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Gray, Robert, Dr.

Dr. Robert Gray was the founding pastor of the Westchester Bible Church.

The following Suburban Life Citizen article is from March 30, 1996, written by Charlene Dolnics.

From "The Suburban Life Citizen", March 30, 1996

Westchester pastor marks 40 years
The Rev. Robert Gray, founding pastor of the Westchester Bible Church, and his wife, Ruth, will observe 40 years of ministry at the church with worship services, music and social gatherings at a celebration scheduled for Friday through Sunday, April 12 to 14.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Gray moved to Chicago's South Side as a youngster.  he earned degrees in chemistry and geology from Wheaton College and a master's degree in geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

That was followed by two-year stint in a U.S. Army Intelligence unit stationed in Washington, D.C.

His wife grew up in Oak Park and received a degree in Christian education from Wheaton College.  Her father Dr. William McCarrell was the longtime founding pastor of the Cicero Bible Church.

It was definitely a career change for Gray when he enrolled at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

"It was while in my freshman year that I would visit churches that couldn't afford pastors or were without a pastor," he said.

He spent eight months traveling from church to church and settled at the Lawndale Bible Church on Chicago's West Side, earning a certificate following his three-year pastor's course.

Gray has since received an honorary doctorate degree from Faith Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa.

The Lawndale church was struggling in the changing neighborhoods of the 1950s and the Grays needed to begin a new church.  The family, including daughter Margaret "Peggy", then 3, came to Westchester in the spring of 1956.

"For the first 12 months or so, I would arise early on Sunday mornings, go into Cicero, pick up a bus that we had stored there, dust the seats, drive the bus, and pick up people from our Lawndale congregation," Gray remembered.

The first workshop service held in the Westchester parsonage basement was attended by 13 people, including the Grays.  For two years the church held Sunday morning services at the former High Ridge School.

   "The church owes a great deal to developer Walter Baltis who sold the property at Sunnyside and Cermak very reasonably," said Gray.  Baltis opposed the village's plans to build a water tower on the site.

"The church owes a great deal to developer Walter Baltis who sold the property at Sunnyside and Cermak very reasonably," said Gray.  Baltis opposed the village's plans to build a water tower on the site.

The original church building was dedicated in 1958.  In 1969 an educational wing was added.  After another plot of land to the west was purchased from Baltis, the parsonage was moved across the street and a new auditorium constructed.  Services were held there for the first time in 1976.

"My wife was my right hand and gave direction to the Sunday School, (Vacation Bible School) and youth group activities and still is very much involved with them," Gray stated.

Six young men have served the church as assistants to the pastor since 1976, "gaining added training from a practical point of view," noted Gray.

The first, Dean Stewart, is married to the Grays' daughter.  They have a pastorate in Michigan where they serve with the children, Timothy, Rachel and James.

Gray's current assistant Tom Knorps and his wife Karen of Berwyn plan to be in Cyprus later this year to start a new mission.  The church lends support to some 61 missions in the United States and throughout the world.

Gray and his wife have visited Israel and Greece numerous times, on one trip guiding a tour during this tenure as national president of the Independent Fundamental Churches of America, an organization of 1,500 churches.

For the 30th anniversary of their ministry in Westchester, the church raised funds to send the Grays on a trip to mission fields they support in Switzerland, Barcelona, and Venice, along with Seoul, Hong Kong, Bombay, and Pakistan where they visited Ruth Arvidson, a missionary hospital nurse from their congregation who served there for 39 years.

   Gray admired a framed photo Arvidson had a shepherd tending sheep on the remote mountain region near the Afghanistan border.  It was sent to him a gift and hangs prominently in his office reminding him of his role as "shepherd of the flock," he said.

Again a member of the congregation, Arvidson cares for her mother who lives in Maywood.

The Grays gratefully acknowledged the hundreds of volunteers who enable the church to carry out its Christian ministry to the immediate community and beyond.  They give hours of time every week out of their "love for the Lord," he noted.

Many use their vacation time to staff the church's two-week Vacation Bible School, a summer fixture in the community.  Others staff the monthly Senior Saints Luncheons and the Friday night Bar W Club for youngsters, which features Bible knowledge, adventure and recreation.  The club culminates in and end of the year mystery camping trip.

Epitomizing these dedicated volunteers are Oak Brook residents Robert and Judy McCormak, formerly of Westchester, who for a number of years have worked at the church three or four times a week involved in activities for the high school youth, Gray added.

In addition, 40 young people have gone on to church service work.

The church "follows Biblical principles and patterns," Gray said, and espouses "a strong family emphasis."  Gray encourages people to bring Bibles to church and study scriptures together.  It seems to be a very effective way of ministering, he said.

An expository speaker from the pulpit, Gray chooses a book from the Bible, starts at the first chapter and over a period of time, goes through the entire book.

It's an amazing coincidence that someone will often say " 'how did you know I needed just that?' God's providence and people's often mesh together," Gray added.

Through his years of ministry, he aid he tries to keep fresh by increasing his knowledge of scriptures and showing how to apply that word to daily living.  He sees his pastoral role not only as a leader, but also as an example setter in family, personal and church life.

Numerous sources were used in the compilation of these entries including but not limited to:

Last Modified:  06/26/2003