Rev. Rassweiler was reappointed to Kimball
Avenue in 1902, but due to much sickness in his family, he was
unable to aggressively pursue the work. However, because of strong
lay leadership, the church grew rapidly. Another tent meet was
held, this time at the Southeast corner of Kimball and Altgeld.
It was at this tent meeting that C. R. Hansen, a contractor,
first had contact with the church. In 1902, membership increased
to 59 and the Sunday School attendance almost doubled to 113.
Growth of that magnitude is wonderful, but extremely difficult.
In less than a year, the church building was too small. Presiding
Elder, S. F. Entorf stated in his Conference report, "Kimball
Avenue Church, Chicago, is making encouraging progress. A large
and growing Sunday School is already taxing the capacity of the
house. A larger and more substantial edifice will be needed no
later than 1904…."
The need for a larger building was evident,
but the church was already deeply in debt from the land purchase
and the building of the chapel. In faith the church moved forward.
At the annual Meeting held on February 29, 1904, the need for
a new church building was discussed. The need was then expressed
to the Presiding Elder at the March Quarterly Conference. Together,
they decided to request financial assistance from the Annual
Conference.
Revs. Rassweiler and Entorf passionately presented
the needs of the church at the 1904 Annual Conference, which
was very supportive. It was resolved that the Conference borrow
up to $2,000 for use at Kimball Avenue. This money was raised
through subscriptions, apportionments and offerings of local
Keystone Leagues of Christian Endeavor and Sunday Schools. The
Conference required that Kimball raise $500 in cash and pledges
and "secure the conference to the extent of $2,000 with
a second mortgage on its property."
On April 20, 1904, newly elected Presiding
Elder, Rev. William Caton, informed the Kimball Trustees of the
Conference action. In addition to the Conference grant, a loan
of $4,000 was authorized by the trustees and plans were begun
for a new church building.
Originally, the chapel was to become a parsonage,
but because the need for space was so great, the new building
was designed to incorporate the old chapel. Mr. C. R. Hansen,
a building contractor and a member of the church, proposed that
the chapel be shifted to the back of the two lots and that a
new 140' X 50' frame structure be built at the front of the old
building facing Kimball Avenue. He also proposed raising the
entire structure and building a stone and brick basement beneath.
Though this plan turned out to be more expensive than anticipated,
the space needs of the church were temporarily met. (Link
to read personal memories of Harry R. Hansen, son of C. R. Hansen,
of this period of Kimball's History)
Construction of the new building began the
last week of August, 1904, and Rev. Caton laid the cornerstone
on October 18. The building was completed and dedicated on January
8, 1905, by Bishop William F. Heil, almost three years to the
day after the dedication of the first building. The total cost
of the building and its furnishings was $6,628.88. The large
stained glass window at the front of the building was dedicated
to Rev. S. F. Entorf, the Presiding Elder who had been so instrumental
in gaining Annual Conference support for the fledgling work.
Other windows were donated by the J. Witte family, the John Troeger
family and in memory of Leola Rassweiler. (Link
to see a picture of the church in 1905)
Under the direction of Rev. Rassweiler and
the Illinois Conference and with the enthusiastic lay leadership
of the congregation, the mission had grown in four years from
a small disenfranchised group of 35 people to a congregation
of 68 members; and the Sunday School had almost tripled to an
average attendance of 132.
Rev. Rassweiler was replaced at the 1905 Annual
Conference by Rev. H. Schneider.
Rev. Schneider had been a sickly individual over the years and
his tenure as pastor of Kimball was marked by illness and was
finally cut short by death on January 21, 1906. Despite the lack
of pastoral leadership, the membership of the church grew to
78 and the Sunday School averaged 155 scholars.
(Link
to see a picture of the congregation in 1906)
