A Church on East Harrison Avenue Since 1949
Wheaton Christian Reformed Church has called 711 East Harrison Avenue home since the late 1950s, but the congregation is older than its present building. Its first worship service was held in May 1949, and from the start the church broke with convention. Rather than gathering in a typical Reformed venue, the new congregation met in the Masonic Temple in Wheaton, even though the Christian Reformed Church in North America was traditionally cool toward the Masons. Early members recall sweeping up beer bottles from the previous night's events to ready the room for Sunday worship.
By 1958 the growing church had built its own facility, which remains the heart of the campus today. The building has been expanded twice, most recently in the early 2000s, when a renovation opened up the lobby and added a separate Ministry Center across the parking lot, complete with classrooms and the Fireside Room. The sanctuary now carries solar panels on its roof, an environmental commitment partially funded by a grant from Faith In Place.
The congregation has shaped its neighborhood in significant ways. In the 1970s, the church and its pastor, Rev. George Vanderhill, were among those who responded to Wheaton's homelessness problem by helping to start what became Outreach Community Ministries. During the racial tensions of the 1960s and the suburban "white flight" era, Wheaton CRC stood for integration and built relationships with predominantly African American congregations in Chicago's Lawndale and Roseland neighborhoods, ties that continue today. In the early 1990s, Pastor John Schuurman and the congregation recognized a need for ministry to Vietnamese immigrants and helped plant Vietnamese New Hope Christian Reformed Church, which for twenty-plus years has shared space and ministry with Wheaton CRC in both Wheaton and Winfield. The church calls its approach "Gathered by Grace, Sent to Serve."
A Reformed and Presbyterian Church
Wheaton CRC belongs to the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), a denomination of Reformed congregations across the United States and Canada. The church's own name carries that identity: "Christian" because members acknowledge Jesus Christ as the one who saves them from sin and rules over their lives, and "Reformed" because they follow the teachings of the Protestant Reformers, especially John Calvin, with their emphasis on the authority of Scripture and salvation by grace alone through faith. The Heidelberg Catechism, a sixteenth-century summary of Christian teaching, remains central to the congregation's instruction, particularly in the 9th and 10th grade confirmation class.
The church confesses the historic Christian creeds - the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian - as the faith of the universal Church, while the CRCNA is its "particular" family. On its own campus, Wheaton CRC is led through the Presbyterian model of elders and deacons. Elders are ordained to provide preaching, teaching, the sacraments, and spiritual counsel; deacons are called to assess needs, promote stewardship, and care for those inside and outside the church.
Sunday Mornings on Harrison Avenue
The weekly rhythm centers on a single Sunday morning gathering. Worship is held at 10:30 AM in the sanctuary on East Harrison Avenue, and the same service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel. Those who cannot make Sunday morning can join a smaller Zoom worship service at 7 PM the same evening. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.
The music ministry is led by organist Hanna Park, who joined Wheaton CRC in the fall of 2020 and has been involved in church music since she moved from Korea to the United States at age 12. Park also serves as a pianist and administrator with Grace and Peace chaplaincy, a nonprofit that leads ecumenical services in DuPage County nursing homes.
Before worship, the building fills with Sunday school. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade begin at 9 AM in the Heritage Room, across the lobby from the sanctuary, with a time of singing and prayer before moving to age-appropriate classes. Classes meet in both the main building and the Ministry Center across the lot, and children are brought back to their families at 10:15 for the start of worship. Students in sixth through twelfth grade and adults gather for their own classes at 9:15.
Children, Youth, and Cadets
Wheaton CRC invests heavily in the next generation. The children's ministry is anchored by Sunday school for kindergarten through fifth grade, supplemented each summer by a free Vacation Bible School open to children in the wider community. Nurseries are available on the lower level for the youngest children during worship.
For middle and high schoolers, the youth ministry offers its own Sunday school track. Sixth through eighth graders focus on the challenges ahead and on maturing in the faith. The ninth and tenth grade class takes students through the Heidelberg Catechism, taught in a way that grounds them in God's love and their response to it. The eleventh and twelfth grade class aims to bridge to adult faith and respond to the particular needs of older teens.
Two after-school programs extend that work. GEMS, which stands for "Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior," is a girls' club for second through eighth graders organized into small groups with an adult mentor for Bible study, games, and crafts. Wheaton CRC's GEMS club meets jointly with Lombard CRC in Lombard on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month during the school year, from 7 to 9 PM. Cadets, the boys' equivalent, brings first through eighth grade boys together for Bible study, recreation, and creative projects supervised by qualified leaders. Cadets meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month during the school year, from 6:30 to 8:15 PM, with a goal of helping boys develop into men for God.
Care for Wheaton College Students
Because the church sits in the same town as Wheaton College, a significant portion of the ministry is shaped by students. Wheaton CRC positions itself as a place where college students can feel welcomed, known, and at home during their college years, whether they grew up in the church, are exploring faith, or are simply looking for community.
Students are invited to attend Sunday worship, to gather for meals and Bible studies, and to use their gifts on the worship team or tech team. Service opportunities include the Villagebrook Community tutoring program and Exodus World Service, where students mentor local children and engage with refugees and immigrants. Mission exposure is built into the program as well. The college ministry has its own connect form that lets students share a bit about themselves and find a starting point.
Wheaton CRC's young professionals ministry, made up of adults in their twenties and thirties, meets and serves regularly in the community, providing another step for those transitioning from college life.
