Tinley Park United Methodist Church

Tinley Park United Methodist Church. 6875 173rd Place (formerly Andres Avenue). The Tinley Park United Methodist Church has a long history in the community, maintaining at least two churches for many years. , , The older congregation dates to 1858 and was originally known as the New Bremen Religious Society. They had erected a new frame church in the Prairie Gothic style in about 1886, near the corner of 171st Street and 84th Avenue replacing a smaller sanctuary (later known as the Orland Township Methodist Church). Its services were held in German. In 1938, lightning struck and the church burned to the ground and the site is now a cemetery. , , The younger congregation had its beginnings in 1897, later forming the Tinley Park Union Church. This congregation was served for a number of years by traveling and student ministers. Their initial Sunday school and church meetings were held in the Village Hall from 1897 to 1899. Its first permanent church (the Union Church, or the "town church") was built in 1900 on a lot donated by Christian Andres, Sr. and had been located in the middle of what is today 173rd Place and 68th Court (Western Avenue). The town church was moved in about 1909 to open the street (Andres Avenue, now 173rd Place) for John M. Rauhoff's subdivision to the west of the property. , , Following the fire which destroyed the "country church," the two congregations met in the Union Church and began plans for a new larger house of worship to accommodate the combined membership. When construction began, the frame church was moved a second time. Relocated toward the south end of the property, it became the chancel of the new structure. One of the church bells was donated by Edward Tinley, son of the community's first station agent, Samuel Tinley, Sr. The stained glass windows were imported from Germany. The church parsonage at the southwest corner of 68th Court and 173rd Place (17342 68th Court) was constructed in 1905. , , The church is included in the 1972 Illinois Historic Structures Survey for places of architectural interest and importance in Illinois communities over 500 in population conducted by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.