Stone Church Packing Up for Orland Park

It has been a fixture on the corner of Ridgeland Avenue and 127th Street for 42 years, but within the next few weeks, Stone Church will be pulling up its stakes in Palos Heights.

In an effort to reach an ever-expanding population in the southwest suburbs, Stone Church will be moving to Orland Park.  The move is a decade in the making and comes with the hope of increasing the membership of the 500-strong congregation.

"The time is ripe and ready for a move out to Orland," said George Flattery, pastor of Stone Church. "We want to take advantage of all the growth that has occurred in the area."

The church will hold its first services on Sept. 12, with a dedication ceremony to be held Sept. 24 at its new location, 10737 W. Orland Parkway. First founded in 1906, the church has been in Palos Heights since 1968.

Debbie Smith has been a member of Stone Church since 1994. Like many of the church's members, she is looking forward to the move with eager anticipation. However, like with any move, it is the memories accumulated that make it toughest to leave.

"There are a lot of memories in this building," Smith said. "We have seen families grow up and get married. There is a little bit of sadness that comes with that."

Many members of the church are planning to gather for reflection, giving them an opportunity to share stories and memories of the church.

Smith says at the end of the day it is "just a structure," and he reminds that the important part of the church is the community — a community that she and other members hope will expand at a new location.

The church has sold land in recent years, clearing the way for the construction of the Walgreen's and Chase Bank on Ridgeland Avenue. The land the church currently occupies already has been sold to a developer. No plans have been announced, but Palos Heights city officials say the land is still zoned for residential use, and any change would need to come before the council.

While the church at its new location will be operational in September, it is just Phase One of a three-phase construction plan. Initially, the new facility will be smaller than the current space.

Flattery expects a modest bump in attendance at first, but the move is aimed toward a long-term growth strategy.

"Whenever a new church starts, or (a church) moves to a new location, there is a surge of people checking it out," Flattery said. "After that it is going to be the quality of our ministry that keeps people."