Calvary Lutheran Church (Wood Dale, Illinois) Records

• Rev. Norman Streufert 1940 - 1943
• Rev. Fred Bartling 1946 - 1950
• Rev. John Klotz (Interim)
• Rev. Carl Egloff 1959 - 1964
• Rev. Edmund Nieting 1965 - 1975
• Rev. Thomas Niermann 1976 - 1986
• Rev. Carl W. Bassett 1988 - 2002
• Rev. Richard Heller 2003 - 2024

In 1940, the Mission Board of the Northern Illinois District of the LCMS conducted a canvass of Wood Dale. About thirty families were identified, so work began on a congregation. Rev. Norman Streufert became the first pastor in August 1940, and the first service was held on September 29, 1040. A Lutheran school functioned in the same building during the week util 1943 when it had to be closed for sanitary reasons. A building fund was begun that year for a new church, but the war delayed those plans until 1950. The congregation then began to fix up the existing building and had raised enough money by 1955 for a new building. Groundbreaking was held on August 19, 1956 and was dedicated on June 23, 1957. Calvary celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1965, and an education wing was added to the building in 1970. When Rev. Carl W. Bassett became pastor in 1988, he had served as Pastor-at-Large for the NID Hearing-Impaired Ministry. As a result, Our Savior Deaf Congregation followed him to Calvary. Pastor's wife Lisa interpreted worship services and taught sign language. Calvary celebrated the 50th anniversary in 1990. Calvary opened a preschool from 2000 - 2003. Once Rev. Heller became pastor in 2003, he expanded the congregation's mission outreach. The 65th anniversary was celebrated in 2005 and the 75th anniversary was celebrated in 2015. Calvary's closing service took place on November 17, 2024.