LGCC History

est. 1846

The story of Long Grove Community Church begins in the mid-1830s. German immigrants settled in this area in the hopes of forging a new and better life for themselves. Illinois was still a wilderness that had only recently become a state. The going was hard, but the land proved excellent for farming. When a second wave of immigrants came in the mid-1840s, it was time to establish a church. Land was donated. A minister who served as a missionary to the Indians on Lake Huron became the pastor. In 1846, the first services were held, and for 10 months the congregation worshiped in a barn.

Pictured below is the first known image of LGCC on file.

Early Years

The men and women who founded Long Grove Community Church were German Evangelicals. They were scripturally-centered people who were especially concerned about living out their faith by reaching out to others in tangible ways. Throughout America, German Evangelicals established schools, orphanages, and hospitals. Prior to the Civil War, our church built a one-room schoolhouse where German was taught. In the early twentieth century, we joined with other German churches to establish an orphanage and care facility in Elmhurst. 

Pictured below are some of the offerings collected for the local orphanage.
With a new century, came many changes. The church widened its circle of ministry to include local people who were not German-speaking. Two denominational mergers took the church away from its Evangelical roots. By 1950, the church had grown so small that the denomination recommended the doors be closed. But God gave the people a vision. Instead of closing their doors, they built Sunday School rooms for children. As people migrated from the city to the suburbs, the area grew and so did the church. By the late 1960s, we had transitioned from a small rural church into a suburban church. 

Pictured below is the interior of the Historic Sanctuary in approximately the 1950s.

Recent Years

But the two denominational mergers diluted the church’s direction and sense of mission. Church leaders recognized this and acted to move the church back to her roots...finding that pioneering spirit and faith of the Evangelicals who first established the church. Once again, we became focused on being scripturally-centered people who are concerned to live out our faith in tangible ways. Missions are a priority within our church’s budget and ministry opportunities that reflect a commitment to local, national, and international missions. As in former days, the Bible is taught to be the infallible Word of God that directs us, and Jesus is proudly proclaimed as Savior and Lord.

Below is a few of the missions that we currently support.

As we continue to move forward into the future and back to our roots, we have a larger vision of reaching people within our immediate geographical area. We believe that God has planted us here for a reason and mission that is unique to us. This vision calls us to make an impact for Christ by being a family-friendly community where every generation is passionate about loving and worshipping God...where we are connected to one another in life groups, supporting and encouraging authenticity and spiritual growth...where we are eager to love and serve others by reaching out in ministries that ultimately encourage others to love Jesus...and where we are committed to empowering leaders and volunteers for ministry so that both “the served” and “the servants” are transformed by the Holy Spirit’s work.