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(a thing page of
townoak.com)
(alternate access at
townoak.freeservers.com)
| > | Evangelical Free Church of America 1 55440? 612? Minneapolis(MPLS), Hennepin County, MN 1950(06) |
| 2023(06/29) | blogs.efca.org/posts/god-is-moving-in-the-next-generation | Tom Cairns | "For several decades from the ‘60s to ‘80s, the conferences sponsored talent contests and Bible quizzing tournaments for young people" |
| 2024(04/23) | blogs.efca.org/posts/aj-thorwall-a-preacher-like-no-other | Tom Cairns | "You can read or download his biography, written by his son LaReau, to learn much more of how God used this remarkable man." |
| quiztime.com/quiz_time_history.html |
| 2018(01/09) | pressreader.com/usa/chicago-sun-times/20180109/281706910076364
| Includes info on John Belushi at Wheaton Free | |
Two of the main things that influenced me during Jr. High and High School at WEFC were AWANA and Bible quizzing. I'll talk about AWANA elsewhere. Here, I'll more talk about Bible quizzing here because among other things it allowed me to visit other Free Churches in the area. Some of those churches I've visited again in more recent times.
There are a couple of efca blogposts in the table above. One talks about Bible quizzing. The other talks about pastor A.J. Thorwall born 1890. That blog talks about A.J.'s biography written by his son LaReau. LeReau was a pastor at First-Moline and Wheaton described below. The cornerstone on the new part of Compass-Wheaton says 1996.
A. Active EFCA churches in the order in which they were formed
(A1) First EFCA in Chicago(5255 N. Ashland Avenue) formed 1881(02/11).
firstfree.com/about-us-old/our-history
talks about Pastor Bill Shereos who was there from 1999(12) thru 2017(01). Bill officiated when my wife and I got married on 2002(12/31). I also had contact with
First Free a number of times in the 1970s thru Bible quizzing. I went to some quiz meets at First Free and also competed with them at other locations.
Although Bill officiated at my wedding we were married at Katherine Legge Memorial Lodge in Hinsdale. My wife knew Bill and his wife Wenda from a Bible Study they attended in the 1970s. That Bible Study has a big influence on them and a lot of other people more on that Bible study is at townoak.50megs.com/religiousleaders/loispeterson.
billshereos.com/about contains more info on Bill now, some of which is also contained other places here.
(A2) First EFCA in Rockford(2223 N. Mulford Road) formed 1884.
firstfreerockford.org/about/culture says the church has been around since 1884 along with some other info.
firstfreerockford.org/countryman-family-choir-congregational-singing-worship-festival-patriotic-celebration-christmas-traditions talks about
the Countryman family and their long musical heritage at the church going back to 1884.
firstfreerockford.org/from-this-day-forward has couples recalling their weddings at First Free.
A couple of them talk about getting married at the "old church" at Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street in the 1970s. Those accounts mention a few pastors officiating at those
weddings. Ken Meyer in 1972(06/23). Lareau Lindquist in 1977(11/05). Also Lindquist and Tim Dahlin sounds like in the new building in 1981(03/28).
firstfreerockford.org/summer-wood-the-beginning talks about the new building being dedicated 1980(06/22).
I went to some quiz meets at First Free and also competed with them at other locations. Those meets were at the "old church". As I recall the sanctuary as a big round room(and old).
(A3) Salem EFCA in Chicago(2038 N. California Avenue) formed 1887(09/06).
Salem is now Spanish speaking however a newer English speaking church(Good News Bible) is in
the same building. goodnewschi.org/story has history of both churches. Salem is the launching pad for TEAM Ministries and Lydia Children’s Home.
I don't have experience with Salem but I have some experience with some people from TEAM. I was also on the Chicago Board for Lydia from 2004-2010.
(A4) Hope EFCA in Springfield(3000 Lenhart Road) formed 1889.
myhope.church/our-story says the church started as a mission at 1601 E. Carpenter Street.
1907(11/09) a separate home church started at 1835 S. Renfro Street. That church joined the mission in 1913 to form Hope Church.
Some time between 1913 and 1986 the church moved to 1800 N. Grand Avenue W.
In 1990 the church moved to Old Jacksonville Road & S. Koke Mill Road.
In 2004 the church moved to 3000 Lenhart Road.
Bill Shereos was pastor of Hope from 1986 thru 1999. I mentioned my ties with Bill under First-Chicago. In billshereos.com/about (retrieved in 2025), Bill says "I first met with a spiritual director in a formal way more than thirty years ago after going through a traumatic season of life and ministry in Springfield, IL. Hope Evangelical Free Church in Springfield, IL."
