Park Ridge
Illinois
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History
Mr. William Anderson, the chair of the Messiah Lutheran Church's 50th Anniversary Committee in 2004, who did not live to see the culmination of his efforts, chose as the theme for that celebration, "Little Children Have Lead Us." It was a very appropriate theme because not only has Christian Education been one of the core ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church for more than 50 years, but the congregation actually started in April, 1951 as a Sunday School.
Within a few months of that April 1951 beginning, worship services were begun at the Community House and the congregation became known as the Park Lane Lutheran Church. At first visiting pastors from the Chicago area provided leadership and two years later, after the Shoreline Builders Company, in the person of a Messiah charter member, Mr. Godfrey Lindstrom, had donated a substantial piece of property for the congregation in Park Ridge its present name was adopted: Messiah Lutheran Church. Laypeople took leadership positions in 1954 when the first Church Council, now called the Leadership Team, was formed.
A rapidly developing area in Niles and Maine Townships was designated as the congregation's ministry area. This six-square-mile mission field was bounded by Potter Road on the west, Oakton St. on the south, Golf Road on the north and Waukegan Road on the east. On May 7, 1954 the congregation was officially organized as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Rev. Warren Weeg was called as the first pastor and in the congregation's first decade of ministry it experienced its most rapid growth. By 1962 the congregation had the largest baptized membership in its 50 year history: 940. Ground was broken for a parsonage in January, 1954, and for the church building two months later. By 1964 the religious education building had been completed.
Messiah Lutheran Church
History
Mr. William Anderson, the chair of the Messiah Lutheran Church's 50th Anniversary Committee in 2004, who did not live to see the culmination of his efforts, chose as the theme for that celebration, "Little Children Have Lead Us." It was a very appropriate theme because not only has Christian Education been one of the core ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church for more than 50 years, but the congregation actually started in April, 1951 as a Sunday School.
Within a few months of that April 1951 beginning, worship services were begun at the Community House and the congregation became known as the Park Lane Lutheran Church. At first visiting pastors from the Chicago area provided leadership and two years later, after the Shoreline Builders Company, in the person of a Messiah charter member, Mr. Godfrey Lindstrom, had donated a substantial piece of property for the congregation in Park Ridge its present name was adopted: Messiah Lutheran Church. Laypeople took leadership positions in 1954 when the first Church Council, now called the Leadership Team, was formed.
A rapidly developing area in Niles and Maine Townships was designated as the congregation's ministry area. This six-square-mile mission field was bounded by Potter Road on the west, Oakton St. on the south, Golf Road on the north and Waukegan Road on the east. On May 7, 1954 the congregation was officially organized as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Rev. Warren Weeg was called as the first pastor and in the congregation's first decade of ministry it experienced its most rapid growth. By 1962 the congregation had the largest baptized membership in its 50 year history: 940. Ground was broken for a parsonage in January, 1954, and for the church building two months later. By 1964 the religious education building had been completed.