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Lebanon Lutheran Church
By the end of 1895, fifty or more Swedish families settled in
Hegewisch.
These people needed a church. This led to two organizational meetings
held
in Nelson's Feed store. Thus began Lebanon Lutheran Church. By
Christmas
of 1896, the Congregation worshiped in their new church located at
Brandon
Avenue. From 1906 to 1916, Lebanon struggled to do ministry with the
help
of interim pastors and seminary students. Only one minister stayed more
than a year. In 1923, a parsonage was built at 132nd and
Brandon
Ave. During the years 1956 to 1966 of its existence, Lebanon
experienced
a time of decision. Reverend Ross Larson became pastor in 1958. He was
assigned by the president of the Augustana Illinois Conference to help
close the small church that never outgrew its mission status. He
failed,
because Avalon Trails opened up and gave the church a chance to grow. A
new church would be built. In 1963, land was purchased at 131st
and Manistee to build the new church. From 1966 to 1976, there was much
fund-raising and saving for the new church. After much of this, the
cornerstone
for the new building was laid on October 26, 1969. On March 29, 1970,
the
first services were held in the new church building. In January of
1996,
Bethesda Lutheran Church became part of the church when the East Side
church
closed and sold its building. Over its hundred year history Lebanon has
changed much. It has moved and grown in the community of Hegewisch and
has touched other parts of the Southeast Side of Chicago by joining
with
other congregations.
East Side Bible Church
East Side Bible Church was founded originally as the Church of Christ.
It is located at 10524 Avenue N and began on January 1, 1900. Some of
its
founders were Rev. C. F. Pattullo, Mr. Bitcon, and Mr. Fitzgerald.
Patullo
remained pastor for the church until 1945. It was later known as the 106th
Street Mission before finally becoming known as the East Side Baptist
Church.
The current building was built in 1915 and dedicated on December 5,
1915.
The church has always served multiple ethnic groups unlike most of the
churches in the community which at their origin tended to serve a
single
ethnic group.
Agudath Achim Bikur Cholim Synagogue
Agudath Achim-Bikur Cholim is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at
8927
Houston Avenue in the South Chicago community. Bikur Cholim, the
original
congregation at this site, was issued a charter by the State of
Illinois
in July 1888 and the City of Chicago issued a permit in May 1902 to
construct
a synagogue at the present address. Built and completed in 1902, it
housed
a congregation of 500 Eastern European Jewish families at its peak.
Designed
by architect Henry L. Newhouse, the Romanesque structure is almost
hidden
away in a row of houses on Houston Ave. It was the first public
building
built without obstructing support posts. The synagogue also has
excellent
acoustics. The synagogue had a separate balcony for women because
Orthodox
Judaism requires the separation of men and women during religious
services.
In 1972 Congregation Agudath Achim, located at 7933 S. Yates, sold its
facilities and merged with Bikur Cholim. Agudath Achim means "society
of
brothers" and Bikur Cholim means "visiting the sick". In recent years
most
of the Jewish population of the area has moved and there was difficulty
maintaining a "minyon", a quorum of 10 men needed to hold religious
services.
Since 1994 the synagogue has shared its building with the Beth Shalom
B'nai
Zakam Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation. Some of the members of the former
synagogue still worship there. The synagogue has the distinction of
being
Chicago's oldest continuously operating synagogue and is the only
synagogue
in the city south of 55th street and east of Kedzie. This remnant of a
South Chicago past that prominently featured Jews and Jewish
institutions
remains. The Hispanic names on store fronts in the neighborhood give no
hint that many of the businesses in the first half of the century were
owned by European Jews.
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