Our History

In 1834, Daniel Stanger, age 25, walked almost the entire distance from eastern Pennsylvania to make his home along the Des Plaines River, just south of present-day Wheeling. Stanger's reports from the new "promised land" encouraged more German-speaking settlers to follow from the East. Bishop John Seybert, the first missionary of the young Evangelical Association, had been their spiritual leader in Pennsylanvia. It was through his labors and under his guidance that the Evangelicals gained a foothold on the frontiers of the Midwest.

Bishop Seybert sent Rev. Jacob Boas to organize preaching stations in the newly settled territory. His first Illinois sermon was on July 25, 1837, in the log cabin of Daniel and Mary Stanger, located near what is now Dam #1 on the Des Plaines River. His July 25th sermon marked the birth of both the Illinois Conference and the North Northfield congregation. Thus, 1837 to 2007, makes us 170-years old on July 25, 2007.

Those interested in the church's history might like to consult the article by Ken Goze in the March 1, 2007 issue of the Northbrook Star entitled "Congregation marks its 170th year." As Goze puts it, "Since (1837) the congregation now known as North Northfield United Methodist Church has survived name changes, mergers, schisms, and a catastrophic fire, and nearly always held its ground near one of the intersection's (i.e., Dundee and Sanders) four corners."

On July 22, 2007, we celebrated our 170th Anniversary with an old-fashioned pioneer picnic, complete with German food and fun games. On July 25th, our actual 170th Anniversary, we had a dinner followed by an inspirational worship service. The sermon was given by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the Northern Illinois Conference. Also participating with Bishop Jung were Rev. Lois Parr, as well as Rev. Phillip H. Burke, Rev. W. Kirk Reed, Rev. Carol Cory, the Rev. Anne Utterback, and Rev. James Preston, the District Superintendent of the Chicago Northwestern District. One of the highlights of the service was a short speech by Steve Stanger, the great, great, grandson of the same Stanger family in whose cabin Jacob Boas gave that first sermon in 1837.

While our church has a rich history, we feel that we are as relevant today as those who came before us were in their time. In Christ, God's love claims us as family--one rooted in Christian tradition and in the open hearts, open minds, open doors of the people of the United Methodist Church, believing that God's grace and love are offered to all. Our tradition puts love into action, always mindful of the missions of doing justice and spreading God's love to a hurting world. Together, we center our lives in the hope that faith makes a difference--in and beyond our family. We dare to believe that faith can change the world.