The pastor as of 2025, Brian Mills has been pastor there since 2014.
(A5) Elgin EFCA(1900 Big Timber Road) formed 1894.
elginefc.org/our-stories says the church met at 1405 Wing Street from around 1895 thru around 1982(87 years). It started meeting at the
Big Timber Road site in 1985. The bell from the old church is on display near the entrance of the new church.
solidrock.faith/users/elliott-anderson says Elliott Anderson was pastor from around 2004 thru around 2012. He was guest preacher there on 2018(01/14). John Dunkin became pastor 2019(04).
"Doing Life in Christ Together Elgin Evangelical Free Church EEFC 2022 Directory ...
STAFF John Dunkin Senior Pastor pastorjohn@elginefc.org/Trista Boden Children's Sunday Morning Ministry Coordinator trista@elginefc.org/Melissa Lyle Office Coordinator info@elginefc.org
ELDER BOARD Keith Altieri klaltieri@sbcglobal.net/Dave Moxness moxnessd21@gmail.com/Mike Sevey mesevey@gmail.com/Bob Thurow bctractor7@aol.com"
I seem to remember Elgin Free a little bit from my quizzing days(possibly the old church building). Possibly they just came to meets at other churches for a year or so. In more recent times, I went to EEFC on 2022(09/11), 2022(09/25), and 2022(10/16). I went to prayer meeting there 2022(11/09), 2022(11/30), 2023(01/11), 2023(03/22), 2023(06/21), 2023(09/27), and 2024(06/12). I asked for prayer that I would be able to meet my grandkids and that I would be able to worship at Westminster PCA in Elgin once per year.
(A6) Lyons EFCA(4147 Prescott Avenue) formed 1894.
lyonsevfreechurch.homestead.com/history.html says they had a building at 4043 Joliet Avenue until 1937.
On 1961(12/03) they started meeting in their current building(which was built in 1875 by St. Mary's Catholic church).
Pastors have been Edson A. Fast starting 1959, Carroll Swenson starting 1962(09), R. Ivan York starting 1966, Carroll Anderson starting 1969, and Allan Peterson starting 1980.
Prior to 2002(12/31) when my wife and I got married, we did marriage counseling at this church. Bi As mentioned above Bill Shereos officiated at our wedding but since we weren't members of First EFCA-Chicago, he referred us to Lydia Home for counseling and they refered us to Allan Peterson pastor of Lyons EFCA.
R. Ivan York was later pastor at Compass-Wheaton EFCA so I know him some from there.
(A7) Bethel EFCA in Chicago(7601 W. Foster Avenue) formed 1899.
bethelcommunity.org/location has the year 1899.
Since 2023(03), Lenard Tavernelli has been the pastor.
My wife's brother-in-law has twin brothers who became involved with this church at age 14 when their mom died(around 1970). They both later became pastor's. One of them married the daughter of the pastor at Bethel.
(A8) First EFCA in Moline(3321 7th Street) formed before 1943.
I didn't find a history page for First-Moline, but did find some info about First on the history page for one of their daughter churches Faith-Moline(a few lines below).
Two of the pastors at First have ties Compass-Wheaton EFCA. Ray Schulenburg who became pastor at First in 1943 and LaReau Thorwall who became pastor at First in 1953. Pastor Thorwall was later pastor at Compass-Wheaton EFCA. A son of Pastor Schulenburg(Gordon) and Gordon's family were members at Compass-Wheaton during the year I attended there regularly. Gordon's oldest son Mark was a member of Christ PCA-Roselle/Wheaton when I was a member of that PCA church.
I'm pretty sure we quizzed with First-Moline but I don't remember having any meets at that church.
(A9) Calvary EFCA in Bourbonnais(2587 E. Armour Road) formed 1946.
calvarybible.church/calvary-history says in 1960 they started meeting at 650 Fairview Avenue, Bradley. They moved to their current facility in 2002.
(A10) Faith EFCA in Moline(6128 Airport Road) planted by First-Moline 1951(11).
faithefcmoline.com/church-history says the church building was dedicated 1953(04/26).
Pastors have been Roger Gustafson starting 1955, Earl Hurne starting 1959, Ray Faust starting 1962, Gifford Meyers starting 1973, Robert Page starting 1976, Randy Larson starting 1978, Ron Allen starting 1986(10/01), and Michael Kenneday starting 2000(08).
(A11) Compass-Wheaton EFCA(520 E. Roosevelt Road) formed 1952(02/24) as Wheaton Evangelical Free Church.
