Episcopal Church of Saint Elizabeth and Santa Teresa de Avila The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
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As you walk into the church, you will find this beautiful statue of St. Elizabeth. St. Elizabeth is the well known cousin of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We hear about her in the first chapter in the Gospel of St. Luke: "In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’"
St. Teresa de Avila is one of the best know saints of the church. St. Teresa is one of the mystics of the middle ages - a contemporary of St. John of the Cross. One of her most quoted works - the "Bookmark" provides comfort to many in times of distress: "Let nothing disturb you; Nothing frighten you. All things are passing. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God. God alone suffices."

In the late 1980s, it was determined by the Diocese of Chicago that with the ever growing number of Hispanics that missions in key parts of the Diocese were needed to welcome and embrace Hispanic Episcopalians. The mission of Santa Teresa began in the Pilson area of the City of Chicago. With growing numbers of parishioners as well as the secure stability of a church building, St. Elizabeth's Church welcomed the parishioners of Sta. Teresa to share their space for worship and fellowship.

In 2003, the churches of St. Elizabeth and Sta. Teresa entered into a covenant to combine the two churches creating a bilingual congregation. Although in the early stages, all parishioners are excited about the merger, reaping from the experiences of the two congregations the merits and gifts to be shared.