History - Chicago Community Mennonite Church

A Short History of the Congregation

Chicago Community Mennonite Church began as Oak Park Mennonite Church, formed in 1979 out of several impulses. A Wednesday Bible study group that had been meeting in homes was part of the foundation, as were efforts by Mennonite church planters looking to start a church in the near western suburbs of Chicago. Vision from leaders David Whitermore, then coordinator of Chicago Area Mennonites, and Ivan Kauffmann, then General Secretary of the Mennonite Church, was instrumental as well.

The congregation met in several locations prior to settling into a room in the First United Methodist Church, Oak Park, in 1981. The congregation moved in 1998 to share space with First Church of the Brethren, on Chicago's West Side. A few years after this move, the congregation changed its name to Chicago Community Mennonite Church.

Current Pastors
Name	Started
Megan M. Ramer	September 4, 2005

Former Pastors
Name	Started	Retired
Philip E Waite	October 1, 1999	March 31, 2005
Jane Roeschley	May 1, 1999	September 30, 1999
Marilyn Ruth Kern	1998

History
Date	Description
February 9, 2001	Website development begins