Our journey

Christ Community Church was born in the hearts and minds of 24 families in 1959, but it didn’t start as Christ Community. On February 21, 1960, 104 people from the Palos Heights community gathered in a vacant clubhouse. They built relationships, sang songs, opened the scriptures, and prayed for direction. Their act of worship was the birth of The Reformed Church of Palos Heights. The early years included hiring staff, constructing buildings, and forming community. As a new church, connecting with the disconnected and caring for their community was essential.

Nearly forty years into their adventure together, the Reformed Church of Palos Heights arrived at a defining moment. Their heart for the disconnected had outgrown their facility on 127th Street in Palos Heights. A courageous move was discerned and a new adventure began. In 1998, with faith, hope, and much debate, The Reformed Church of Palos Heights purchased land and began developing plans to relocate to Lemont, IL. They marked that courageous move with a new name, Christ Community Church.

The transition was more challenging than anyone anticipated. It took eight years to sell their previous property, build a new facility, and weather an economic downturn. Those were some of this community’s hardest years, but the church persevered and opened up their new location on Easter Sunday, April 2007.

In the spring of 2020 our church and the world faced an unprecedented challenge. A global pandemic closed in-person church gatherings. Christ Community quickly innovated and focused on the needs of our community. Church members hosted church gatherings in their garage with neighbors, small groups met by zoom, and care packages went out to first-responders and seniors. Out of the pain of a pandemic, a new vision was born.

A vision team was created and a year of listening revealed three truths:

• Many of our neighbors are struggling; they lack purpose, community, and hope.
• We are exactly the type of church our neighbors need and God has prepared us for this defining moment.
• If we are going to bring hope to our neighbors, we have to step outside our comfort zone and reach out with the love of Christ.

With these truths, Christ Community embraced a vision for the future – We are here to guide our neighbors to a hope-filled future. In 2023, the church embraced three strategic steps forward:

• Integrate hospitality, discipleship, and mission
• Launch a mission center/thrift store for our community
• Develop a ministry of hospitality

Our story, like yours, isn’t perfect. There have been seasons of growth and seasons of decline. There have been distractions and moments of radical obedience. Through it all, God has been faithful. Like the saints who came over 60 years before us, we continue to place our trust and confidence in God for our next steps. And we wait for the next adventure. Please join us in guiding our neighbors to a hope-filled future!