College Church

College Church is an evangelical nondenominational church in Wheaton, Illinois. It was founded in 1861 by Jonathan Blanchard, who was also the first president of Wheaton College. College Church is located across two city blocks facing the Wheaton College campus. Josh Moody has been the Senior Pastor of College Church since 2009.[1][2] It reported a regularly attending membership of 1,290 in 2022.[3]

The Church owns a Georgian revival building that faces the college campus on Washington Street.[4]

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." Blanchard wanted the church to be known for its opposition to slavery, secret societies, and alcohol use.[5]

The church was first affiliated with the Congregational Association of Illinois. 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. 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.[6][7] After a reorganization in 1878 the church was renamed the College Church of Christ.[8][7] 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.[8]

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.[9][10] 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 is led by Ben Panner. The church offers the disability ministry STARS (Seeking to Always Reflect the Savior)[11] "to make access to worship, ministry, and fellowship a reality for any child or adult with special needs."[12] College Church has ties with church plant congregations in Chicago, Batavia, Lombard, and Naperville.[13] It has connections with the Outreach Community Center, and two resale shops. It runs a pastoral training program for pastoral residents.


Aerial photos and maps
  • Google (May 15, 2011). "satellite view of College Church" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 15, 2011.

References
  1. "Meet Dr. Moody". Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2009.
  2. Taylor, Justin. "Josh Moody: New Senior Pastor at College Church in Wheaton". The Gospel Coalition. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  3. "2022 Annual Report by College Church In Wheaton - Issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  4. Federal Writer's Project, Du Page County: a descriptive and historical guide, 1831–1939, Illinois, 1948, p. 180.
  5. "Our History". College church. Archived from the original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  6. "Church Split over Pastor at Wheaton," Aurora Daily Star – May 13, 1921
  7. Houliston, John. "A brief history of the First Presbyterian Church, Wheaton, Illinois". Wheaton: First Presbyterian Church. Archived from the original on August 6, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  8. "College Church", Wheaton (listing), Patch.
  9. Archived June 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Wheaton College website, accessed May 9, 2011.
  10. Stephen J. Schnurr, Dennis Edward Northway, "Pipe organs of Chicago, Volume 1," Chauncey Park Press, 2005, p. 244.
  11. McMillin, Alexandra (April 11, 2018). "9th Annual You Raise Me Up Concert to Benefit Special Olympics - Illinois". Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL).
  12. "Run for the Stars". Run for the Stars. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. "Church Split over Pastor at Wheaton," Aurora Daily Star – May 13, 1921

Bibliography
  • "Teen angels". Chicago Sun-Times. May 12, 2001. p. 26. 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.
  • "College Church in Wheaton". New York: American Guild of Organists. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011. 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...{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

41°52′4″N 88°6′6″W

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