In Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, just a block west of Halsted at the corner of Orchard and Fullerton, St. Pauls United Church of Christ has been making a joyful sound in the city since 1843. Founded by German immigrants - which is why there is no apostrophe in the church's name - St. Pauls is today one of Chicago's oldest congregations and one of its most progressive. Its motto, "Love Lives Here," and the church lives into it: St. Pauls is an Open and Affirming congregation that welcomes everyone into membership, baptism, marriage, and leadership without regard to race, color, age, marital status, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability.
An Open and Affirming Identity at the Heart of Lincoln Park
St. Pauls describes itself as a vibrant, progressive Christian community in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood where no matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here - so please, come visit, just as you are. The Open and Affirming identity is more than a statement; it shapes who can be baptized, married, ordained, and seated in the pews. The congregation's mission is to embrace individuals and families of all backgrounds and configurations in a joyful expression of Christian faith in the city, lived out through worship, respect for individuals, fellowship, lifelong Christian education, social justice advocacy, and support of programs and services consistent with core values.
A History Written Twice in Fire
St. Pauls began in 1843 in a storefront on Franklin Street, founded by German immigrants whose language does not use apostrophes. From that first home the congregation moved to Ohio and LaSalle Streets, where they worshipped for many years until the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the building. The church rebuilt quickly, then in 1898 moved to its current Lincoln Park location at 2335 N. Orchard Street. Fire struck again on Christmas night, 1955, leveling the building once more. Rather than join the post-war flight to the suburbs, St. Pauls rebuilt on the same spot, recommitting to stay in the city.
The congregation marked its 150th anniversary with a book by Pastor Emeritus Tom Henry (1943-2022), "Making a Joyful Sound in the City," and he returned on the occasion of the 175th anniversary to deliver an overview of the congregation's first one-and-three-quarters centuries. A 2016 strategic planning initiative produced a report articulating seven calls the church has heard: to grow toward each other, to grow together toward God, to increase diversity in partnerships and congregation, to live out faith in an age of injustice, to use the building for service and mission, and to tend finances faithfully.
Two Houses of Worship Under One Roof
The Lincoln Park building is home to two United Church of Christ congregations: St. Pauls and Lighthouse Church Chicago, a predominantly African-American LGBTQ community of faith. The two share sanctuary space and a commitment to radical welcome, and the arrangement reflects St. Pauls' long history of providing sanctuary to communities that other institutions have overlooked.
Sunday Mornings at 10 a.m.
Worship at St. Pauls is held at 10:00 a.m. Central Time on Sunday mornings, in person and online. The character of the service is best described in the congregation's own words: "traditional yet unconventional." The worship draws on classical and contemporary anthems, Jewish liturgical music, African-American spirituals, German chorales, and Gospel songs, paired with preaching that aims to speak to the moment from a timeless perspective with intelligence, humor, and openness.
Sermons are delivered by Senior Pastor Rev. Matt Fitzgerald and Associate Pastor Rev. Dr. Jeff Carlson. A complete video archive stretches back to 2014 on YouTube, and the church's podcast, "Love Lives Here," is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and Google Podcasts. The livestream of the in-person service is available through the streaming feed, and bulletins for the current week and an archive going back two years can be downloaded in PDF form.
Music as a Way of Life
Music is not an adornment to worship at St. Pauls; it is central. A 50-voice Chancel Choir, led by Music Director Stephen Edwards, anchors the music program with classical and contemporary anthems, Jewish liturgical music, African-American spirituals, German chorales, and Gospel songs, plus an annual cantata. The church is blessed with an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ of more than 5,000 pipes, 98 ranks, and four manuals and pedals, played by organist Kevin Dzierzawski.
Gospel and jazz enliven worship every week as well, thanks to the St. Arbucks Quartet, a professional four-piece ensemble led by pianist Brendan Henry. The Intergenerational Orchestra is composed entirely of St. Pauls members, often ranging in age from nine to ninety, conducted by Mark Mosley. Children's choirs begin in preschool (Kinderchapel, directed by Tom Clancy), continue through grades K-3 under Breanna Coe and Karen Johnson, and reach grades 4-8 in Pauls People, led by Kecia Waldschmidt. Every January, the music program presents Bible Off Broadway, in which children and adults learn a Bible story through rewritten Broadway showtunes, culminating in an unforgettable celebration.
A Building Made Open
St. Pauls recently completed a six-year capital project called the Campaign to Expand and Elevate Our Openness, designed to make the church building accessible in all public spaces. Phase I, finished in 2020 during the COVID shutdown and paid for with early campaign pledges, created an accessible all-gender washroom suite, a new access ramp to the chancel, a new sanctuary side lobby, and a fully upgraded electrical panel. Phase II, just completed, added a five-stop elevator and a welcoming open-air courtyard plaza with a north-end access ramp to a spacious new entry lobby and elevator. The building was dedicated with a celebration in the gym.
The main church parking lot is at 634 W. Kemper Pl., with first-come, first-served parking except where reserved for renters after 4 p.m. Additional parking is available at the Lincoln Common Parking Garage a block away at 2316 N. Lincoln Ave., with validated garage parking between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sundays available through an usher in the narthex.
Children, Sunday School, and Little Lights
Parents are welcome to drop their infants and toddlers in the nursery before worship; the nurseries are staffed by child care professionals, many of whom have been with St. Pauls for years, and are located next to the Social Hall on the lower level directly below the Sanctuary. Parents receive a phone call during worship if their child needs them.
