Willow Creek recalls founding member who shaped church's look
A founding member of Willow Creek Community Church whose leadership and vision helped shape the footprint of its South Barrington campus and expansion into other suburbs died late last month.
Scott Troeger of Deer Park rose from supervising the campus grounds to becoming director of campus development during his 35 years on Willow Creek's staff.
Troeger died Dec. 23 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 63.
“He played a part in every single brick that has been laid at Willow, and we all will continue to enjoy the spaces he helped bring to life for generations to come,” said Matt Sundstedt, Willow Creek's CFO and director of operations.
Troeger's wife, Janice, said her husband valued the church building as an asset and knew it was the first thing people would see when they drove on campus.
“He wanted to do everything with excellence and have that first impression be comforting, natural and inviting,” she said. “He wanted it to be a seamless experience.”
The couple met when Scott Troeger was driving a bus for a living while attending school part time. One of his routes was driving teens from a Palatine church to the Son City youth group at South Park Church in Park Ridge. The church was led by the Rev. Bill Hybels, Willow Creek's founder, with Janice Troeger as one of his leaders.
“At first, he just sat on the bus and played cards,” Janice Troeger said, “but then we finally convinced him to come in, and he loved it.”
Troeger never looked back, and his spiritual conversion from bus driver to founding core member of Willow Creek changed the lives of thousands of worshippers in the suburbs.
“We were so bold in our young 20s that we abandoned everything we had and quit our jobs to start a church,” Janice Troeger said.
Starting in 1975, Willow Creek began holding services in rented space in the former Willow Creek Theater in Palatine. Within two years, it would purchase 90 acres in South Barrington and construct its first church building.
Troeger was charged with maintaining the building and grounds. He later moved to overseeing construction projects and ultimately into planning and development.
One of the first major projects Troeger oversaw was the construction of the church's $73 million auditorium, completed in 2004. The worship center nearly doubled the church's seating, going from a capacity of 4,500 to 7,200.
Its aesthetics — including its water wall that serves as a focal point, its striking lobby, inspirational kiosks and a gathering area with furniture groupings around a stone masonry fireplace — drew an emotional response from worshippers,
Nearly 10 years later, Troeger would oversee the construction of the Willow's Care Center, a 63,000-square-foot facility from which the church provides short- and long-term assistance to the community. Services include a food pantry, a children's clothing store, eye and dental clinics, legal and financial advice, a health clinic, employment assistance and educational programs.
In keeping with Troeger's vision, it was designed around meeting people where they were by providing choice, respecting cultures and creating an engaging environment for transformation to occur, church leaders say.
Troeger also helped design Willow's regional campuses in Glenview and Libertyville.
His last project, the Special Friends space, was one of his favorites, colleagues say. It features a dedicated area for children with sensory and special needs. Troeger collaborated with special education experts, architects and interior designers to create an environment to serve a wide variety of disabilities.
“He was grateful to serve and he valued being part of a team in the planning and developing of these new projects,” his wife said.
Besides Janice, Troeger is survived by his brother, Steven R. Troeger, and his nephews, Andrew and Grant Troeger. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will begin at 9 a.m., followed by a 10 a.m. funeral service, both on Thursday at Willow Creek, 67 Algonquin Road in South Barrington.