Bethany Church was established in 1895 when a group of German immigrants of the Evangelical tradition joined together on the basis of a shared faith and common cultural background. We’re one of several neighborhood churches to claim William Grotefeld as our founding pastor. Bethany first met in a living room close to our current location, then in a store front on Irving Park. By 1920, they had broken ground at Paulina and Cullom. In 1930, following the construction of the gymnasium and parsonage, the sanctuary was ready for Christmas Worship.
Following the joining of the Evangelical, Reform and Congregational Church bodies in 1957, Bethany Evangelical became Bethany United Church of Christ.
The history of Bethany is not limited to the building. Within the sanctuary there are plaques on the walls and pulpit remembering those members and pastors who are no longer with us. The congregation decorates the altar with roses on All Saints' Sunday to celebrate their memories and their legacy.
We’re so grateful to the generations who made this place for us; we dream of the people who’ll come next.