During the school year, children begin in worship at 10:00 a.m., sitting with their parents. After the day's scripture reading, all children in kindergarten through sixth grade meet their teachers at the sanctuary exit and proceed to their classrooms, grouped by Kindergarten, 1st/2nd grade, 3rd/4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade. Parents are welcome to accompany them before returning to worship. The Sunday School curriculum helps children learn the stories of scripture and create worship experiences, with an emphasis on singing and playing together, asking questions, and serving others. The Director of Children's Education is Erin Fitzgerald.
For the youngest members, the Little Lights Early Childhood Program provides a progressive Christian environment for two- to five-year-olds during the week, using The Creative Curriculum. Like St. Pauls, Little Lights is Open and Affirming, embracing everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability. Applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Confirmation, High School, and Service Trips
Confirmation is a two-year program for seventh and eighth graders, meeting regularly on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. Students enter a process to help decide whether they would like to be confirmed. At the end, each young person selects a Bible verse that is particularly meaningful. High schoolers in grades 9 through 12 attend worship with their families and meet as a group bi-weekly after worship.
Every year, St. Pauls sponsors youth service trips. Teens have traveled to Appalachia and to the U.S.-Mexico border to participate in a variety of service projects, building and repairing homes and other facilities.
Young Adults and College Students
St. Pauls offers a College Connection Group for currently enrolled college students, described as a place to "find faith, find friends, find fun," with joint events with the Young Adult Group. Associate Pastor Rev. Liz Nickerson oversees both groups. The Young Adult Group is for those 21 to 34 years old; a YA Board plans social, service, and sporting events, and newcomers to Chicago and longtime residents are equally welcome.
Justice at the Center: UCAN, LPCS, and SPARC
St. Pauls takes seriously the prophet Micah's call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly, and Jesus' instruction to look after the interests of the least among us. Members are involved in many forms of advocacy and service to the community and the world.
UCAN, one of Chicago's most significant youth and family service nonprofits, was started by St. Pauls members shortly after the Civil War to help orphans of that conflict. Today UCAN serves tens of thousands of people a year with the conviction that youth who have suffered trauma can become our future leaders. St. Pauls remains committed, creating and hosting events such as the Polar Peace March.
Lincoln Park Community Services (LPCS), a nonprofit shelter for the homeless that grew out of a partnership more than 30 years ago between St. Pauls and several other Lincoln Park churches, is another long-standing partner. St. Pauls members continue to support LPCS especially through the Community Engagement Program, providing meals and other services to those still on the street.
The Faith and Public Issues Task Force meets monthly to share ideas on social action, learn from each other, and plan how to educate and engage church members on a wide range of social justice issues. The St. Pauls Anti-Racism Cluster (SPARC) maintains a list of resources to help members engage in dismantling racism and white supremacy. Adult service trips include an ongoing relationship with Three Angels in Haiti, traveling there annually to repair roofs, build staircases, and otherwise enhance the physical environs of the organization.
Stephen Ministers and Connectors
For those who need support, St. Pauls runs two distinct ministries of care. Stephen Ministers are trained volunteers who provide meaningful one-to-one care to people navigating life's tough times; the program is part of an international network in thousands of congregations across more than 30 countries. Rev. Dr. Jeff Carlson leads the program.
Connectors are volunteers with a talent for tender loving care, providing birthday cards, calls and connections for the home bound, goody boxes for college students, and meals during times of illness or family emergency.
Adult Learning and Faith Formation
Adults have many opportunities to engage mind and spirit. Bible studies meet weekly on Wednesdays at noon. Sunday morning classes explore a variety of topics from great theologians to spirituality. Seasonal reading groups meet during Advent and Lent. Book and movie discussion groups, baptism classes, and the Faith and Public Issues Task Force's education sessions fill out the calendar. Young adults can join Christianity 101, and membership classes are offered regularly for those considering joining.
Weddings, Baptisms, and Membership
Weddings at St. Pauls are sacred. The sanctuary seats hundreds; a chapel is available for more intimate ceremonies. Each wedding includes a meeting with a pastor and music and site coordination on the day of the ceremony, and a regular series of couples classes is offered.
Baptism is offered to anyone who desires to follow Jesus and become part of Christ's family; St. Pauls baptizes children and adults. A long-standing tradition has the pastors carry each child down the center aisle of the sanctuary and introduce them to their new family of faith, paying particular attention to the origin and meaning of their names. Those not yet members can attend membership classes throughout the year before baptism.
The Pastoral Team
Senior Pastor Rev. Matt Fitzgerald is a graduate of Macalester College, Yale Divinity School, and Union Theological Seminary. Associate Pastor Rev. Dr. Jeff Carlson, a graduate of Oregon State University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Eden Theological Seminary (D.Min.), leads Adult Faith Formation, Outreach, and Stephen Ministry. Associate Pastor Rev. Liz Nickerson, a graduate of Miami University, Washington University (M.Arch), and McCormick Theological Seminary (M.Div.), oversees young adult and college ministries as well as children's and family ministry.
Stephen Edwards directs music, and Kevin Dzierzawski serves as organist. Brendan Henry leads the St. Arbucks Quartet, Mark Mosley conducts the Intergenerational Orchestra, and the children's choirs are led by Tom Clancy (Kinderchapel), Breanna Coe and Karen Johnson (Children's Choir), and Kecia Waldschmidt (Pauls People). Erin Fitzgerald directs children's education and the Little Lights program. Danielle Mayfield coordinates Sunday School.
Planning a Visit
Sunday worship is at 10:00 a.m. in person and online, with the livestream available through the streaming feed. The church is at 2335 N. Orchard Street, just a block west of Halsted at the corner of Orchard and Fullerton. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is 773-348-3829 and the general email is info@spucc.org.