Christianity: Lakeside Church and Japanese Americans

Stained glass at Lakeside Church of Chicago, which was brought from the old venue of the church. Now, this glass has become a symbol of the church and its members.

Lakeside Church of Chicago

Although a lot of people were Buddhists to start with, there were many people who practiced Christianity. Some people converted from Buddhism to Christianity. One of the Christian churches in which history is deeply interconnected to the Japanese American community is the Lakeside Church of Chicago, and its connection still continues to be strong even today.

In June 1943, a group of people who had the same values and beliefs met in Chicago and created a community which was called a Japanese Christian Church at Moody. The reason it was called this way was that the meeting used to happen at Moody Memorial Church’s Torrey Chapel. ¹

Later on, the new building for the meetings was purchased. Because most of the membership consisted of people of Japanese ancestry who had been part of the Relocation sites, the new church was named “The Lakeside Japanese Christian Church”. The building was again renewed and changed its location in 2001. The iconic stained glass that was placed in the previous venue was also brought to the new venue and placed at the center of the hall. It became the symbol for the member of the church to represent their community. Today, the membership of this community is diverse, representing more than 20 countries, and the church is called “The Lakeside Church of Chicago”. All the members of the Church gather together during the session and have quality time while sharing their stories with the younger generation. ²