Kankakee, IL – Mayor Wells-Armstrong joined First Presbyterian Church of Kankakee who invited the community to attend their ribbon cutting ceremony for their newly restored stain glass window, DaVinci’s “The Last Supper.”
“The window is a piece of art that reflects not only ‘The Last Supper,’ but it also shows hope and faith. I love it here. The people are very open and we strive to be a family. We want to let the community know that they are always welcome to join our family,” said Pastor Karen Williams.
First Presbyterian Church holds an extensive history in the City of Kankakee, opening its doors in 1854. The church continued to expand among the years, adding more extensions between the years of 1858 and 1859. Twenty years later, the original wooden church was removed and the current brick church that now stands tall today was constructed in 1879. Throughout the 1930’s and 40’s, the interior began to improve, including the addition of 13 stained glass windows. DaVinci’s “The Last Supper” was installed in 1944.
“We’ve decided to invest in the City of Kankakee. We’ve pumped thousands of dollars in improvements for the church. It’s a great way to let the community know that we’re here and we’re not going anywhere,” said Music Director Paul Johnson.
“First Presbyterian Church is just about as old as the City of Kankakee. This is a beautiful church and the congregation has made significant improvements to restore the structure. Spiritual health is very important and I am thankful the residents have this beautiful space to worship, in addition to a team that is invested in their well-being,” said Mayor Wells-Armstrong.
Members gave visitors a tour of the church and windows complete with a packet of information, as well as, played traditional music while lunch was served. First Presbyterian Church is the only church in downtown Kankakee that still manually rings its bell every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. when church services begin on Sunday.
