by BRIAN NADIG

The Edgebrook branch of Park Community Church has outgrown its current home at 6155 W. Touhy Ave. and will relocate to the varsity campus of Taft High School beginning Sept. 15.

"We’re bursting at the seams" in terms of religious education classes, said branch children’s coordinator Melanie Crivellone.

"We really need the space, and we’re really fortunate to get centrally located on the Northwest Side (at Taft)," Crivellone said. "It’s a prestigious school that we’re blessed to be moving into."

The church will be leasing the auditorium at the high school and "two hallways of classes" on Sundays, and the branch’s name will change from Edgebrook to Norwood Park, Crivellone said. The church has nine branches and most of them have lease arrangements with the Chicago Public Schools, she said.









The church will continue to hold small ministry meetings at members’ homes, and in some instances a staff member may meet with someone at a coffeehouse, Crivellone said. Also, another local church has offered the use of its parsonage for Park’s weekly youth group meetings.

Park plans to sell its Touhy facility, which was once home to the Edgebrook Evangelical Free Church. Park acquired the property 6 years ago.

The church has invited former Edgebrook Evangelical members and pastors to attend "Vision Sunday," the last scheduled worship service at the Touhy campus, at 10 a.m. Sept. 8. The following week’s service will be held at 10 a.m. at Taft High School, 6530 W. Bryn Maw Ave.

Crivellone said that she and others have been warmly received while "canvassing the neighborhood," informing families near Taft of the church’s relocation. She said that many church members live in Edgebrook, Edison Park, Norwood Park and Jefferson Park in addition to some of the neighboring suburbs.