Adults: Small Groups, Bible Studies, and Shared Interests
Adult ministry at Wheaton CRC takes many forms, with most activity running from September through May. The Adult Sunday School meets in the Ministry Center from 9:15 to 10:15 AM on Sundays, with speakers on matters of concern to adult Christians, followed by prayer. A Sunday Morning Small Group runs during the same hour, viewing videos or working through Bible studies with discussion, sharing, and prayer.
Small groups form the backbone of adult life. Life Together Groups bring two to five people of the same gender together at least twice a month for Bible study, honest conversation, and mutual accountability. Most groups form in the fall and run through the spring, with new members welcome throughout the year. Senior Moments is a Bible study taught by Pastor Kyle Haack that meets on the first and third Tuesdays at 11:30 AM, October through May, with participants bringing their own lunches.
A pair of weekly men's groups offers early morning or evening options. The Early Risers Bible Study meets every Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 AM at Honey-Jam Cafe on Rice Lake Square in Wheaton, and Men's Life meets on Thursdays from 7:30 to 9 PM, September through May, at Carol's Garden Restaurant on Schmale Road in Carol Stream. Coffee Break is a women's Bible study open to women of any background, with no prior Bible knowledge required. Crown Financial Group studies what the Bible has to say about money and applying it to life.
Less structured gatherings round out the calendar. A Board Game Meetup meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7 PM. The Naperville Acoustic Guitar Meetup welcomes amateur acoustic musicians of all skill levels. A Prayer Group gathers in the Ministry Center on the first and third Mondays from 12:15 to 1:15 PM during the school year, praying for missionaries, members, and the advance of God's kingdom, shifting to a monthly cadence in summer.
A Web of Local and Global Partnerships
Wheaton CRC has long understood itself as both gathered and scattered. The church supports missionaries and ministries around the globe and across the United States through its missions budget, while also partnering with a network of local agencies in DuPage County.
On the international side, the congregation supports Reggie and Audrey Ebenezer in Sri Lanka; Jurie and Magdalena Goosen in South Africa; Beatrice Kandangs at the Gweimen Centre in Nigeria; Knowledge Tree Inc. in China; Micah Schuurman with Resonate Global Missions in Central America; Mike and Victoria Van Der Dyke with Resonate Global Missions in Nigeria; and John Wagenveld with Multiplication Network Ministries. Additional missionaries serve in West Africa and China, though their names are withheld for security reasons.
Domestically, the church supports Crossroad Bible Institute in Grandville, Michigan, an international discipleship and advocacy ministry for prisoners and their families; Horizon Community Church in Downers Grove; Lawndale CRC in Chicago; Outreach Community Ministries in Wheaton, which the church helped found in the 1970s; and Roseland Christian Ministries in Chicago.
Closer to home, the church's neighborhood work is woven through several ongoing commitments. Members volunteer with Outreach Community Ministries in its tutoring program, visits to the elderly, Christmas Store, and Jubilee Furniture. A weekly Bible study is held on site at Winfield Woods, a nursing home in Winfield that also serves people in psychological rehabilitation, and a ride program helps residents attend worship and church events. The church supports DuPage PADS, which provides housing for the homeless of Wheaton; People's Resource Center, offering food, clothing, emergency financial assistance, and job assistance; and Care for Cars, which keeps job seekers and employees mobile by repairing their vehicles.
Wheaton CRC also takes seriously its care of creation. Solar panels on the sanctuary roof, partially funded by a grant from Faith In Place generously funded by Jeffrey Jens and Ann Boisclair, are a tangible expression of that commitment.
Pastors, Staff, and Council
Wheaton CRC is pastored by Kyle Haack, a native of Iowa who was educated in Michigan and previously served in Minnesota. Before becoming Wheaton CRC's solo pastor, he served for over fifteen years in various ministry capacities, including as a youth pastor, church planter, and hospital chaplain. His wife, Wendy, is a hospital chaplain, and the couple has three young children. Kyle is an avid reader, an enthusiastic fly fisher, and a multi-instrumentalist.
Joanna Dhanabalan serves on the missionary staff at Wheaton CRC. A fourth-generation Christian with experience in both corporate and international development, she drives strategic outreach initiatives in the United States, helping mission organizations build sustainable systems. She is known for bridging cultures and fostering partnerships.
Hanna Park is the church organist (see Sunday Mornings above).
The church is governed by a council of elders and deacons, organized into a Shepherding Board focused on pastoral care, a Ministry Board focused on programs, and a Business Board that handles budget and buildings. Each district of the surrounding neighborhood is paired with an elder and a deacon who serve as shepherding shepherds for that area.
Visiting Wheaton CRC
The church sits in a residential part of Wheaton a short distance from downtown. Those arriving by car will find several entrances off the parking lot. Visitors parking on or near Howard Street can use the doors beneath the canopy, which lead directly into the welcome area and sanctuary. Families with young children may want to park on Cherry Street and use the lower level doors, either from Harrison Avenue or the parking lot side, to reach the nurseries before heading up to worship.
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 AM and is held in person in the sanctuary and online via the church's YouTube channel. A smaller evening Zoom service follows at 7 PM. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.
Giving to the church is possible online, by check made out to the church and sent to the attention of the Treasurer or Heather Bossenga, or through a bank's bill pay feature. Members and regular attenders may use giving envelopes to designate specific funds.
Blockfest, an annual church-and-neighborhood celebration held in September, is one of the year's signature events, with a free taco truck and an open invitation to the surrounding community.