The building was completed 1954(04/01).
At the bottom of this page information from a Wheaton EFCA cookbook, included in that info is a list of pastors. Mike Weber is a later pastor who's name isn't in the list from the cookbook. Mike was the pastor until the church joined with Compass Church.
Since I have a lot of ties with this church, I've provided more details in a separate section below.
(A12) Harvard Avenue-Villa Park(206 Saint Charles Road) formed before 1953.
I didn't find a history page for Harvard Avenue, but did see two cornerstones near the main entrance of the church.
The one on the right as you enter says 1953, the one on the left says 1966.
Prior to becoming a EFCA church, Harvard Avenue was a Bible church. I grew up near the church so I remember being driven past if frequently going back to the 1960s. In the 1970s, I remember seeing them frequently at the AWANA olympics when I was there competing with Wheaton.
Around the year 2000, the two founders of FOCUS Ministries worshipped there.
(A13) Orchard-Arlington Heights EFCA(1330 N. Douglas Avenue) formed 1953 as Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church.
theorchard.church/about-us says the church moved to the church building in 1970.
Colin Smith became pastor starting 1996.
During the years I did Bible quizzing, every year, the first tournament was always the Turkey Tourney at this church. We would always the first part of the book/books were studying. For example in the 1972/3 school year we studied the entire gospel of John, so at the Turkey Tourney we may have covered John chapters 1-6 or something like that.
(A14) CrossLife EFCA in Libertyville(431 W. Austin Avenue) formed 1953(08/10).
crosslifeefc.org/about/our-story says the first service at the church building was 1958(07/13).
Harold Youngberg was pastor from 1951(12/02) thru 1958(07).
(A15) Mount Morris EFCA(102 S. Seminary Avenue) formed 1956.
efcmm.org/about-us/history-and-beliefs says they obtained their building from the Church of the Brethren in 1958.
Bruce McKanna became pastor starting 2008.
I had a friend at Camp Timber-lee(the EFCA camp) from Mount Morris(presumably from this church).
(A16) Compass-Naperville EFCA(1551 Hobson Road) formed 1957 as Naperville Evangelical Free Church.
The previous church building was at 1433 N. Main Street.
Jeff Griffin became pastor starting 2014, now he is senior pastor of all the Compass churches.
Some time during my quizzing years, we went to the old church building at least once for quizzing between 1972 and 1978. I also went to a worship service at the old building probably in late 1983 or 1984.
(A17) North Suburban EFCA in Deerfield(200 Lake Cook Road) formed 1959(06).
The church was planted by First-Chicago EFCA.
northsub.com/history says the 1st building was dedicated 1961(03), the 2nd 1967(05), and the 3rd 1976(07/04)(an additional 1.75 acres had
been purchased in 1968).
Vern Olson became the first pastor in late 1959. Tim Higgins is the current pastor based on info retrieved on 2025(01/21).
(A18) Village EFCA in Barrington(1600 E. Main Street) formed 1961(08).
vcbweb.org/history says the church building was completed in 1967.
David Jones became pastor starting 2010.
I remember Village Church from quizzing, my brother married someone from their quiz team. I stood up my brother's wedding there in 1988. The wife of my friend Mark Schulenburg(mentioned with First-Moline and Compass-Wheaton) is also from this church.
(A19) Chillicothe EFCA(434 W. Moffitt Street) formed 1962(09/02).
chillibible.org/who-we-are/our-history says their first church building was at 4th and Pine(formerly Plymouth Congregational).
They moved to their current building on 1985(11/10).
(A20) Oasis Community-Oaklawn(9000 Menard Avenue) formed before 1965.
This church was formerly know as Elim.
olpl.pastperfectonline.com/archive/DE8BD07E-F638-419F-B919-111113781089
shows a picture of a brochure from that church from 1965. It appears that a former address was 10000 S. Kostner Avenue.
(A21) Homewood-Moline(3303 60th Street) formed 1965(10/17).
homewoodefc.org/about/history says "was the third branch work begun by the First Evangelical Free Church of Moline".
Mark Frazee became pastor starting 2010(08).
(A22) Rock of Our Salvation-Chicago(5628 W. Washington Boulevard) effectively formed 1967 as Circle Church.
Pastors have been David R. Mains from 1967 thru 1977 and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Glen Kehrein moved to the area in 1972. In 1974, he started Circle Community Center an outreach extension of Circle Church Free Church which later became Circle Urban Ministries.
In 1975 Circle Church acquired a former Catholic rectory at 118 N Central Ave(around the corner from the church).
