By Jeff Vorva and Jessie Molloy
Chicago Christian High School went through an extensive face-lift with its commons area and entrance way and other improvements in 2024.
That’s just a precursor of what could happen next.
Chicago Christian Schools became the first entity to publicly announce its intentions to attempt to purchase the recently closed Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, which is next door to the high school.
Chicago Christian Schools Superintendent Mark Hamstra said in a video that the newly formed Chicago Christian Educational Opportunity LLC, a group of investment partners united by a “shared belief that Christian education matters deeply,” will fund the purchase.
“We believe this is a milestone moment,” he said. “It creates a generational opportunity to retain decades of kingdom investment on the Trinity property and put it to use for years to come.”
He added that because of the new partnership, no CC tuition dollars, operational funds or current campaign funds will be used for the acquisition. The offering price of the purchase has not yet been disclosed.
It would be a blank canvas for the school on how the 60-acre property will be used. Hamstra said plans for the property are being evaluated
“We could not be more excited about the possibility this creates,” he said. “We believe so deeply in our vision that every Christian family throughout the Chicago Southland should have access to an excellent Christ-centered education.”
The announcement comes following months of collaboration between Chicago Christian Schools, CCS Foundation, investors, and community stakeholders seeking a path forward for the potential purchase.
“This has been an extraordinary effort involving many people who care deeply about preserving the long standing legacy of Christian education on this campus and its impact on the broader Palos Heights community,” Hamstra said.
The purchase agreement includes the TCC campus and related holdings, with closing anticipated later this year pending completion of customary transition and review procedures.
Since 1959, Trinity Christian College has served as a center for Christian higher education throughout the Chicago area.
“This is both a humbling and exciting moment for our community,” said Dave Gabrielse, president of the CCS Board of Directors in a news release. “We are grateful for Trinity’s longstanding contribution to Christian education and believe this effort creates opportunities for meaningful impact in the years ahead.”
Palos Heights officials are also excited about the move. Since the school announced in the fall that it would close after this school year, Mayor Bob Straz and the village council were at first left in the dark about what was going to happen with the property.
But in recent months. Straz and other officials toured the campus and were privy to some of the inner workings of what could happen, though he said last month he wasn’t allowed to publicly talk about it.
Now that Chicago Christian made its announcement, the village’s officials talked about it at their June 2 council meeting.
Straz said that the city is “hopeful for the opportunity” and called the potential purchase “an exciting continuation of the Christian education that’s been here for decades.”
“Chicago Christian saw an opportunity and stepped up,” Straz said, noting that the city is looking forward to working with them with the property.
Trinity announced it would be shutting its doors at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
In addition to Chicago Christian High School, Chicago Christian Schools operates early childhood education and elementary/middle school campuses in both Oak Lawn and Tinley Park.
The organization is non-denominational, but is rooted in Reform Christianity. Trinity Christian College was also based in Reform Christianity.