Church Wants To Open In La Grange Neighborhood

LA GRANGE, IL – A church wants to open in a La Grange building that the village said has gone unused by religious organizations since 2017.

Iglesia de Dios Torre Fuerte is seeking zoning approval for 248 Sawyer Ave. in northeastern La Grange.

The building in question was constructed in 1937 and used as a church starting in the 1980s. In 1989, St. James Community Baptist Church opened there, according to the village.

The building's allowed use as a church has lapsed over the last decade, meaning a new village approval is needed, according to a memo.

In neighboring Brookfield, a church with the same name, Iglesia de Dios Torre Fuerte, is at 9108 Lincoln Ave. It is unclear what the church's relationship is to the proposed one in La Grange. Patch has left a message for comment.

The Brookfield church offers bilingual services in Spanish and English.

In a letter to La Grange officials, the La Grange church's pastor, Sandra Recinos, said it would mainly hold services from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays.

"At this time, our congregation is very small, consisting of only six families," Recinos said. "The building will not be used for commercial activity, events outside of worship or any unrelated purposes."

The Plan Commission plans to take up the matter at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Village Hall.