From the "Village of Westchester -- 1925-1975 -- Golden Jubilee", 1976.

Westchester Community Church . . .

(The photo of Westchester Community Church was taken before portico, steeple, etc.,
and was furnished through the courtesy of Mr. Charles M. Field.)

By 1949, there were five churches in the Westchester area.  They were:  The Immanuel Lutheran Church (established in 1858) and the Grace Lutheran, ST. Dunstan of Canterbury and the Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian, which were formed after the Village was established in 1926.

The origin of the Westchester Community Church differs from that of most churches as it was organized by the residents rather than by a denominational expansion program.  On February 29, 1949, in response to an invitation of Mrs. Charles N. Field, twenty three women, from numerous denominations attended a meeting to consider organizing a fellowship of church women.  They voted to organize as an Auxiliary of the First Congregational Church of La Grange and voiced a vision of a community church that would minister to all.  At a family picnic of the group that August, an organization committee was selected to write a constitution and elect officers for the Westchester Community Church which is now affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

Dr. Arthur Cushman McGiffert, Jr. while President of the Chicago Theological Seminary, served as the first Interim Minister and conducted the first service at Nixon School on November 13, 1949, and the Sunday School started on the same day.

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Last Modified:  03/26/2005