Winnetka Covenant’s story began with a group of working-class Swedish immigrants who decided in the 1920’s to meet in their employers’ homes in Winnetka to study the Bible and worship. Times were tough. But the energy and esprit of these hard-working Swedes—plus their strong belief that they were free to read the Bible and think for themselves—attracted a strong following.
In 1932 they built a church on the corner
of Oak and Birch in Winnetka, Illinois. “The Friendly Church on Oak and Birch,” was their home
for 32 years (the building still stands
as a private home). In the 1950s,
families leaving the city for suburbia sparked new growth, and the need for a
bigger church. Winnetka Covenant’s current site on Hibbard and Illinois was
purchased in 1962. Two years later, the Fellowship Hall and Sunday School wing
were dedicated. The sanctuary, with its
soaring spire and Wicks pipe organ, was completed
in 1973. Today, Winnetka Covenant attracts
people from all ethnic backgrounds and denominations, and is one of the North Shore’s
most diverse, welcoming places to worship.
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