Community Partners
Partners using in-house spaces
The First Congregational Church of Wilmette serves as a vibrant community hub by partnering with a range of local businesses, schools, and service organizations. These relationships help make the church’s space a shared resource and gathering place for people of all ages and interests.
Through these collaborations, the church helps support learning, creativity, wellness, and community connection beyond traditional worship.
Please inquire if you are interested in becoming a community partner.
Our Partners
Wilmette Community Nursery School (WCNS) is a private nursery school that is located in our church building, offering play-based learning for children aged two through kindergarten. It provides a nurturing environment focused on growth and development, serving about 100 children and their families.
The Actors Training Center (ATC) is a respected institution dedicated to developing acting skills. Founded in 2007, ATC offers workshops and classes for all ages, led by industry professionals. Key features include:
- Programs: Acting, musical theater, on-camera work, and more.
- Summer Programs: Intensives and workshops.
- Scholarships: Available to ensure accessibility.
- Community Feedback: Known for its supportive environment and effective teaching methods.
Located at 1159 Wilmette Ave, Suite 8, Wilmette, IL 60091. ATC students rehearse in our church.
After many years of imagining a space for creating in community with others, Cady Liederbach and Jennifer Kelleher opened The Studio in the First Congregational Church of Wilmette. With an interest in paper arts (Cady) and garment sewing and design (Jennifer), The Studio gives them a dedicated place to focus on individual projects as well as group gatherings. Weekly open studio hours provide an opportunity to learn from and encourage each other in the creative process.
The Breathing Room is a donation-based yoga studio founded by RYT® 500 instructor and FCCW member Trish Nealon. Its mission is to translate what we invest in our yoga and meditation practices into what we can give to others in need. Classes, held in our church library offer mindful movement, strength building, and breath awareness practices within a bright, welcoming space.
Scout Troop 2 is an inclusive, scout-led troop offering a fun, safe, and challenging outdoor-based learning experience guided by the Scout Oath and Law. It emphasizes teamwork, diversity, and personal growth while fostering leadership and community service.
The troop engages in various adventures such as sailing, hiking, and camping. It also participates in service projects and offers opportunities for scouts to earn merit badges and advance through ranks.
Troop 2 meets every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at the First Congregational Church of Wilmette. It is chartered by this church and has been serving the North Shore area since 1921.
The troop has a high rate of Eagle Scout achievements, with over 230 scouts reaching this rank. It focuses on developing life skills and promoting servant leadership.
Congregation Sukkat Shalom is a progressive Jewish community on the North Shore of Chicago. Founded in 1995, it welcomes intermarried couples, the unaffiliated, and those seeking a meaningful Jewish life.
FCCW and Sukkat Shalom were partners for over a decade using the same FCCW church spaces collaboratively, providing facilities for their respective congregations with different physical worship requirements. It was a seamless relationship. Sukkat ultimately secured their own building which concluded the relationship.
Tai chi is a gentle, flowing mind-body exercise that combines movement, deep breathing, and meditation. Tai chi supports both physical and emotional health. It can build lower-body strength and may offer fitness benefits similar to walking. Practiced in groups at FCCW inside at Fellowship Hall during winter, and outside during summer months, it also fosters social connection and encourages consistent activity.
