Login
Login

College Church

{{Third-party|date=April 2020}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2017}}

College Church is an evangelical nondenominational church in the broadly Reformed, congregationalist tradition located in Wheaton, Illinois. It was founded in 1861 by Jonathan Blanchard, who was also the first president of Wheaton College, an unaffiliated university. College Church is located across two city blocks facing the Wheaton College campus; however, Wheaton College is not formally tied to College Church. Josh Moody has been the Senior Pastor of College Church since 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://college-church.org/MeetDr.Moody.htm |title=Meet Dr. Moody |access-date=July 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080920030545/http://college-church.org/MeetDr.Moody.htm |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/josh-moody-new-senior-pastor-at-college/|title=Josh Moody: New Senior Pastor at College Church in Wheaton|last=Taylor|first=Justin|website=The Gospel Coalition|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327142309/https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/josh-moody-new-senior-pastor-at-college/|archive-date=March 27, 2019|url-status=dead}} It reported regular membership of 1,290 in 2022.{{Cite web |title=2022 Annual Report by College Church In Wheaton - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/collegechurchinwheaton/docs/college_church_2022_annual_report_for_issuu |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=issuu.com |language=en}}

The Church owns a Georgian revival building that faces the college campus on Washington Street.Federal Writer's Project, Du Page County: a descriptive and historical guide, 1831–1939, Illinois, 1948, p. 180.

History

College Church was organized in 1861 by Jonathan Blanchard in 1861. The church first met on the campus of Wheaton College as "The First Church of Christ in Wheaton."{{Citation needed| date= May 2011}} Blanchard wanted the church to be known for its opposition to slavery, secret societies, and alcohol use.{{cite web | title = Our History | publisher = College church | url = http://www.college-church.org/statementoffaith/History.htm | accessdate = 2010-02-04 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101005104310/http://college-church.org/statementoffaith/History.htm | archive-date = October 5, 2010 | df = mdy-all }}

The church was first affiliated with the Congregational Association of Illinois.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} Blanchard's involvement as the first president of Wheaton College and as the founder of College Church caused the two institutions to share statements of faith and facilities.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} The church suffered divisions over doctrine and affiliation during the years after its founding, leading to the creation of what are now First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton and Wheaton Bible Church."Church Split over Pastor at Wheaton," Aurora Daily Star – May 13, 1921{{cite web | first = John | last = Houliston | url = http://www.firstpreswheaton.org/about/houlistonhistory.shtml | title = A brief history of the First Presbyterian Church, Wheaton, Illinois | location = Wheaton | publisher = First Presbyterian Church | accessdate = 2011-05-15 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100806224837/http://www.firstpreswheaton.org/about/houlistonhistory.shtml | archive-date = August 6, 2010 | url-status = dead }} After a reorganization in 1878 the church was renamed the College Church of Christ.{{Citation|title=Wheaton|type=listing|contribution=College Church|contribution-url=http://wheaton.patch.com/listings/college-church|publisher=Patch}}.{{unreliable source?|date=May 2011}} It gained its current name, College Church, in 1963, in an effort to distinguish itself from the Churches of Christ movement, which has a different theology.

Although it is not formally associated with Wheaton College, College Church has long been closely associated with the college and drawn large numbers of students and members of the faculty to its services.[http://www.wheaton.edu/chaplain/Welcome/faq.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602222700/http://www.wheaton.edu/chaplain/Welcome/faq.html|date=June 2, 2010}} Wheaton College website, accessed May 9, 2011.Stephen J. Schnurr, Dennis Edward Northway, "Pipe organs of Chicago, Volume 1," Chauncey Park Press, 2005, p. 244. Pastoral leadership throughout its history is as follows:

Ministries

College Church's local ministries include a children's, youth and college ministry. The high school ministry was formerly led by Zach Fallon, now serving as an incoming senior pastor for a church plant in the Atlanta, Georgia south metro area. The college ministry was led by Ben Panner. The church offers the disability ministry STARS (Seeking to Always Reflect the Savior){{Cite news|title=9th Annual You Raise Me Up Concert to Benefit Special Olympics - Illinois|last=McMillin|first=Alexandra|date=April 11, 2018|work=Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)}} "to make access to worship, ministry, and fellowship a reality for any child or adult with special needs."{{cite web|url=http://www.runforthestars.com/index.html |title=Run for the Stars |publisher=Run for the Stars |date= |accessdate=2011-05-14}} {{verify source |date=September 2023 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/822215657 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/821202230 cite #16 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. User:GreenC_bot/Job_18}} College Church has ties with church plant congregations in Chicago, Batavia, Lombard, and Naperville."Church Split over Pastor at Wheaton," Aurora Daily Star – May 13, 1921 {{verify source |date=September 2023 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/822215657 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/821202230 cite #4 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. User:GreenC_bot/Job_18}} It has connections with the Outreach Community Center, and two resale shops. It runs a pastoral training program for pastoral residents. This training program is modelled after the medical residency system.

thumb

Aerial photos and maps

  • {{Google maps

| url = https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=10953572645853472676&t=h&z=17

| title = satellite view of College Church

| accessdate = 2011-05-15

}}

References

{{reflist|3}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite news

| date = May 12, 2001

| title = Teen angels

| publisher = Chicago Sun-Times

| page = 26

| quote = More than 100 junior high kids have signed the Covenant for Biblical Sexuality at College Church in Wheaton.

}}

  • Minutes of the First Church of Christ in Wheaton, 1866–1879.
  • Minutes of the First Congregational Church 1879–1909.
  • Minutes of the First Presbyterian Church 1909–1952.
  • A History of DuPage County, Richmond & Vallette 1857.
  • A History of DuPage County, C. W. Richmond 1876.
  • History of DuPage County, Rufus Blanchard 1882.
  • Report of Council of Congregational Churches, Held in Wheaton in February 1879.
  • {{cite web

|title=College Church in Wheaton

|url=https://http

|location=New York

|publisher=American Guild of Organists

|quote=The present, spacious sanctuary was built in 1991 and 1992. The Reginald Gerig Organ (College Church organist, 1953–1991) was built for the present sanctuary...

|accessdate=2011-05-15

|url-status=bot: unknown

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519173408/http://http/

|archive-date=May 19, 2011

}}

External links

  • [http://www.college-church.org College Church in Wheaton]

{{coord|41|52|4|N|88|6|6|W|type:landmark_region:US_dim:86|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Evangelical churches in Illinois

Category:Buildings and structures in Wheaton, Illinois

Category:Churches in DuPage County, Illinois

Category:Christian organizations established in 1861

Category:1861 establishments in Illinois