Harris Temple Church of God and Christ

Can a church be born in a basement? At Harris Temple Church of God and Christ, it absolutely was. Harris Temple Church of God and Christ stands as a testament to faith and perseverance. It began in a humble basement in 1946. Elder Theodore R. Harris and his wife, Erma, opened this small “soul-saving station,” originally called Elm Park COGIC. After a powerful three-day consecration service filled with healing and conversions, the church began to grow. Elder Harris dreamt of a bigger space, a proper sanctuary. That dream took shape when a young contractor, Clifton Black, entered the picture. In 1957, Black joined Elm Park Church. He then used his skills to help build Elder Harris’s dream. Working with an architect, they designed a new church building. By 1959, the new Harris Temple Church of God in Christ stood complete. This new structure was valued at over $35,000, a significant sum at the time. It signified not only a physical expansion, but also the growth of the church’s influence and reach within the community. Today, Harris Temple Church of God and Christ continues its mission of serving the community. It stands as a beacon of hope and faith, its story woven into the fabric of Chicago’s vibrant religious landscape. The church’s journey from a basement to a beautiful building reflects the power of vision, hard work, and unwavering faith.