St. Charles church marks 175th anniversary

Submitted by Congregational United Church of Christ

The Congregational United Church of Christ in St. Charles will celebrate the 175th anniversary of its founding on Sunday, March 4. Former pastors, the Revs. Edwin Remaly, Christine Barton and William Nagy, will join the present clergy, the Revs. John Rodgers, Suzy Daly and Pat Kitner, to celebrate the occasion during the 9:30 a.m. service. Special music will be provided by the chancel choir, bell choir and children’s choirs.

A luncheon will follow the 9:30 a.m. service in the church’s Fellowship Hall, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd.

Special guests invited are the Revs. Dan Schiefling Jr., Donnley Dutcher, Tim Rhodes and Eric Fistler, former members of the congregation who have entered full-time Christian ministry in the United Church of Christ.

The Congregational Church, one of the first in the state of Illinois, was formally organized and established on March 4, 1837, the day that Martin Van Buren became president of the United States and the city of Chicago was incorporated. It had its beginnings in a log cabin with nine members. Services continued to be held in private homes until a permanent building was begun in 1848 on land given to the church by Darwin Millington and his wife.

In 1998, the congregation relocated to its present home on Fox Mill Boulevard in Campton Hills. The original building on the corner of Walnut and Third streets now houses the Free Methodist Church and Lazarus House. For more information, call the church office at (630) 584-0929 or email office@uccstc.org.