On February 27, 1870, a group of German speaking people met and established a church under the German United Evangelical Synod of the North West. The bell and the window from the church at the corner of Entrance Ave. and Oak St. in Kankakee, IL are still in use at the current church building. The name inscribed on the bell is Ev. St. Johannis Gemeinde, and on the stained glass window it is shown as the Evang. St. Johannis Kirche.
In 1927, the name "German" was dropped from the Synod title.
In 1934, the German Reformed Church of the United States and the Evangelical Synod in North America, having a common liberal German Protestant heritage, united to become the Evangelical and Reformed Church.
On November 14th, 1920 St John celebrated its 50th anniversary. Prior to this celebration an addition to the rear of the church was built. Changes were made in the chancel to make room for the fine pipe organ which was donated as an anniversary gift by the various societies.
During the period from 1935 to 1938 the interior was thoroughly redecorated and a loud speaker system was installed.
On March 27, 1955 ground was broken for our new church on West River St.
On June 3rd, 1956 our new church was dedicated.
On June 25, 1957, the Evangelical and the Reformed Church merged with the Congregational Christian Church to form the United Church of Christ.
The bronze bell which now sits on a platform in front of the church, was purchased for $192.00 and commissioned in 1889. It was cast by H. Struckstede and Company in St Louis, Missouri. The bell weighs nearly two thousand pounds, is forty inches in diameter and thirty inches high. The walls of the bell are about five inches thick and the clapper is five inches in diameter. The bell was first used in the steeple of the old church on North Entrance Avenue.
In 1986, as a memorial to Irma and Ida Birr Genz, the bell was purchased by their descendants and moved to its present location.
The plaque on the stained glass window reads:
The original church was dedicated on June 19, 1870
This window was restored in memory of Gertrude and Edward Kahney and Marie Herrmann.
It now hangs in the St John United Church of Christ Narthax.
