On Air Now

Central Congregational Church in ‘process’ of finding future uses

Central Congregational Church in Galesburg held meetings with community members in June that gave them some ideas on how to keep the 118 year-old building afloat for years to come.

Former Central Congregational Pastor and member of 60 Public Square, Jim Ecklund says that the input was “helpful.”

The goal of the process, he says is to find ways to preserve the building and to motivate the community to be supportive of it.

Ecklund tells WGIL the meetings were a “step in a process.”

“What’s the old Chinese saying?–a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step,” Ecklund says. “It’s not about the first step but the fifth and sixth step along the way. But they’re steps and in the Fall, we’ll be developing a plan for building use.”

Ecklund mentioned some of the ideas given in those meetings.

One was to make the building, particularly the basement, a center for non-profits looking for a space to operate from.

Another thought, tying into the history of the church was to create programming highlighting CCC, Knox College’s and Galesburg’s part in the abolition movement.

Possessing one of Galesburg’s most unique performance venues, there was also the idea of hosting special programming like organ and Christian rock concerts.

Ecklund says the idea would be not to compete with The Orpheum Theatre but hopefully supplement it.

He emphasized that none of these plans are anywhere near final.

Recommended Posts

Loading...

Share Contact

contact-chris-mcintyre-qr-code