Ravenswood Congregational Church Records

Abstract

The Ravenswood Congregational Church was founded in the fall of 1869 by the Reverend William A. Lloyd when Ravenswood was a small village. The church closed its doors due to declining membership in 1969. This collection contains news clippings, historical sketches, parish directories, and publications that document the church’s activities such as bulletins, programs, newsletters, correspondence. There are also 2 cookbooks published by the Woman’s Society.  The collection also contains 43 photographs which document the church building and some church activities.

Biographical/Historical

The Ravenswood Congregational Church was founded in the fall of 1869 by the Reverend William A. Lloyd. It was the first Protestant church in the new community of Ravenswood. In 1870 the church was granted a charter by the New England Congregational Union. Membership of the church was only eight people at the time.

In the early 1870s, a building was erected on the northeast corner of Sulzer Road and Commercial Street (now Montrose and Hermitage avenues). In 1885 the church was remodeled into a larger structure which included a parsonage. Additional construction changes took place in 1917 and again in 1923. The church then became known as "the church of the lighted cross," due to the revolving lighted cross atop the steeple, a unique feature not frequently found on church edifices during this period.

Ravenswood Congregational Church was founded on a strictly spiritual and devotional basis. But over the years, as the population grew and Ravenswood developed from a prairie to a village community, the church became socially active. The congregation began to play a leading role in many community developments and improvements through such groups as the Woman's Society, the Men's League and the Young People's Christian Endeavor.

Throughout its one-hundred-year existence, the church had only nine ministers, including Dr. J. Morriston Thomas, who served the community for forty-six years. During his pastorate, membership grew to over 600 parishioners. As the Northside of Chicago grew, however, many members moved away, and as a result the Ravenswood Congregational Church became directly or indirectly the mother of seven other neighborhood churches, including Addison Street Congregational, Summerdale Congregational, and Waveland Avenue Congregational churches. This pattern caused a continual decline in RCC membership throughout the 1960s. The Sixties were also a period of increasing costs and coupled with the loss of revenue through membership decline, the congregation voted to dissolve the church. This was done at a special meeting of the congregation on September 29, 1968.

On January 26, 1969, the Ravenswood Congregational Church closed its doors after a final commemoration ceremony.

Scope and contents

The Ravenswood Congregation Collection documents the church from its beginning in 1869 to its close in 1969. It contains news clippings, historical sketches, parish directories, and publications that document the church’s activities such as bulletins, programs, newsletters, correspondence. There are also 2 cookbooks published by the Woman’s Society.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in 2 series.

Series 1: Documents and publications, 1869-1969, undated

Series 2: Photographs, 1870-1960, undated

Related materials

Ravenswood Lake View Community Collection

Subject Headings

• Ravenswood (Chicago, Ill.)
• Church records and registers
• Congregational churches

Collection inventory

Series 1: Documents and publications, 1869-1969, undated

Scope and contents

This series contains news clippings, historical sketches, parish directories, and publications that document the church’s activities such as bulletins, programs, newsletters, correspondence. There are also 4 cookbooks published by the Woman’s Society.

Arrangement

Alphabetically by topic, and then alphabetically within each topic.

Series 2: Photographs, 1870-1960, undated

Scope and contents

This series consists of 43 photographs of the exterior and interior of the church as well as photographs of the Dramatic Club and other church clubs and committees. It also includes 22 slides.

Arrangement

Alphabetically by topic, and then alphabetically within each topic.