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Christ Church became an Episcopal
mission in 1876 and a parish in 1904, but not without a struggle.
The story began when John Garland, who had in 1869 built a nondenominational,
wooden church on his property, gave it to the Episcopal Diocese
of Chicago in 1876. While 25 Winnetka residents were granted
their petition to be organized into a mission, the next 20 years
were not easy. The church was not well heated and was difficult
to reach in winter, so the mission rented space for Sunday evening
services in the local school. These were conducted by part-time
ministers. Mission leadership, both lay and clerical, changed
frequently, and the mission was almost always in dire financial
condition.
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Circumstances
changed for the better in 1897 when the Rev. Henry G. Moore was
hired. Winnetka's population and prosperity had increased, and
Mr. Moore was able to develop the mission so that in 1904 it
could qualify as a parish church. Concurrently, Christ Church
purchased property at the corner of Oak and Linden with buildings
that could serve as a rectory and a parish house. The present
stone church on Sheridan Road was funded by the William Hoyt
family as a memorial to their daughter and three grandchildren,
killed in the Chicago Iroquois Theatre fire in December 1903.
The new church was completed and dedicated in 1905.
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Henry Moore left Christ Church in 1907. He was first succeeded
by the Rev. Homer W. Starr and then in 1911 by the Rev. Frederick
Budlong. During his tenure the building at Oak and Linden was reconstructed
to be a larger parish house with space for a Sunday school of 300,
a chapel and parish offices. |
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In 1916
the Rev. E. Ashley Gerhard accepted the call to be Rector, and
he stayed for 37 years -- more than a third of Christ Church's
history as a parish to date. In the prosperity of the 1920s, annual
budgets increased from less than $30,000 to more than $50,000.
The Women's Guild grew and started the annual rummage sale, which
grossed $500 in its first year. In 1924 the church purchased the
Austin organ which is still in service after being completely rehabilitated
in 2002.
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Notwithstanding the stock market crash of 1929, the parish sold
the Oak-Linden property and in 1931 completed a new parish house,
chapel and rectory located at Oak and Maple. In 1940 the parish
dedicated a newly created Churchyard, north of the Sheridan Road
church, and a year later set up the trust fund which has provided
for its improvement and maintenance.
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Dr. Gerhard
resigned as Rector of Christ Church in 1953 and was succeeded by
the Rev. Charles Schreiner. The 1950s were another period of congregational
growth, and in 1954-'55 the church building was substantially expanded,
adding two bays in length, the cloister on the north side and several
stained glass windows. In 1962 Charles Schreiner was succeeded
as Rector by Dr. William S. Lea, who served for the next 15 years.
During his time the West Building was acquired, and the Institute
for Christian Living, now merged into the Samaritan Center, was
established. Dr. Lea also instituted the family service as a major
component of Sunday worship.
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Frank McClain |
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The Rev.
Frank M. McClain became Rector in 1977. His 14-year ministry was
marked by careful stewardship of parish resources and the creation
of Christ Church's first significant endowment funds. In 1992 the
current Rector, the Rev. Edward S. Prevost, began his ministry
at Christ Church. A successful $5.5 million capital fund campaign
made possible the modernization of the church building and its
unification with the renovated Church House so that Sunday worship
and Christian education can take place in one location. Christ
Church has now celebrated its 100th anniversary as a parish with vigor
and a focus on the future. |
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