Imagine stepping back in time to a time when the neighborhood was predominantly Swedish. It’s 1910, and you’re standing right in front of the Edgewater Baptist Church. This beautiful building on the corner of Hollywood and Glenwood Avenues was just dedicated. The Edgewater Swedish Baptist Church, as it was known then, was a beacon of faith for the growing community.
Thirty-four people came together to form the church, and they held their first meetings in a rented church on Rosehill Drive. Within a year, they built their own sanctuary at its current location. There was even a 50-year-old parsonage that was cut in half and moved from Berwyn and Glenwood to house the pastors and serve as the Sunday School Annex.
The church was a vibrant community, filled with faith and a strong sense of togetherness. Services were conducted in Swedish, and the church’s newspaper, the Edgewater Herald, was also written in Swedish. But over the years, the neighborhood changed. The Swedish population decreased, and the Edgewater Baptist Church embraced the new cultural diversity that blossomed.
Spanish and Korean language congregations began holding services within its walls. The name was shortened to Edgewater Baptist Church in 1940, finally reflecting the diverse community it served. Today, Edgewater Baptist Church continues to be a multi-ethnic, multi-generational church, a testament to its commitment to welcoming all people into the heart of its faith.