"Celebrating 100 Years of Mission and Ministry in Downtown Libertyville"

History of St. Lawrence Episcopal Church

Episcopalians have worshiped in the heart of Libertyville since the early 1900’s. The first recorded services were held in Woodman Hall, on Milwaukee Avenue, in 1908. A year later, the members of the fledgling Episcopal congregation began to share the Union Church with other congregations from the community.

By 1914, the other congregations had all moved out to build churches of their own. As the last remaining tenants of the Union Church, the Episcopalians were given the first option to purchase the building and it became St. Lawrence Episcopal Church.

Disaster struck on a cold, winter day in January of 1917, as a fire destroyed that original church. By Christmas of that same year, however, a new church building was constructed and a processional cross (still used to open worship services) was given to mark the occasion.

An education wing was added in 1963-1964, but through all of the changes of the succeeding years, the sanctuary at St. Lawrence remained largely the same.

In the 1990’s, as Libertyville and the surrounding communities continued to grow, the congregation at St. Lawrence also grew. By 2000, the members resolved to put on an addition that would both honor the inherited past and support the needs of the congregation for the future.

The expansion projection of 2003-2004 has doubled the usable space of the building and created a much more flexible, accessible and hospitable facility, while still retaining the character of the church built nearly 90 years before.

Sunday Services:
7:30am - Holy Eucharist Rite I Liturgy
9:00am - Holy Eucharist Rite II Liturgy
10:10am - Christian Education
11:00am - Holy Eucharist Rite II Choral Liturgy
Thursday Service:
8:30am - Holy Eucharist