Wesley Church History

In the spring of 1963, a few Free Methodist families began meeting in their homes in Waukegan and Zion for Bible studies.  The Illinois Conference leadership encouraged and facilitated the first meeting and provided drive-in leadership from churches in Evanston and Woodstock.  A sense of cohesiveness and mission among the group resulted in the decision to organize a church.

The first public service was held on October 13, 1963, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Waukegan.  Services were held there for the first three years.  Rev. W.D. Mack, a retired chaplain and chemistry teacher at Woodstock, pastored the church on Sundays for the first two years.  After careful study, land at the present site was purchased in 1964, building plans began in 1965, and the first phase built in 1966.  Rev. W.D. Rudolph, an English professor from Wheaton College, pastored the church in 1965-66, and Rev. Archie Mathias and administrator at Woodstock Homes, filled in for a few weeks in 1966 before conference.  A small parsonage/chapel combination was considered but rejected in favor of a larger sanctuary plan that would allow for growth more quickly. 

Rev. Royal Bailie came as resident pastor in 1966 while the building was under construction.  On the first day of worship in the new sanctuary, still cluttered with saw horses and with open eaves letting in the birds, 55 people attended.  The first limestone parking lot held twelve cars.  Pastor Bailie was the pastor for 22 years.  During the first seven years of his pastorate he was bi-vocational, serving as a high school counselor in Waukegan.  The multiple-staff concept, developed under his leadership, although the first staff personnel were primarily volunteer.  Family counseling, visitation evangelism, youth ministries, hospital visitation, and children's ministries have had their emphases at various points in the history of the church, with worship, discipleship, and cell groups now having primary emphases.  The well-stocked and well-organized library has also been a strength.  Heavy lay involvement in teaching, visitation, building, and sponsoring major events such as treasure hunts and children's events has been a hallmark of the church since its inception.

Growth continued, resulting in other building projects.  In 1972, the office wing was added.  In 1976, the back 36 feet of the sanctuary was added, with the original back wooden wall being dismantled and rebuilt by a crew of thirty men in one day, November 11, 1976.  We did our own general contracting on those additions and did a great deal of the work ourselves.  In 1980, the balcony was added, and in 1984 the present foyer and multi-purpose room along with the basement classrooms were added.  A spirit of unity and supportiveness has prevailed through building programs, changes of worship style, and changes in leadership.

Many pastors and missionaries have been produced or nurtured by Wesley, some as Trinity students, some as missionaries living here while on home assignment, and some as products of home of members of the church.  The church has sent out work teams to the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.  The church has also been highly instrumental in the development of the conference's Sky Lodge Christian Camp.  For several years the church has been the flagship site of the PADS program in Lake County, a ministry which provides meals, shelter, and care for homeless people.  In 1995 Wesley commissioned a church planting team to begin a new work in Madison, Wisconsin.

Alma Cordova  is our current Senior Pastor &  Lori Villalobos is our office administrator.