In 1983/4 Circle Urban Ministries began working with newly established Rock of Our Salvation Church at the site where Circle Church had been.
kcachicago.org/about-us has history of the church site.
archives.wheaton.edu/agents/people/2736 has info on David Mains.
austinweeklynews.com/2011/11/30/in-memoriam-austin-activist-glen-kehrein and
moodyaudio.com/products/life-glen-kehrein has info on Glen Kehrein.
I've heard on Circle church though the years as well as David Mains later ministry Chapel of the Air(which he took over from his uncle John D. Jess between 1977 and 1995). In September 1976, when I broke my arm, it was set by David Mains brother Doug
who was a doctor at Central DuPage Hospital.
findagrave.com/memorial/121540687/douglas_benjamins_mains
findagrave.com/memorial/128731974/john_david_jess
(A23) Taylorville(319 S. Washington Street) formed 1973(11/24).
tefc.net/about-us/our-church-history says rented meeting places(prior to their current location) included the
Odd Fellows Hall, then 400 W. Market Street # 1, then 1120 W. Spresser Street. There current location was formerly Davis Memorial Church.
Don Beetem became Associate Pastor of Student Ministries starting 2000 and Senior Pastor starting 2017(06).
(A24) Chadwick(134 Main Street) formed ~1975.
chadwickefc.com says 50+ year old congregation.
(A25) Itasca(716 George Street) formed before 1978.
I remember Itasca Free being in quiz meets prior to 1978(their quiz team was fairly new).
web.archive.org/web/20090821055831/http://livinghopeitasca.org says Pastor
Matt Zaubi(of then Living Hope Fellowship) started before 2009(08/19)(when the webpage was updated).
theorchard.church/about-us says LHF joined Orchard in 2010(11). Campus pastor is Ryan Potelicki started Spring 2024.
(A26) Good News Bible(2038 N. California Avenue) formed 1979(09/09).
goodnewschi.org/story says started on 1979(09/09).
(A27) Park Hills-Freeport(2525 W. Stephenson Street) formed before 1980(09/14).
John Strubhar became pastor starting before 1980(09/14).
(A28) Lena planted by Park Hills - Freeport(720 N. Freedom Street) formed 1980(09/14).
lenafreechurch.org/content.cfm?id=308 says the first service in the church building was 1982(07/04).
Pastors have been Tim Dahlin starting 1980(10), Dean Cernek starting after 1982(06), Mike Adams starting 1985(08), Larry Marvel starting 1991(06), Jim Erb starting 2000(04), and Casey Dwyer starting 2023(06).
(A29) Chicago International(2304 W. Taylor Street) formed 1981.
(A30) Grace-Aledo(606 S.E. 3rd Street) formed 1983.
Russ Young became pastor starting 2024(10).
web.archive.org/web/20240914030407/http://aledoefc.weebly.com/a-brief-history.html has archived history.
(A31) South Suburban-Homewood(18059 Lawndale Avenue) formed 1986.
southsuburban.org/new-page-5 says started 1986 by Bill and Diane Reed.
Prior to 1990 met near Dolphin Lake Park(2700 183rd Street) and Cathedral of Joy Baptist Church(20401 Western Ave, Olympia Fields). Current building build with help from
Arlington Heights EFCA.
Pastors have been Bill Reed starting 1990 thru 2022 and Delbert D. Denny starting 2004.
(A32) Brimfield(11724 N. Maher Road) formed 1988(10/11).
brimfieldefree.org/our-history says originally met at F&M Bank(123 E Knoxville Street).
Met at Brimfield Grade School(216 E. Clinton Street) starting 1991(10). Moved to their sanctuary starting 2003(12).
Russ Young became pastor starting 1991(01/18).
(A33) River Valley-Ottawa(1611 Adams Street) formed 1990.
myrivervalleychurch.org/about-us/our-history
(A34) Canton(1300 E. Chestnut Street) formed before 1998
cantonefree.com/copy-of-about says Matt Spangler became pastor starting 2018.
...
(A??) Hope-Roscoe(5656 Elevator Road) unknown formation date. Brad Schreiner is a retired Associate Pastor of Adults at Hope EFCA Roscoe. I knew him at Fellowship Chapel CMA Bolingbrook prior to that time. In 1993 we went to a White Sox Game.
...
(A87) Saint Paul-Petersburg(209 W. Douglas Street) unknown formation date.
