About Us

We Are MGCC

Morton Grove Community Church is an LGBTQ+ friendly community church based in Morton Grove, Illinois. Founded in 1951, we welcome all people of all faiths, creeds, sexual orientations, gender identities, races, and backgrounds. Our church is a place of love, acceptance, and spiritual growth. We believe in the importance of community and strive to create a welcoming environment for all who seek to explore and deepen their faith.

our pastor

Reverend Beth Guzman

Pastor
revbeth@mgccpresbyterian.com

Pastor Beth (she/her) is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She was raised Catholic, and enjoyed being educated by and working for the Jesuits for many years before her arrival in the PC(USA). She worked in Youth Ministry for a decade in both parish and educational settings. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from the Institute of Pastoral Studies at LUC, and a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where she adored learning Biblical Hebrew. Beth began her call with the good people of Morton Grove Community Church in December of 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. They have seen each other through many ups and downs in the past few years, and she is proud to say that pastoring a congregation is the most meaningful work that she’s ever done. Beth is the proud owner of a 100-year old Craftsman style bungalow in Chicago, where she lives with her two teenage daughters.

Meet the Team

Administrative Assistant

Deanna Montgomery

Deanna (she/her/hers) has been a part of the Morton Grove Community Church for about 30 years. She has held a variety of volunteer positions with the church, and particularly enjoyed her involvement with the youth through the Appalachian Service Project and the musical energy as a part of the Bell Choir. Deanna started as Administrative Assistant in March 2024, and is beginning to settle into the position. In her free time, Deanna enjoys puttering in her backyard garden, exploring hiking trails anywhere, quilting (for family, new and old), and dancing to whatever music is playing. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Jim, and dog Lily, and is happy to have her three grown children living nearby.

Music Director

Jason Nelson

Jason Nelson (he/him/his) has served as Music Director at MGCC since 2015. A pianist with extensive experience in both classical and jazz repertoire, he enjoys injecting creativity and diverse styles of music into services. In his time with MGCC, he has composed multiple musical works, including several mini-musicals, a Christmas Concerto for strings, several vocal solos, and a choral work prepared for a visit by well-known composer Charles Schalk to the church. Jason truly enjoys building relationships with members of the church and other musicians, including the MGCC choir which recently has reformed after COVID. He has played for 9 years in the highly regarded and internationally recognized Oakton Piano ensemble at Oakton College, and has gigged regularly in the Chicago area. He enjoys making hip hop beats, computer programming, and cooking. Jason works at the DuPage Regional Office of Education as an IT professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is your church located?

Morton Grove Community Church is a “church without walls”! We have recently sold our building, and instead are leasing space for worship and our church office in .the Log Cabin behind Skokie Central United Methodist Church at 8237 Kenton Avenue, Skokie, IL 60076. This means that, instead of using our congregational assets to maintain a property, we are able to spend the majority of our resources on our Mission & Ministry. We think that Jesus would approve!

You lease a log cabin? Then where do you worship?

We worship in the Great Hall of the historic log cabin and our office is located in the same building (in Parlor B). We're the only church in Illinois that worships in a log cabin, too!

About the Log Cabin

How do I join services online?

Feel free to join us via Zoom. Click below to receive the link for worship or sign up for emails.

Receive Zoom Link

What is the style of worship at MGCC?

We are a traditional Presbyterian Church in many ways, which means that we follow the Book of Common Worship in line with the PC(USA). However, we also write our own original liturgy every week. This means that worship is never the same! Each worship experience is relevant and unique to that particular week in history. We also like to weave art and more contemporary music into our services during Lent, Advent, and at other times of the year.

I am not a practicing Christian. Am I able to attend worship?

Yes! All are welcome to attend MGCC, regardless of your past or current beliefs, practice, or religion. We are curating a space that is intellectually and spiritually open to many experiences and beliefs.