Our story begins in 1971 with a small group of Christians who formed a fellowship group within Circle Church, a cutting-edge, racially mixed congregation near downtown Chicago. They were concerned about issues of justice and poverty and wanted to put their faith into action. So it was that a group of 13 baby boomers moved into the Austin community on Chicago's far west side. They chose Austin because it was experiencing "white flight" and an economic spin downward.

Austin Fellowship at a retreat. Can you find Glen, Lonni and their son Nathan? (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Joining Circle Church staff, Glen Kehrein did the research and development and led the effort to create an official outreach arm and service ministry of Circle Church.

Circle opens its doors

Circle Community Center (our original name) opened in 1974 in a storefront with a drop-in youth center. Soon joining Glen were professionals in Austin Fellowship who started other arms of the ministry. A social worker opened a counseling center. A lawyer started a legal clinic. A doctor started a medical clinic.

In 1975 Circle Church purchased a former Catholic rectory so that the fledgling ministry could have space to grow. In the years to come, more programs were initiated in response to community needs, including housing, supplemental education, and emergency food and shelter.

The ministry took a major step in 1983 when we joined in a faith-and-works partnership with newly planted Rock of our Salvation Evangelical Free Church.

Bursting at the seams

By 1984, Circle was bursting the seams of the rectory. Where to go next? Buildings in Austin were being abandoned left and right. One of those stood as a monument to urban decay, a huge brick edifice on the corner of Central and Washington Avenues. Once a stately Catholic girls' school, this 150,000 sq. ft. facility was sliding downward fast. The City of Chicago was offering the whole three-building complex for a mere $80,000. But the building had endured a beating from the elements and extensive vandalism, and would have to be completely stripped and restored. Could Circle handle the effort required?

As Glen Kehrein and Raleigh Washington, founding pastor of the Rock Church, walked through the rubble and puddles in this giant tomb, they saw resurrection. They saw new and growing programs. They saw increased capacity to serve more hurting people. They came back to Circle's board with a hopeful report. Circle Urban Ministries purchased the new facility. We brought in reinforcements. Hundreds of volunteers from near and far joined our effort. A year later, Circle staff moved into the restored phase of the building. A symbol of decay became a symbol of hope. In years to come Circle's headquarters became the anchor for a massive community development effort in our immediate neighborhood.

The Circle widens

Since that time we have continued to add new programs, like chaplaincy and summer day camp. Some programs stayed for only a season. We learned some lessons and moved on. We saw other programs mature to become more effective. We began to shift our focus from providing services to developing people, from childhood on. With that in mind, we started Circle-Rock Preparatory School in 1995 with 19 kindergarten students.

As we approach our three-decade mark, we have much to celebrate. Our successes have encouraged us; our failures have taught us; our friends have helped us; but more than all, our God has kept us.