Harmony Community Church is an urban worship center in North Lawndale led by Reverend James Brooks, who has worked tirelessly to spread Harmony’s mission in the community. He has maintained a strong bond with members of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, where he was a youth minister for several years. Several members of Grace are involved in efforts ranging from Harmony’s food pantry to its after-school tutoring program.
In trying to figure out how to renovate the building in response to emerging needs, James reached out to an architect he knew from Grace, Tom Zurowski, founding principal of Eastlake Studio. Tom offered to provide pro-bono services to help design and document the conversion of Harmony’s sanctuary into a flexible space that would help James expand its functionality.
After a long period of design, fundraising, pricing and permitting, construction is finally underway. Currently, the sanctuary’s sloping floor is being rebuilt as a flat surface. The multi-purpose space will enable Harmony to use the sanctuary for much more than weekly services. James envisions an expansion of Harmony’s after-school tutoring program, but also sees Harmony as a safe place for kids to hang out. The addition of an exterior lift creates a safe path from the entrance to the public areas of the church.
Below the new floor, Harmony’s food pantry will operate in a fresh space, where it will continue to feed between 250-300 families a week. The volunteer effort between Harmony Community and Grace Lutheran Church continues to work to “break down racial and socioeconomic barriers in North Lawndale.”
The structure, built in 1907 as Millard Avenue Presbyterian Church, has had its share of renovations, and we have been careful to salvage as much as possible and be sensitive to the building’s history. It’s humbling to know the journey to improve the space and the community has been ongoing for more than a century.
One of the more interesting discoveries provided by demolition was a letter from 1919, found tucked in between floor joists. The letter, penned by H. Melville Mills, Superintendent of The Millard Avenue Presbyterian Sunday School, describes four goals to benefit the church and the larger community. Interior renovation, a modest gymnasium, clubs for music and support for the school’s sessions are outlined, ending with an ask for contributions to the $200 fundraising campaign.
It felt serendipitous to find this yellowing piece of paper with goals—space for music, the arts and spoken word, bible study, events and worship - very similar to Harmony’s current efforts. We’re proud to help this church reach more people in the community through increased functionality and accessibility, and we’re looking forward to seeing a revitalized Harmony Community Church take shape over the next few months.
“Transforming this space will help to transform the community. We’re going to make it an irresistible place to hang out, and a safe space for all.” —James Brooks
We are excited about this opportunity to invest in our Chicago communities. If you are interested in getting involved, please let us know or donate here!
