History

In the Beginning

The oldest record of the church is our possession of a tattered leaflet dated June 11, 1905. It reads as follows:

“You are invited to the English Ev. Luth. Services and Sunday School at the Kelly Hall, 4070 N. Clark St., Cor. Ridgeway, Sunday School 2:30 p.m., Preaching 3:30 p.m. Every Sunday except the Fourth Sunday of the Month, conducted by the Rev. E. F. Haertel, Pastor Christ Lutheran Church, 495 N. Hoyne Avenue.”

Apparently, there was a response to this call, for on November 15, 1905 the small Congregation that had gathered founded a new Congregation with the name of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chicago.

At that November, 1905 meeting, the congregation called as their first pastor the Reverend Karl G; Schlerf, pastor in Hillsdale, Michigan, and before that a circuit rider and pastor in Merrill, Wisconsin. Pastor Schlerf accepted the challenging call to the new field in Chicago, and was ordained on Sunday, January 7th, 1906 as Pastor of Bethany Evvangelical Lutheran Church – a post he was to hold for 43 years—until his retirement in June, 1949.

The labors of Pastor Schlerf were richly blessed! Though the congregation numbered at first only 12 communicant members, 5 voting members, and 8 pupils in the Sunday School, it grew rapidly. The Tenth anniversary saw a communicant membership of 288, with the Pastor ministering to 400 souls.

The First Church

During the early years, the congregation worshipped in four different places. For nine months until June 11, 1906 services were held in the hall on the corner of North Clark Street and Ridge. Then the members rented a store building on Evanston Avenue (NOW 5440 Broadway), where worship services were held until January 10, 1909. However, during this period it became evident that the congregation ought to have its own house of worship.

Two lots on the corner of Thorndale and Magnolia Avenues were purchased. Ground was broken on July 6, 1908, and the corner stone for the Bible chapel was laid August 16, 1908. Dedication services were held January 17, 1909.