Landmark Church

With its straightforward use of Chicago common brick and simple wood elements, our unassuming but visually-distinctive building is an early Chicago example of a house of worship built in the modern style of architecture. The unusual design reflects the progressive character of our congregation, as well as the financial constraints imposed by the Great Depression at the time it was built. Following this successful design, architect Paul Schweikher went on to play an important role in the development of modern architecture in America through his architectural practice and as head of the Yale School of Architecture. The respectful addition to the north (left photo) from 1956 is by William Fyfe, who worked with Schweikher during the design of the original building.

Address:    301 N. Mayfield Ave.
Year Built: 1936 (original building), 1956 (addition)
Architect:  Paul Schweikher
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark:  February 6, 2008

Murals by Andrene Kauffman

In 1956, Andrene Kauffman, a church member who was a muralist and longtime instructor at the Art Institute of Chicago, was inspired by a sermon to create a series of twenty-four ceramic tile murals for the church between 1956-1963.  She added a final mural of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in 1969. The figures, ranging from twenty inches to six feet tall, are painted on ceramic tiles and mounted on the brick walls of the sanctuary.