First Evangelical Lutheran Church

About this church

First Evangelical Lutheran Church holds Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. at 627 Taylor Street in Pecatonica, preceded by fellowship at 9:30. The service is streamed on Facebook and YouTube, with the live feed beginning shortly before worship. This Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregation combines traditional Lutheran worship with some contemporary elements and celebrates Holy Communion every week. Its roots reach back to 1857, when Swedish immigrants established the congregation; today it serves Pecatonica, Winnebago, Durand, Byron, Westlake Village, and nearby rural communities.

During the school year, Sunday School for preschool through fifth grade follows the worship service. First Communion and confirmation instruction are offered as needed, and ministry listings also include children, teenagers, young adults, outreach, women, and a men's Bible study. The church presents itself as a small-town congregation with a family atmosphere, making the fellowship hour a useful low-pressure introduction for someone who wants conversation before worship. Families should confirm the school-year calendar before expecting a class, while people planning an online first visit can use the livestream archive to become familiar with the service. For an in-person visit, arriving before 10:30 leaves time to locate the sanctuary and ask about Communion or children's programming.

Researched from the church’s official website and reviewed August 26, 2026. Sources: Official homepage, Sunday fellowship and worship schedule, livestream, ELCA iden · Official newcomer page, weekly Communion, Sunday School, streaming, family atmos · Official about page, Northern Illinois Synod affiliation, worship character, and · Official ministries page, children, youth, young adults, outreach, women, and me

Service times

Confirm current times directly with the church before visiting.

Ministries and visitor notes

• School-Year Sunday School Preschool-Grade Five — After Worship

Location