Three Bensenville churches planning to merge

Every Sunday, the pastors at St. John's United Church of Christ and Immanuel United Church of Christ would gaze upon their small congregations and see active, devoted members.

Still, something was missing in the pews of their historic Bensenville churches: new members, especially young families.

And with few children in the Sunday schools, it became clear something had to be done before both churches would fade away.

The solution was to initiate a rare three-way merger with Peace Church, another United Church of Christ congregation also based in Bensenville.

In recent months, members of all three churches have been meeting for services at Peace Church's location along South Center Street. Eventually, they hope to hire a new pastor and officially become a new church - Faith Community United Church of Christ.

But first, St. John's members want to say goodbye to their old church building. That farewell will happen at 3 p.m. Sunday during a worship service at 601 N. Route 83.

"It's bittersweet," said the Rev. Janet Hisbon, who has been the pastor at St. John's for about five years. "We want to close. We know it has to be done. But we're not sure where we are."

Hisbon said part of the loss and grief that some members are feeling is based on the fact St. John's has a rich history. Established in 1849, the church and its cemetery - St. Johannes - served the German farming community in what is now the southwest corner of O'Hare International Airport. The church was moved to the Route 83 location in 1954 when O'Hare was expanded, officials said.

Now with Chicago trying to acquire the cemetery property and developers interested in buying the church's five-acre site, Hisbon said the time is right for a merger.

"I am sure our two smaller churches wouldn't be around much longer without doing this," said the Rev. Bob McWilliams of Immanuel.

Founded in 1859, Immanuel has built three different church buildings at 1009 S. Church Road. Two of the previous structures were destroyed by fires in 1924 and 1971, officials said.

McWilliams said some Immanuel members have been attending services there their entire lives. And while losing three Bensenville churches is difficult, he said, each congregation voted separately on the merger and overwhelmingly agreed to go forward.

"It's good to know that the congregation will still be alive and moving on - and will have growth," McWilliams said.

The Rev. Elaine Eachus of Peace Church says the entire process has been inspiring.

"A lot of churches close their doors and that's it," Eachus said. "This is not a close your doors. We're going to go on in a new way."

Faith Community United Church of Christ's permanent home will be the former Peace location at 192 S. Center St. That site was chosen because it's a handicapped-accessible building with a 3,700-square-foot food pantry that serves Bensenville and Wood Dale.

As for the closing worship service at St. John's building, about 230 people, including former members and pastors, are expected to attend.

"If we pack 230-some people in that church," Hisbon said. "it's going to be filled to the rafters."