About
Nurturing Faith and Community: Learn About Pilgrim Lutheran Church
Rooted in Faith, United in Purpose.
Our Story
Welcome to Pilgrim Lutheran Church, a vibrant and inclusive community dedicated to embracing the transformative power of faith. Our history is woven with a deep commitment to spiritual growth, compassion, and unity. At the heart of our congregation is a diverse family of individuals who come together to worship, learn, and support one another.
Through meaningful worship services, engaging educational programs, and outreach initiatives, we strive to foster an environment where everyone can discover their purpose and connect with others on their spiritual journey.
Join us in our pursuit of love, understanding, and shared devotion as we continue to build a welcoming haven for all who seek a closer relationship with God.
Pilgrim is led by our Church Council.
Church Council
— Jim Volkens (President)
— Sonya Crabtree-Nelson (Vice President)
— David Gilbert (Treasurer)
— Janine Gustafson (Administrator)
— Richell Mintzlaff (Secretary)
— Stephen Bouman (Interim Pastor and Head of School)
— Mark Franke
— Cheryl Saiki
— Scott Sexton
— Monique Stinson
— Debra Suhajda
Meet Our Church Leadership Team.
Our History
In 1912, Pilgrim was founded as a congregation that would worship in English, not German (like many other Lutheran Churches in their denomination.)
In 1920, the school started in the basement of the church building on Cuyler and Wolcott, serving grades K-8. In 1921, the congregation built a two story school building on Cullom and Winchester. Pilgrim Church continued to meet at Cuyler and Wolcott.
Near the middle of the twentieth century, the school peaked at an enrollment of over 250 children. By 1950 the members had raised $250,000, and the new structure was completed the following year.
In the late 1970s the Pilgrim Church left the LCMS over a difference of opinion regarding inclusion and biblical interpretation. When the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was formed in 1988, Pilgrim joined that new movement.
In 1992, Pilgrim founded a lunch program called “Hot Meals” that serves neighbors affected by hunger, poverty, and homelessness was initiated that continues to this day.
In recent years, Pilgrim has continued to expand its local and global partnerships and start active small group, care, and prayer ministries. We also became an “RIC” (Reconciling in Christ) church and school, fully welcoming and affirming to all in the LGBTQIA+ community. We are committed to embodying our mission to gather, prepare, and send all as leaders for God’s mission in the world!
Our Beliefs at Pilgrim Lutheran Church.
What We Believe
We believe the most powerful force in the universe is Love. “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in them.”
– 1 John 4:16
God created and loves all of creation: the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants.
Jesus transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, having birthed a movement that is world-wide, inclusive, and life-changing!
The Holy Spirit is still speaking, healing, reconciling, and empowering us to do God’s work with our hands!
When we study the Bible or hear God’s word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story. We believe that faith leads to service AND advocacy inspired by God’s vision of shalom for all peoples.
We believe in our mission to gather, prepare, and send all as leaders for God's mission in the world!
“God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.”
- Mother Teresa
Meet Our Church Leadership Team.
Church Leadership
Interim Pastor Stephen Bouman brings a wealth of experience to the Pilgrim community. His dedication to supporting congregations like Pilgrim Lutheran's, particularly those in partnership with both church and school, is truly inspiring. And, he is no stranger to Pilgrim, as two of his grandchildren are proud Pilgrim Lutheran School alumni!
During his long and distinguished career, Pastor Bouman served as the Executive Director for the Domestic Mission Unit of the ELCA and as Bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod. He holds degrees from New York Theological Seminary, including a Master of Sacred Theology (1978) and a Doctor of Ministry (1980), as well as honorary doctorates from General Theological Seminary and Wagner College (2001).
Pastor Bouman's leadership spans over two decades as a parish pastor in New York City, where he founded two Lutheran parochial schools. He is a respected author, with his recent books Baptized for the Moment, They are Us: Lutherans and Immigration (co-authored), and The Mission Table: Renewing Congregation and Community, which is widely used for mission planning in congregations across the church. He was also instrumental in founding Lutheran Disaster Response in New York following the September 11 attacks, and has served on the boards of several Lutheran organizations, including Wagner and Wartburg Colleges, Lutheran Services in America, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. Currently, he serves on the board of Concordia Place.
Most recently, Pastor Bouman served as Interim Pastor at Saint Luke Church and School in Lakeview (2019-2023) and at St. Philip Lutheran Church in Glenview (2024). His home congregation is Grace Lutheran in River Forest. Pastor Bouman is married to Janet (Luce), and they have three children and four grandchildren. The Bouman family resides in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago.
Pastor Bouman may be reached at pastorbouman@pilgrimchicago.org
