1898 and the earliest records of the church are written in German. In 1913 the church sent out its first missionary, Homer Dubs, to China and enlarged the basement of the building. The church decided to remain independent during the merger of the two national denominations, The United Evangelical Church and the Evangelical Association in 1922. The interior of the church was remodeled in 1935. During the 1950s the basement was enlarged again, and the steeple lowered due to deterioration of the wood. On June 24, 1962, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new Christian Education Building to provide more space. The completed building was dedicated on May 26, 1963, by Bishop H. H. Scanlin. The church became affiliated with the Evangelical Congregational Church headquartered in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, the successor to the United Evangelical Church. The last service at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Highland Park was held on December 28, 2010.

The collection is organized into eight series: Administrative Records; Organizations; Women’s Missionary Society and Sunday School; Special Days; Memorabilia; Photographs; Publications; and Miscellaneous. The records document the operations, activities, and members of the church as well as their relationship with regional and national church groups.

Monthly church newsletters with various titles, Sunday bulletins, Western Conference of Evangelical Congregational Church journals, disciplines, hymnals, and other printed materials. These materials document both the worship practices and activities of the church in Highland Park, Illinois, and the national and regional church conferences the Evangelical Congregational Church.

Legal documents, original German church book with translation, histories of the church, certificates and awards, directories of church members, wagon wheel quilt, vacation bible school files, newspaper clippings, financial records, and other materials related the church. The legal documents include constitutions, by-laws, and incorporation records as well as court cases involving the church. The quilt, made in 1896, was created as a fundraiser for the church.

Minutes of church meetings, treasurer’s records, annual reports, registers, and an administration manual detailing the church’s operations and activities. Quarterly Conference records before 1899 are written in German.

Record books, by-laws, histories, and other documents about the Women’s Missionary Society at the church. These records describe the society’s meetings, finances, and efforts to extend their beliefs across the world. Sunday School records include minutes, attendance accounts, and reports of Sunday school activities.