“Committed to the city” is more than just a motto. Glenview Evangelical Free Church has a deep history. The history is deeply intertwined with Chicago’s evolving spiritual landscape.
Glenview Evangelical Free Church’s story starts with the Evangelical Free Church of America. The EFCA had a vision to establish churches. These churches would be places of fellowship. They would proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1961, a small group of believers in Barrington met with an EFCA representative. They were concerned about the lack of evangelical witness in their area. This led to the founding of Barrington Evangelical Free Church in August 1961. About 44 people attended Sunday morning worship. Sunday school and youth programs started too. Early emphases included missions, youth, and teaching the Word of God.
In 1965, the church bought five acres on Main Street. They started a building project. In 1967, the completed church was renamed Village Church of Barrington. A gym and high school meeting rooms followed in 1969. They accommodated the growing youth ministry. A new sanctuary seating 500 began in 1975. Subsequent remodeling and building programs created space for various ministries.
Meanwhile, First Free Church in Chicago had similar beginnings. Its roots trace back to a religious revival in Sweden in the 1840s. Small groups of Swedish Lutherans gathered in homes. They read the Bible and sang hymns. Influenced by German Pietist and English Wesleyan theology, they sought a personal relationship with Jesus. These groups challenged church traditions. They asked, “Where does it stand written?”
In 1880, 17 Swedish immigrants formed an independent mission congregation. They met in a house on Chicago’s near north side. They advertised services and held their first communion on February 11, 1881. About 150 people attended. They met in various facilities and started a Sunday School for 40 children.
By 1888-9, they became Oak Street Svenska Fria Missions Forsamling. They built a building with halls, stores, and apartments. The congregation evangelized Swedish immigrants. They actively engaged in local and foreign missions.
Ellen Modin became the congregation’s first missionary in 1885. She ministered to Mormons in Utah. In the 1890s, she founded the “Women’s Alliance Mission Home” and the “Home Of Shelter” in Minnesota. In 1887, the church sent missionaries to China. This included Hans Jensen von Qualen and two Chinese immigrants. They established Free Mission work in Canton.
As First Free Church grew, members moved north. In 1910, they bought land at Berwyn & Ashland. They purchased a vacant church and moved it there. In 1912, they sold the Oak Street Hall. They focused their ministry at Summerdale.
In 1914, the church became First Swedish Evangelical Free Church of Chicago. In 1926, they built a new sanctuary. The Sunday School and youth work expanded. The church transitioned from Swedish to English.
In the 1950s-70s, many people moved north and west of Chicago. Daughter churches formed in the suburbs, including Glenview Free Church.
First Free Church remained committed to the city. In 1961, Pastor Arley Bragg affirmed, “We are in this area to stay.” Pastor Milo Lundell oversaw the church’s transition to reflect the neighborhood’s diversity. Today, Glenview Evangelical Free Church stands as a testament to faith. It embodies service and a commitment to sharing God’s story.