What if I told you that the Park Avenue Congregational Church began in a rather unusual spot? It started in Union Hall. That building is now Arlington Coal and Lumber.
Let’s step back to the early 1880s. Arlington Heights was just starting to grow. A mix of people including Congregationalists, Methodists, and Baptists began meeting. They held religious services and Sunday school classes. By 1885 the group wanted a real church building.
Businessmen formed “The Proprietors of the Church at Arlington Heights”. They raised money to buy land and build a chapel. They got $2500 in pledges. Work began on the new church building.
The women of the neighborhood then formed the “Ladies Chapel Guild”. They sewed, held suppers, and organized entertainments. Their big event was a “grand fair and bazaar” on December 7 and 8, 1885. It raised $700. The Ladies Chapel Guild still exists today as PACC’s Women’s Guild.
On December 30, 1885, the new wood-frame church building was dedicated. Non-denominational services were held there for a few years. Eventually two church groups were organized. These were the Union Parish and the Evangelical Parish. They shared the building. It became clear that it would be best to unite into one church.
So, the Park Avenue Congregational Church came into existence on March 10, 1899. A council recognized it on March 22. The 49 members came from the Union and Evangelical Parishes. They included most of the proprietors. In 1902 the proprietors transferred the real estate and mortgage to the Park Avenue Congregational Church.
That original wood-frame church served the Park Avenue Congregational Church for many years. In 1928 the adjoining brick building was completed. The downstairs had a kitchen and a large Parish Hall. The upstairs remained unfinished until 1945-46. It was then completed to add office space and Sunday School rooms.
In 1959 the congregation voted to build a new church building on the site of the old one. The annual meeting of 1960 approved the plans. Construction began.
1961 was a big year for Park Avenue Congregational Church. On January 11, 1961, the congregation joined the newly-formed United Church of Christ. On Easter Sunday that year, the first worship service was held in the new brick and concrete church. Pietro Belluschi designed it.
Since then, the Park Avenue Congregational Church has been an active congregation. It’s one of two United Church of Christ churches in Arlington. In 2011 Pleasant Street Congregational Church closed. Some of their members joined the Park Avenue Congregational Church.
Another milestone was PACC’s vote to become an Open and Affirming congregation on May 6, 2007. Open and Affirming means the church welcomes people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
The Park Avenue Congregational Church welcomes everyone. No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. The Park Avenue Congregational Church offers joyous worship, Christian education, and Christian service. They collect food for the Arlington Food Pantry. They support affordable housing. They serve community suppers. They collect school supplies for homeless children. They provide Christmas gifts for families in need. They promote community safety.
They also strive to reduce their carbon footprint. They have a “Green Church” campaign. They have fellowship and fun. There are coffee hours, potlucks, picnics, and pancake breakfasts. There are also groups like PACC-Men, Women’s Guild, and Youth Groups. You can also enjoy adult, youth, and festival choirs, concert series, holiday fairs, and game nights.
The Park Avenue Congregational Church is more than just a building. It’s a community. Stop by on a Sunday morning to experience the welcome.