Churches in River Forest

Active churches in River Forest

7970 Lake St, River Forest
urbanvillagechurch.org
4 sermons

Types of churches in River Forest

Contemporary River Forest Churches

These congregations feature modern worship music, casual dress, and practical teaching. Many schedule Saturday evening and multiple Sunday services to fit commuter life along the Metra UP‑West line. You’ll often find kids’ check-in, coffee in the lobby, and small groups meeting in homes near Lake Street and Keystone Park.

River Forest Campus Churches

Serving students and faculty from Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago, these churches offer weeknight gatherings, rides to services, and finals-week quiet spaces. They frequently organize service projects in Thatcher Woods and nearby Maywood. Many are walkable from dorms along Division and Augusta and adjust schedules around the academic calendar.

Historic and Liturgical

Early-20th-century sanctuaries here showcase stained glass, pipe organs, and bell towers anchoring tree-lined blocks near Lake Street and North Avenue. These congregations emphasize traditional liturgy and choral music, attracting multi-generational families who value reverence and continuity. Architecture enthusiasts appreciate Prairie School and Gothic Revival details preserved in the village.

Service and Outreach

These congregations prioritize social impact—food and clothing drives, refugee support, and housing assistance that serve the Oak Park–River Forest area and neighboring Maywood. Members often volunteer with local nonprofits, tutor students, and host community forums on equity and sustainability. Many provide convenient parking and weekday drop-off hours so busy River Forest families can participate.

Sermon clips from River Forest churches

34s
“Silence. They raise their hands. Instruments go up. Everyone gets ready. And a new beauty is created that has not existed before. Even if the piece has been played before, it hasn't been played in that way. God is ordering the chaos of existence intentionality for a vision that God has for the world. God is creating a harmony we are yet preparing for.”
34s
“God is doing something new. However, we love to keep things the way they were. It bring it provides comfort. And so this liminal space is really uncomfortable, And yet that is the space that God invites us into so that we may continue to be made into disciples of Jesus Christ. It's the space of transformation. It's the space of renewal. And because of those things, here's an important part of it, it is the space where healing takes place.”
24s
“``You're gonna encounter those people that say, there's got there's drunk on new wine. And a lot of those folks are gonna be our fellow Christians. They're not open to what God is doing. They would seek to condemn rather than unify. We go anyway because the love and healing that we carry forth in the gospel message is what we are seeking to share. So on this Pentecost Sunday, let us be filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit.”
28s
“But I gotta say the Jesus we find at the end of Luke because acts is a continuation of Luke, the Jesus that we find at the end of Luke and the beginning of acts is a weird guy. Don't call my lord and savior weird. Let me defend my thesis. We have at the end of Matthew the great commissioning. Go forth and make disciples of all nations. Baptize in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. We might think that's what the gospel wraps up with, the sending forth of the church.”
23s
“"The first thing God calls us to do is to shift our focus from ourselves. When decide to take part in your community, it opens up a part of your soul that maybe was lying dormant, that you find there's beauty in the world, beauty in collaboration, beauty in bringing that dreaming and visioning and implementing to life."”
29s
“"Prayer is not the last thing we do. Prayer is the first thing we do because prayer guides our actions. We get overwhelmed by the brokenness and the sins and the horrors of the world and we don't know what to do. We go to God, Lord, this is how I'm feeling, this is what's going on, and I know you're here. I have no answers. What would you have?"”
35s
“"Jesus says no, we're not going to restore a kingdom. It's a kingdom. It's this welcoming in, this gathering in, this world crafted, replaced by sacrifice and love, this world where justice and community, that's the kingdom of God. It's not bound by location. It is welcoming of all people. That's what God is going to do. And it's not God that's just doing it because we would love to sit back and wait in line for the next great thing that's happening, that afterparty theology."”
40s
“"We see that constantly, don't we? That people with power use their power to maintain it or to grow it, to grow their wealth. We see it every time someone decides to start a new war, to drop another bomb, or send another drone to blow people up. We saw it recently in the assassin's bullet. We have this constant thought that we can shape the world, make the world better through violence, and we can't. We call it the myth of redemptive violence, and it is not true. It makes the world worse."”
30s
“"I hate that theology for a number of reasons. For one, it means this beautiful world, this beautiful life that God has given us becomes just a series of waiting for the next thing. What a waste that is. It also puts all the work on God to do whatever God wants with God's world. We're just here to sit around and it dismisses us from action, from taking part in this beautiful world that God has given us and being part of the changes this world needs to make."”
40s
“"Your prayer matters. Your wisdom matters. Your voice matters. The work of God in your life is what the church, what your communities, what your world needs. Don't ever let someone tell you're too young or to silence you. Speak out boldly. I believe y'all are going to be inclusive and I know y'all are going to be relevant. And please, the world needs you. Your church and communities need you."”

Why River Forest churches are unique

Anchored by two long-standing faith-based universities—one Catholic and one Lutheran—churches in River Forest blend academic rigor with rich liturgical heritage. This creates spaces where thoughtful preaching and dialogue are common alongside robust music programs and sacred arts. Many congregations lean into college student ministries, foster expository Bible teaching, and elevate worship through sacred choral music.
Set amid tree-lined streets and historic architecture, River Forest churches reflect a family-centered, service-minded culture. Stable neighborhoods and strong schools shape ministries that prioritize children and neighborhood connection, with River Forest churches often organizing block-based groups and hands-on service. You’ll frequently find strong kids programs for young families, an inviting small group culture, and a steady rhythm of community service and justice.
Bordered by forest preserves and the Des Plaines River, the village’s access to trails and green space encourages creation-focused spiritual practices and seasonal outdoor gatherings. Its proximity to Chicago also draws commuters and culturally diverse worshipers, influencing schedules and styles without losing a small-town feel. Many congregations emphasize creation care and nature walks, offer commuter-friendly worship times, and embrace multicultural worship expressions.

Recent sermons from River Forest churches

Nearby cities: 61 churches in Chicago 5 churches in Downers Grove Township 10 churches in Arlington Heights 11 churches in Wheeling Township 13 churches in Bolingbrook