A historic 1840 bell will peal forth loudly from the tower of Westminster Presbyterian Church on Could 18, calling parishioners to assemble in celebration of the church’s one hundred and ninetieth anniversary. Inside, beginning at 10 a.m., a festive service will embrace trumpets, three particular anthems – together with one from 1835 (below the path of Dale Rogers) and solemn worship. After, individuals will collect for a dinner reception with reenactors portraying Abiah Hale and her husband, Rev. Albert Hale, the minister who led the church from 1839-1867.
The Rev. Blythe Denham Kieffer stated, “We’ll honor our historical past and our successes over the numerous years, welcome six former pastors, and rejoice religion and our dedication to advocacy.”
Former pastors who will likely be in attendance are senior minister Dr. Lonnie Lee (1995-2012), affiliate pastors Dr. Shelly White Wooden (2001-2006) and Rev. Mark Merrill (2002-2010), Rev. Tasha Blackburn (2007-2012), Rev. Hannah Dreitcer Zyla (2014-2017), and Rev. Trajan Illiff McGill (2015-2021). The church has had a complete of 18 pastors.
In 1834, Albert Hale and Theron Baldwin had been despatched to Illinois by the American Dwelling Mission Society, based in 1826 to assist be certain that Illinois would stay a free state. The lads led revival conferences, a brand new idea on the time. Each had been members of the Yale Band, not a musical group, however graduates of Yale Faculty who supported anti-slavery and helped set up church buildings and different establishments reminiscent of Illinois Faculty. The school’s first president was Edward Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s brother.
The First Presbyterian Church was based in 1828; by 1834, 30 members, together with its pastor, John Bergen, determined to separate from the church. They constructed a small, one-story construction on the northeast nook of Fourth and Monroe streets (a publish workplace now could be at this web site) which opened in Could 1835 as Second Presbyterian Church. Hale joined the church as its first pastor in 1839. The church turned often known as the abolitionist church.
With progress in members, a brand new constructing was wanted. It was erected throughout the road, on the west facet of Fourth Avenue between Monroe and Adams streets. Designed by John Francis Rague, the architect of the Previous State Capitol, the brand new church price $14,000 to construct. It might maintain 300 individuals and housed a brand new, massive bell in a sq. belfry.
The bell had been made in 1840 on the George Holbrook Foundry in East Medley, Massachusetts. Holbrook’s father had been an apprentice to Paul Revere. The bell traveled by ship alongside the East Coast and round Florida to New Orleans after which up the Mississippi. For a few years, the bell pealed forth on Sundays and in addition served as a public fireplace alarm within the metropolis and rang out for the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. The church was utilized by the Illinois Home of Representatives throughout the development of the Previous State Capitol. The second church constructing served parishioners till 1870.
A 3rd construction, inbuilt a Romanesque design, was erected in 1869 south of the 1839 church on the nook of Fourth and Monroe streets. The bell rang from its new tower till 1905 when it was put in storage as a brand new, bigger church was constructed at Walnut and Edwards streets. Many stated it was at “the tip of nowhere” and “nobody will ever go approach on the market to church.” However plans went forward, and the brand new church was accomplished in 1908 in an early thirteenth century Gothic model. The constructing committee was headed by Clinton Conkling, whose household had been pals with Abraham Lincoln.
The church was often known as Second Presbyterian till 1919, when the congregation voted to vary the title to Westminster Presbyterian.
Through the years many renovations and additions have been made, together with an schooling wing in 1954 and completion of the bell tower to its full peak in 1956. The latter challenge was paid for by Katharine McCormick, Clinton Conkling’s daughter, in reminiscence of her mother and father. As soon as once more, the bell rang on Sunday mornings.
A memorial backyard was added in 2001, and a serious renovation in 2002 reworked school rooms and places of work. An organ constructed by Robert Dial of Springfield was put in in 2003, and in 2020 the parking zone was expanded, the east entry and west terrace had been renovated, and the grounds upgraded.
Rev. Kieffer, who will likely be retiring within the fall, stated important work has been accomplished throughout her 12-year tenure as pastor, assisted by an endowment marketing campaign that started in 1999 and by 2020 had grown from $1.9 million to $8.1 million.
The church has additionally made it a degree to spend money on the encompassing neighborhood.
“We began the Steadfast Neighbor Endeavor, which has designated $450,000 for the neighborhood round us,” stated Kieffer. “We now have constructed a Habitat for Humanity home and assist present objects for the micropantry at Graham Elementary College, simply to call a couple of. To date, we’ve got invested $235,00 for our space.”
Westminster Presbyterian Church has a protracted, storied historical past over its 190 years. Let the bell proceed to ring joyously for a lot of extra years to return.
Cinda Ackerman Klickna loves studying and writing about native historical past.
