Formed in 1837, First UMC Elgin is the city’s second-oldest congregation. The initial wooden church on the current site was first replaced in 1864, when services had grown so large that people had to listen to services from their wagons outside the church. The current Gothic Revival structure was built in 1924 to accommodate membership exceeding 800 people. The building originally contained more than 100 rooms, and is known for over 40 stained-glass windows, hand-carved oak, and 12 historic lantern light fixtures. In the 1950s, First UMC Elgin began airing what is now one of Chicagoland’s longest-running radio programs. 

Today, the building hosts the Elgin Symphony, five theatre groups, and civic forums. The congregation hosts after-school programs, job training, weekly meals, a Spanish-speaking AA group, and a warming shelter for unhoused people.

In March 2025, a storm severely damaged First UMC Elgin’s sanctuary roof and the structure supporting the historic hanging lantern light fixtures. All twelve 140-pound fixtures had to be removed due to safety concerns. Access for maintenance and repairs had already presented a safety hazard, given that it required navigating a 15-foot plywood catwalk above a 45-foot drop to the sanctuary floor.

An Intervention Fund grant of $50,000 awarded in 2025 will support First UMC Eglin with rewiring and re-installing the light fixtures. The grant will also help the congregation install a motorized hoist system to safely raise and lower the fixtures, preserving these historic building features while addressing safety concerns.

Photo Courtesy First UMC Elgin