The Beginning:  1891

In 1891, twenty-two people became the charter members of the Swedish Christian Mission Church in Evanston, Illinois.  Most of them were Swedish immigrants serving as domestics for the wealthy citizens of the city.  They adopted this simple statement of faith:

This church confesses its faith in the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and life.  The purpose of the church shall be to practice and awaken love and good works, and to labor by the grace of God for the salvation of souls.

A Church Building:  1910

They met for several years in a union hall on Davis Street and then in a club house on Benson Avenue.  Then, in 1908, they purchased land on the corner of Church and Oak.  When Northwestern University terminated their lease on Benson Avenue in 1910, they realized it was time to build a sanctuary of their own.  According to the 75^th Anniversary brochure, the congregation only had $1,000 in the bank.  They would need $20,000 to erect a building.  The pastor at the time, Rev. John Anderson, wrote:

"Most of us saved all we could of our small incomes, and into the new work it went.  It was a joy to work and sacrifice.  I remember walking… consistently up and down the full length of Evanston in order to save the five-cent car fare… The special feasts of sacrifice, with good programs and free refreshments, when all who wanted to walked up to the financial secretary, treasurer, and pastor seated at a table up in front and handed over in cash whatever they felt moved to give—goodly sums too, I assure you—these feasts I can never forget, and the joy manifested!  The special sum needed in the course of the work was always announced beforehand, and we usually got more than we asked for."

By the fall of 1910, enough money had been raised to lay the cornerstone of the building and on October 23, 1910 the work began.  By Christmas, the basement rooms were completed and on May 11, 1911 the church was dedicated.

In 1935 and 1938, interior remodeling was done including the installation of ceiling beams, rearranging the seats to form a center aisle, and the painting of a chancel mural by Mr. C. Albert Nordberg, a well known artist and member of the church.  In 1951, the exterior was updated to reflect its current colonial style.  During the 1960’s, the congregation had grown to 180 members.  They decided to move from their current location to a new site at Payne and McDaniel Streets in northwest Evanston.  Over $46,000 was raised in 1965 in a building drive called “Six Months of Sacrifice.”  The following year the land was purchased and plans for the building were drawn up.  Unfortunately, the dream of a new sanctuary never materialized.

A New Name and A New Vision:  2004

In 2004, the church recognized that the world had changed significantly over the last 100 years, and that dramatic changes in the ministry would be necessary for the church to continue being a place of hospitality and nurture in Evanston.  The church went through a process of re-visioning ministry for the coming generations.  The results included changes to church leadership, changes to the sanctuary, a new vision statement, and a new name:  Sojourner Covenant Church.

As our mission statement, we decided to keep it simple and pursue four commitments:

Creating a great place to meet Jesus.
Creating a great place to follow Jesus.
Creating a great place to serve others.
Creating a great place for community.