St. John’s Lutheran Church

Project Name
St. John's Lutheran Church

Location
305 Circle Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois

Project Status
Church open; Mallin decorations gone

Project Date/s
Decoration date: 1927

Many Lutherans from Germany settled in the Forest Park area west of Chicago in the mid-1800s.  In 1867 St John’s church was organized and a church building constructed.  A larger church was built and was dedicated in 1914.

In 1927 Mallin was hired to decorate the church for Rev. M Wagner.  A photo from that church shows the decorations in the sanctuary, including a large mural.  Mallin’s brochure states “The dominating colors of the decoration are in Ivory and Gray with a touch of gold.  The Sanctuary is done in a sky effect with a painting of the Ascension.  The painting is done on canvas, 50 feet long and 20 feet high.  The lower wall is laid out in marble columns to match the altar.”   There is also a byzantine decoration shown in Mallin’s brochure which indicates it was for St. John’s.  It is not known if this decoration was used in the church.

The church has been completely redecorated (date unknown) so none of the Mallin decorations still exist.

References

St John Lutheran Church. History. http://www.stjohnforestpark.org/history​