One hundred years ago on April 29, the First Baptist Church of La Grange held its first service in the new church at 20 N. Ashland Avenue.
But First Baptist had already been holding services since 1884, and the church celebrated its 140th anniversary on April 28.
“I have been so excited during 2024,” Rev. Shawana McGee told the 60 or so people gathered from the celebration worship service. “When I am looking at all the things that First Baptist has done, I am amazed that this building is in such great shape. But it doesn’t surprise me that much, because it just shows how good God is.”
McGee noted the church’s struggles in recent years, saying that “First Baptist has seen a lot of ups and it has seen a lot of downs, but through it all, God remained faithful.”
McGee and her husband, Rev. Maurice McGee, have served as co-pastors of First Baptist since April 2022, when they became the 23rd pastors in the church’s history.
Maurice McGee stressed the blessings of the Almighty.
“Look what God has done,” he told the gathered, noting that there was a time not long ago when it wasn’t certain that the church would even exist.
“But God said no, he still had work for First Baptist Church to be done, so he’s not done with us and truthfully, we are not done with him,” McGee said.
The celebration worship service started at 11 a.m., after which the church had a dinner for congregants and community members. The featured speaker during the service was retired pastor Rev. Jane Hawkins.
An additional worship service was scheduled for the afternoon, with Rev. Dennis Bailey as speaker.
First Baptist provided a brief — but comprehensive — history of the Church, which will be uploaded to its website soon.
When Village founder Franklin Cossitt purchased 600 acres of prairie land to fulfill his dream of building a community, Chicago residents who could afford the journey, many turned out to be Baptists.
With the blessings and assistance of two Baptist ministers from Chicago, a meeting on April 29, 1884, produced a vote of 27 residents recognizing “that all members of Baptist churches having themselves to each other, do organize themselves as the First Baptist Church of La Grange.”
On Dec. 1, 1885, Reverend Joshua T. Ambrose became the church’s first ordained minister, tending to a flock of 66 members.
While the congregation grew slowly after the turn of the last century, church records show that Sunday School attendance grew rapidly, drawing many children who weren’t even members of the congregation.
The church building that hosted Sunday’s anniversary celebration held its dedication service on Sept. 14, 1924, was designed in English Gothic and could accommodate 400 worshippers.
Membership fell during the Depression from a high of 417 in 1931, but fell off to 314 by 1935. Sixty-two church members served in the armed forces during the Second World War, with Richard Crain, Elmer LaRue, and Arthur Rutter losing their lives in combat.
In the post-war years, membership soared, eventually reaching 700 in 1949, straining the church’s facilities and making necessary several additions to the building.
During its history, First Baptist has accommodated several community groups on its premises, including the United Way of the La Grange area, the La Grange Senior Day Care Center, and the Council on Aging.
During the fifties, the church also sponsored a new church, the American Baptist Church of Clarendon Hills, which built a church building in Downers Grove.
Despite hosting a variety of community services, church membership fell off in recent years, with the Covid pandemic particularly problematic.
But in 2022, the McGees were called to serve as pastors, and things are starting to turn around, with the Church hosting a Summer Bible Camp for two consecutive years, and a Youth Ministry meeting bi-monthly.
La Grange President Mark Kuchler attended with his wife.
“I came here when Shawana and Maurice were inducted as reverends,” Kuchler said. “One of the special things about La Grange is our churches. We have a lot of churches and they provide an area for our residents to gather, to worship, and to provide services for the less fortunate. I think that makes La Grange special.”
Kuchler praised the McGees for their efforts at First Baptist, saying “I think they’ve done a great job. They stabilized it and have been fantastic.
Rev. Jane Hawkins talked about how much First Baptist meant to her.
“I was ordained here 25 years ago and I have worked in hospital chaplaincy and also in parish ministry. I was just privileged to be asked to come and bring the message today,” she said. “This is my second career.”
Her friend and fellow parishioner, who identified himself simply as “TJ” spoke of his time at First Baptist.
“I was a member here when Pastor Jane was ordained,” he said. “We ordained a lot of people who weren’t just meant to be pastors here … they’re all across the country.”
For further information on the First Baptist Church of La Grange, visit its website fbclagrange.com
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.