First Congregational Church
Maywood

First Congregational is a community of believers in Jesus Christ.   In fellowship with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC), we are an active community of believers, seeking to learn about God and God’s will for us as well as reaching out to share what we have learned and experienced together.   Our church building includes facilities for worship, education, fellowship, recreation and service.

Together we:

Our Mission and Vision...

We are a Family of Faith centered on our common commitment to Jesus Christ, who is our Savior and Lord,  we celebrate our various gifts and diversity as a result of our unity in Him.

Worship is where we gather to celebrate our unity as members of the Body of Christ.  Reconciled to God through Christ’s incarnation, passion, death, resurrection and ascension we also have been given the ministry of being his presence in the world.  This conviction, in turn compels us to strive to be a congregation built upon the authority of Scripture and the Preeminence of Jesus Christ.

Our main tasks are revealed in Ephesians 4:12.  We seek to equip the saints for ministry, to do the work of ministry, and to build up the Body of Christ.  These objectives find direction in the following practical expressions of ministry:  Being in mission (inward/outward);  Becoming manager/stewards;  Educating and Nurturing;  Growing in spiritual discipline;  Advocating for justice;  Evangelizing.

Our New Pastor...

Rev. Dr. James J. Balija is our new pastor and comes to us with a wide variety of experiences.  Pronounced, "Bah-Lee-Yah," Pastor Jim, as he prefers to be called, is a life long Chicagoan who grew up not far away from here.  

In his own words, he tells us:  "I am a person in the prime of life with a wealth of experience and a continually growing faith, with a willingness to share my enthusiasm with others and allow both of us to grow."  

When you meet him you will find a ready smile that comes from the heart that enlightens his face; an eager willingness to be of service to others and to assume a leadership role; and the ability to engage and enthuse others to bring out the best of both.

A married, former Roman Catholic priest, ordained in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1975, he is affiliated with the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict, an ecumenical and independent Catholic community with membership in the International Council of Community Churches.  He conducts a ministry that reaches out to disenfranchised Catholics primarily celebrating weddings, baptisms and counseling.  He also served as supply pastor to St. John UCC Church in Palatine conducting Sunday services, weekly evening prayer, and teaching an adult religious education program and on a periodic basis with two other Protestant churches.  He has cooperated with several other denominational groups in ecumenical activities related to Churches United in Christ.

In addition to ministry, he works in a senior management positions with a nonprofit healthcare association, and has performed equally well as CEO of three other non-profit organizations.  In these roles he developed sustainable membership bases, formulated and managed budgets and personnel, acted as a spokesman and lecturer, and successfully managed volunteer leadership groups.  He also acted as adjunct field faculty with Vermont College of Norwich University and serve on the faculty of the Ecumenical Theological Union, St. Paul College and Seminary as professor of homiletics (preaching) and pastoral theology.