Chicago, Ill. Fourth Congregational Church records, 1893-1992.

Collection

Identifier: RG5135

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Fourth Congregational Church records document the history of the organization, including finances, youth education and outreach, membership, and church life. Included in the records are correspondence, ledgers, reports, minutes, directories, newsletters and bulletins.

Dates

1893-1992

Creator

Cortland Street Congregational Church (Chicago, Ill.) (Organization)

Restrictions on Access

Access to this collection is unrestricted and open to the public.

Restrictions on Use

Items in this collection are subject to U.S. Copyright Law. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine the copyright status of collection items and to secure any permissions necessary for their reproduction and publication. Requests for permission to publish material must be discussed with the archivist or librarian.

Historical Note

The Fourth Congregational Church of Chicago traces its origins back to a Congregational Sunday school which started in 1867 and met in a blacksmith shop. From this Sunday school sprang three churches (Grace Church [1867], Cortland Street Church [1888], and Maplewood Church [1892]). These three churches merged in 1916 and took the name Fourth Church. Their building was destroyed by fire on January 27, 1925. A new building was proposed and building began in November of 1925 on Talman Avenue, the site of the old Maplewood church. The church joined the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in 1962. In 1992, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Sunday school which started it all, the Fourth Congregational Church was thriving, with a well-attended Sunday school, and a music program. The church was active in the Midwest Association of Congregational Christian Churches and the National Association Pilgrim Fellowship.

Ministers

Walter A. Briggs: 1917-1920

Carl Stackman: 1920-1923

F. E. Stillwell: 1924-1927

Ernest A Reese: 1927-1933

John Bayne: 1934-1940

Rev. MilesL 1940-1941 (interim)

Edgar Bell: 1941-1943

Reuben A. Strauss: 1944-1951

Guy D. Yoakum: 1951-1953

Warren Eugene Cotton 1953-1956

George Millar: 1957-1959

Edward F. White: 1959-1961

Rev. Pruter: 1961-1962 (interim)

Robert Hanna: 1962-1965

Harold Finley: 1965-1966

Harold FinleyL 1965-1966

Roger E. Dallwig: 1966-1974

Donald Mullen: 1975-1979

Bruce Goettsche: 1979-1980 (interim)

David Henry: 1980-1999

Mark Shelton: 1999-2003

Dan Wood: 2005-present

Extent

1.31 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Fourth Congregational Church of Chicago traces its origins back to a Congregational Sunday school which started in 1867 and met in a blacksmith shop. From this Sunday school sprang three churches, Grace, Cortland Street, and Maplewood. These three churches merged in 1916 and took the name Fourth Church. The records include finances, youth education and outreach, membership records, correspondence, reports, and church newsletters.

Arrangement

The Fourth Congregational Church records are arranged in into the two series listed below. Within each series materials have been arranged in chronological order.

Series 1: Church records, 1893-1992

Series 2: Printed material and ephemera, 1916-1975

Aquisition Information

Materials were donated to the Congregational Library & Archives, May 2011, by the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.

Related Materials

Material related to the Fourth Congregational Church’s youth outreach in Logan Square can be found at the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.