Winnetka Congregational Church

While not nearly as imposing as the controverted Oak Cliff Christian Church, the two-story brick and stone building at 410 S. Windomere north of Twelfth St. is a unique building worth preserving. At least it’s unlikely the DISD will need to acquire the property (sealing its doom in my opinion), since the recently modernized Greiner Middle School lies across the street.

The Winnetka Congregational Church was organized about 1914. In 1915 they had a Sunday School attendance of about 60 and originally held services in a one-story frame building across the street from the present church. They called themselves “An Independent Bible Church” and were allied with the Dallas Theological Seminary (founded by the above Lewis Sperry Chafer) and the Dallas Bible Institute, and 8 out of 10 Sundays you could find an itinerant preacher giving the sermon. Some of the pastors through the years included J.W. Logan (maybe the 1st pastor), Allen Crabtree in the early 1920s, Ray D. Fortna in 1929, T. Warwick Brandon in 1933, W.W. Orr in 1937, and Floyd W. Shiery, who left in 1943 to become an army chaplain.

Ground was broken for the current 4600 square foot church in October 1929. It was designed by architect T. J. Galbraith and built by local contractors Eckert-Burton at a cost of $33,000. The 46×100 foot building would include 14 Sunday School rooms, a main auditorium, and a basement.
The last mention I could find of Winnetka Congregational Church was October 1955, under Pastor Estil Schale. Until about 2008 the building was home to El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church.

In 2010 a reader, ElZilcho, told me the church was closed a few years ago and was being converted into a single family home/photo studio. What an innovation - I'll bet the light is great!