From its beginnings as a religious class in 1852 and the erection of the community’s first church in 1869, the Hinckley First United Methodist Church has been an integral part of the community of Hinckley, Illinois.

In 1852, the “Squaw Grove Appointment” was one stop on a circuit of five small settlements in the north central Illinois area. During the following years, an increasing interest in the worship and study of our Lord Jesus Christ led to the erection of the first church building on the west side of Hinckley. It was the pioneer church in the community.

In 1874, the church building was moved from its original location closer to the center of town. In 1876, the membership numbered about 30, and in that year, the church became an independent charge.

During the pastorate or G.H. Wells, a new church was built. At a meeting of the official board on February 6, 1899, a solicitation committee was appointed. Plans were adopted, the old building moved away, and the work begun. The cornerstone was laid on July 10, 1899, and the new building was dedicated on the last day of that year.

On February 22, 1923, the church building and its contents were completely destroyed, and the second floor of the parsonage was badly damaged by fire. On that same evening, the official board met at the home of Mr. John H. Clark, and the first steps toward rebuilding were taken.

The cornerstone was laid for the new church building on September 23, 1923. Through the fall and winter of that year work progressed, and a new church building rose on the ashes of the old one. The dedication was held on May 24, 1924. The new building was dedicated by a group of people devoted to furthering His kingdom here on earth.

In May of 1926, fire once again threatened the church building. The sanctuary and the Moller organ were a total loss. Through the valiant efforts of the local fire department, the rest of the building, though damaged by smoke and water, was saved.

From the 1920’s through the 1990’s, that church served as home to the ever growing congregation. In 1990, it became apparent that both extensive repair and remodeling needed to be done, or a new building needed to be built to serve the growing community.

After lengthy discussion, which began at home meetings to discuss what individual parishioners’ dreams were for the future of the Hinckley First United Methodist Church in the area, the congregation voted to build a new church. Thanks to a generous bequest for the estate of Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Lane in the late 1990s, the congregation was able to buy ten acres of land on the northern edge of Hinckley.

The long, arduous process of planning God’s newest home here on earth then began. A ground breaking ceremony was held on May 31, 1998. Work on the new building began during the spring of 1999 with completion coming in December of that same year.

One feature unique to the new building was the retaining and reworking of the pipe organ which had been installed in the 1920’s. Fabry Inc. of Fox Lake was responsible for this monumental task. Eleven ranks of manual pipe work and one rank of pedal pipe work were cleaned, repaired, and new slide tuners were installed. The swell and great expression louvers were re-engineered and painted. Five offset unit chests were totally rebuilt as were two offset wind supply reservoirs. The console wood shell, pedal keys, and bench were totally refinished, and new pedal key tops were furnished. Much new equipment was installed as well, resulting in a beautifully refurbished instrument.

On January 2, 2000, the congregation celebrated the new year and new millennium as 250 people gathered to praise God and to dedicate their new church home.

In Exodus 25:8 the Lord said to Moses, “Have them build me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them.” Following a rich heritage of worship and service to the Hinckley community and the surrounding area, this congregation had built one of God’s newest homes here on earth. It is a place where all people may come, worship, and have communion with Him.

The members of the Hinckley First United Methodist Church extend a sincere invitation to all to join them in the worship and study of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to share in fellowship and service in His name.

These are exciting times for this congregation as they plan their ministry for the 21st century. The congregation has answered the call to continue their proud heritage, not only by building a new church building, but by reaching out into the community and offering the love of Jesus Christ to all. This is a faith step into the future, and all are invited to share this walk with them.

Written by Peggy Smoltich.

Historical information obtained from Hinckley’s History by Dorothy Phillips.