Seward Congregational Church was founded in March 27, 1841 by the Rev. John Morrill, a pastor in Rockford, Illinois who frequently filled in at the pulpit in the early years. It’s first location was in the Twelve Mile Grove community. After the Civil War, a new building was built at the corner of Kelly Road and Pecatonica Road, close to the center of Seward Township. The new building was dedicated at this location on February 20, 1868.

In the late 1880’s, after the Illinois Central Railroad built tracks father south across Pecatonica Road, the village of Seward correspondingly shifted the village center a half mile south. In January of 1901, Seward Congregational Church was moved again (pulled by horses) to it’s present location at 3029 S. Pecatonica Road. In 1912, the church added a belfry and a parsonage and the basement was enlarged in 1915.

In 1941, Seward Congregational Church held an elaborate pageant, including a team of horses pulling a covered wagon, at the site of the former Seward Forrest Preserve.

In 1957, Seward Congregational joined the United Church of Christ.

When Seward Methodist Church closed in the early 1960’s, Seward Congregational Church became the only active church in the township.

In 1991, Seward Congregational celebrated its 150th anniversary. During this anniversary, the church noted that it had 15 people who had been members for 50 years or more.

In 1999, the members of Seward Congregational Church voted to leave the United Church of Christ denomination and joined the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. The church continues its commitment to seeing lives changed through the word of God, the fellowship of our local church family, ministry service to our local community, and support of the gospel mission worldwide.

Ministers of Seward Congregational Church

Rev. John Morrill (Founder, 1841)
Rev. Ebenezer Brown (1841)
Rev. M. Littlefield (1845)
Rev. E.V. Hewitt (1845-1851)
Rev. G.S. Johnson (1852-1856)
Rev. John Wilcox (1856)
Rev. Rufus Patch (1856-1857)
Rev. Porter Brown Parry (1857-1865)
Rev. Mr. Barker (1866)
Rev. Othniel Sabin (1866-1869)
Rev. Calvin C. Adams (1869-1876)
Rev. E.F. Wright (1876-1884)
Rev. M.S. Hall (1884-1886)
Rev. W.F.Cooley (1886-1889)
Rev.G.F. Hunter (1889-1891)
Rev. Lewis B. Nobis (1891-1892)
Rev. L.H. Moses (1893-1900)
Rev. Waldo B. Harris (1901-1910)
Rev. J.A. McLean (1910-1911)
Rev. Charles E. Trueblood (1912-1915)
Rev. M.G. Van Buskirk (1915-1919)
Rev. Charles A. Stroup (1919-1923)
Rev. Otto R. Thome (1924-1927)
Rev. Charles A. Stroup (1928-1938)
Rev. Dr. E. Albert Cook (1938-1939)
Rev. Floyd H. Nelson (1940-1942)
Rev. Emerald Olson (1942-1943)
Rev. Leonard Maunder (1943-1948)
Rev. Ward L. Stephenson (1948-1951)
Rev. George A. Moulthrop (1951-1956)
Rev. Lawrence J. Perkins (1956-1960)
Rev. Lorrel S. Eikenberry (1960-1963)
Rev. Marlyn W. Close (1963-1969)
Rev. Dale R. Beaman (1969-1974)
Rev. Gustav E. “Gus” Bloom (1974-1991)
Rev. Robert R. Ruse (1991)
Rev. Karl Whiteman (1991-1993)
Rev. Dale Bowen (1993-1995)
Rev. Owen Miller (1995)
Rev. Mark Tolodziecki (1995-2002)
Rev. Robert E. Schroeder (2002-2003)
Rev. Ronald “Ron” Farb (2003-2013) 
Rev. David Bordy (2013-2017)