EDGEWATER BAPTIST'S HISTORY

The Edgewater Baptist Church was organized on March 21, 1909, with thirty-four people constituting the charter membership. It was originally known as the Edgewater Swedish Baptist Church. It began in a rented church on Rosehill Drive. On December 11, 1910, the Edgewater Swedish Baptist Church was dedicated on Hollywood and Glenwood, its current location. The first full time pastor was Reverend Petrus Swarz. In 1915 church membership stood at 151. By 1936 it was 384. Services were conducted in Swedish until 1939. In 1940 the word "Swedish" was dropped from the name of the Church. The membership first budgeted support for Baptist General Conference missionaries in 1944, support which has continued through the present. In 1952 the church added a new wing containing classrooms, offices, and a gym. Membership peaked at 413 in 1968. Located in a Chicago neighborhood known for its changes, Edgewater Baptist has become over time and remains a multi-ministry, multi-generational, multi-missioned, and multi-cultural church.

The Edgewater Baptist Church is affiliated with the Midwest Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference.

Edgewater's Pastors

	Ernest Person, May 7, 1909 - October 1, 1909
	Petrus Swarz, December 1, 1909 - Nov. 26, 1917
	C.T. Brodin, May 15, 1918 - May 15, 1920
	A.E. Belstrom, Aug. 1, 1921 - Apr. 4, 1926
	C.E. Weldholm, (interim), July 1, 1926 - Sept. 30, 1927
	Axel Anderson, Oct. 1, 1927 - Nov. 1, 1931
	Jacob Peterson, January 8, 1932 - Oct. 15, 1938
	Stanley Nelson, (interim), Dec. 25, 1938 - Sept. 15, 1939
	Howard A. Hermansen, Sept. 15, 1939 - May 16, 1943
	Oriel L. Hansen, Dec. 1, 1943 - Feb. 1, 1950
	Paul M. Obinger, July 17, 1950 - July 15, 1955
	D. Thurlow Yaxley, Sept. 23, 1956 - Nov. 6, 1970
	Erwin W. Lutzer, Sept. 1, 1971 - Dec. 31, 1977
	Gustav Lundberg, (interim), Sept. 7, 1977 - Dec. 31, 1977
	William P. Hannaford, Jan. 9, 1978 - Apr. 16, 1989
	James L. Shedd, Nov. 1, 1989 - present.