More in-depth info on Compass-Wheaton EFCA
I remember every year, the first quizzing tournament of the year was at Arlington Heights Free Church(now called Orchard). WEFC is now called Compass. Some other churches I'm
pretty sure we went to were First Free-Chicago, First Free-Rockford, and First Free-Moline.
I'm #5 in this picture
| |
| 1965 | Grace | 209 S. Main Street Orangeville, IL | 815-789-4606 | |
| 1965 | Trinity Community Fellowship | 1300 W. Clinton Avene, Farmer City, IL | 309-928-2273 | David Ashby |
| Zip | Name | Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 626751547 | Glenview Park District - Park Center | 2400 Chestnut Avenue, Glenview, IL | 847-724-5670 |
| 601484018 | Grace Community Church-Lombard | 1100 S. Fairfield Avenue, Lombard, IL | 630-629-1494 |
| 601921586 | Chicago Korean Church | 1500 W. Algonquin Road, Hoffman Estates, IL | 847-359-1522 |
| 604531525 | Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church | 9000 Menard Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL | 708-422-1433 |
| 605214451 | The Community House | 415 W. 8th Street, Hinsdale, IL | 630-323-7500 |
| 610813659 | GPA BLDG/STERLING TOWNSHIP | 312 E. 4th Street, Sterling, IL | 815-716-8665 |
The below church meets at the former location of Jefferson Park Evangelical Free Church. Jefferson Park EFC no longer exists. Before becoming part of EFCA, JPEFC was called Jefferson Park Bible Church or just "Jeff". My parents met a JPBC in the summer or 1957. From 1977 through 1986, the senior pastor of JPEFC was Bill Shereos. See above under First Free-Chicago for my ties to Bill.
| Founded | Name | Address | Phone Number | Pastor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016(03) | The Church Of The Chicagoans | 5518 W. Gettysburg Street, Chicago, IL | elders |
The below church worships at the former location of Naperville Evangelical Free Church which became Compass Church after moving the the Hobson address shown above
| Zip | Name | Address | Phone Number | Pastor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 605632641 | Naperville Chicago Onnuri Church | 1433 N. Main Street, Naperville, IL | 630-753-9191 |
Below is some info from a cookbook. Some updates since the cookbook, Mike Weber was pastor after Lou Diaz until the church became part of Compass Church.
Recipes & Remembrances 50th Anniversary Cookbook A Collection of Recipes by Wheaton Evangelical Free Church 1952-2002... How Our Church Began The Church-by-the-Side of the Road was born in prayer. During the last weeks of 1951 and the first of 1952, a handful of folk with pioneer vision and spirit, feeling that there was a need for a tes- timony in a new, fast-growing section of out city, met several times for prayer and consultation in various homes. From the very start there was a distinct consciousness of the Lord's presence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the direction of the formation of the new work. A dinner meeting was held on January 15, 1952, at the Carl Gunderson home, with about 85 interested folks present. It was offically decided to unite with The Evangelical Free Church of America because of the similarity of its aims, program and vision to that of the Wheaton group. Dr. Stanley Olson, who later moved from Wheaton to Texas, presented a tentative constitution. Plans also were made to locate a suitable meeting place for Sunday servic- es. On Sunday, February 24, 1952, the first public service of the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church was held in the Masonic temple. Dr. C. Raymond Ludwigson, president of Trinity Seminary and Bible College, the official school of the Evangelical Free Church, was the speaker. His subject was "The Love of God." From the very first moment of that service the blessing of the Lord has been in marked evidence upon every department of this new work. In June of 1952 a call was issued to Rev. Wendell P. Loveless to assume the full-time pastorate of the church. The call was accepted and he preached to the congregation on Sunday, July 13, as the first pastor of the church Shortly thereafter, Ronald Wormser was called as an assistant to the pastor. Sunday School had started in the basement of the old Gary-Wheaton Bank, which was also used for adult classes and prayer meetings. The growth soon brought about purchase of the Roosevelt Road property and a branch was started on Dawes Avenue. Ground-breaking took place Easter Sunday 1953 with laying of the cor- nerstone following on May 24. A large group, including evangelist Billy Graham, was present for the occasion. Through the combined efforts of members and contractors the church by the side of the road was completed April 1, 1954. Wheaton Evangelical Free Church Senior Pastors Rev. Wendell P. Loveless 1952-1957 Rev. Wilbur Nelson 1958-1959 Rev. Edwin Johnson 1959-1963 Dr. Larry Love 1964-1966 Rev. LeReau Thorwall 1967-1973 Dr. Douglas Culver 1973-1977 Dr. R. Ivan York 1978-1990 Dr. Lou Diaz 1991-present
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