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On August 1, 2007, West Chicago Bible Church merged with
Water's Edge Church under the leadership of Tod Eenigenburg.
History of the West Chicago Bible Church
West Chicago Bible Church was officially established in 1948, however, the roots of the church extend back to 1932. Clara Wagner, living at 119 W. York Street, was concerned that West Chicago was without an evangelical witness. Even though she had ten children of her own to care for, she found time to go from door-to-door to invite families and children to a Bible study in her home. Every room of her home was used for classes, and even rooms of the next door neighbors. It was called the West Chicago Bible Fellowship. Robert Cook, who became the President of Youth For Christ, and later of King’s College, became the first pastor in 1933.
In 1948, under the ministry of Rev. Eugene Frost, the West Chicago Bible Church was officially organized. In 1949, three lots at the corner of Oakwood and Summit were purchased and the present sanctuary was built, almost entirely by members of the church. In 1959, our gymnasium was built on a lot adjacent to the Church. Men of the congregation built this building at a fraction of the actual value.
Pastor Frost concluded his ministry here in 1960. A South African student at Wheaton Graduate School, Hans Botha, filled in as an interim pastor until August 1962 when Rev. Richard Tevebaugh came to minister until June 1966. A highlight of his ministry was the beginning of an annual missions conference and the Faith Promise program of support. During the first year missionary giving jumped from $7000 to over $17,000 annually. Rev. Myron Holmgren, who led the church from August 1967 to March, 1969 succeeded him.
The Spanish ministry began in 1967 when Kitty Zamora and Betty Dohogne taught a citizenship class. English classes for Spanish-speaking people were begun in 1968, and became the prelude to Spanish Sunday School classes and worship services. Following the pattern of the Great Commission, the outreach during this second decade reached to the Spanish-speaking of our community and then to the uttermost parts of the world. It was in this decade that the world-wide emphasis of the West Chicago Bible Church received its greatest impetus.
Rev. Howard Westlund became pastor as the West Chicago Bible Church entered its third decade as an organized church.
The Awana program enrolled 100 boys and girls and Alpha Teens, 40 (Junior High). Don Tack was Youth Pastor until 1973, working primarily with Omega, the churches high school program.
The congregation voted to begin a remodeling and addition program to the main sanctuary that when finished would connect to the gym, at a cost estimated at $253,000. Attendance continued to increase. God continued to bless the ministry of the West Chicago Bible Church during its third decade.
During its entire fourth decade the Bible Church was led by Pastor Howard Westlund. Construction on the addition connecting the sanctuary with the gymnasium began in June, 1978, with the goal of completion by January 1. Men of the church worked on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays under the leadership of Dave Weissing.
Gordon and Joyce Evans came on staff in 1983, with Gordon assuming the position of Assistant Pastor. Short-term missionaries went out to Canada, Ireland, Nepal, Central America, Jamaica and Europe in 1985. At the close of the decade, Omegamania was held at West Chicago High School in January and May with 275 to 350 youth in attendance, continuing the strong outreach to the youth of our community.
During the fifth decade at the West Chicago Bible Church, 20 persons left on a missions trip for a construction project at the Nordiska Bible Institute in Sweden.
Numerous changes took place in our pastoral staff. Roberto Vergara followed Arturo Andrade as pastor of the Spanish department, and completed his ministry here in 1991. He was succeeded by Hector Barreto from 1991 to 1993. Eliezer Gonzales was next and continued until 1999. Rich Tuttle resigned as youth pastor in 1989 after serving in that capacity from the mid-seventies, and was replaced by Jim Hodgson who ministered until August, 2000. Gordon Evans retired as Assistant Pastor in 1994. Mark Doebler left his position as Music Director to begin a ministry at the Greek Bible Institute. David LaPlaca then came on staff as a Music Director and later continued in assisting our music program as a lay person. Pastor Westlund completed 26 years of ministry here in 1995 and left almost immediately to serve as an interim pastor in the United Arab Emirates.
Tom Terry came as pastor in September, 1996 and continued until December 31, 2000. Jim Hodgson left in August, after having served as Youth Pastor for more than ten years. This decade proved to be a time of considerable change in our pastoral leadership and organizational procedures. During this decade groups met to study our church operations, which led to organizational changes, with separate boards of elders and deacons. The adult Sunday School offered a broader selection of classes, and Spanish attendance increased after some difficult years, only to falter again and continue only as a Sunday school class and fellowship group.
In 1999, the church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary over a period of five weeks culminating in a weekend celebration including a banquet, a program at the West Chicago Community High School, and at the church on Sunday. Many former members attended, including Pastors Frost, Tevebaugh, Westlund, Evans, Dillon, Tack, and Tuttle. It was a great celebration, giving us impetus to move into the next fifty years.
As the year 2000 came to a close a Search Team was formed to begin the search for a Senior Pastor. Rev. Paul Rhoads was called as Senior Pastor, beginning in November 2002. Pastor Rhoads announced his resignation in November, 2005, with the intent of becoming Senior Associate Pastor of Grace Church in Racine, Wisconsin. Rev. Clark Wooten now serves as Interim Pastor while the search for a Senior Pastor begins, and David LaPlaca serves as Worship leader.
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