St. George's Epsicopal Church

St. George’s Episcopal Church
105 East D Street  (East D & High Streets)
Belleville, IL  62220
618-233-6320

The current church (where the wedding ceremony will be) is on the left.  The original 1882 church is on the right and is now a chapel.

www.stgeorgesbellevilleil.com/

St. George’s Church is a parish of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and of the Diocese of Springfield.  St. George’s Church has been worshipping at the corner of North High and East D Streets since 1882, first in the original church, which is now the chapel, and in the present church building since 1991.  In 1982 St. George’s Parish invited St. Mark Lutheran Church to use its buildings for worship and its other ministries.  Since that time, the two congregations have worshipped and worked side by side.

By sharing the same buildings, St. Mark and St. George’s live out a 1982 agreement between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America which encourages congregations of both denominations to share facilities, carry out joint programs in education and community outreach, and authorizes Joint Celebrations of the Holy Eucharist.  Both parishes jointly operate of one of the larger food pantries in St. Clair County and other outreach ministries in the Belleville Area.  They hope that these joint ministries provide a working model of ecumenical cooperation built on mutual respect for our differences but especially on the belief that we have been made One in Christ through our faith.

There are 7 handicapped parking spots at the rear of the church on the Jackson Street side.  If you can be dropped off or are having a good day, please save these spots for someone more disabled than you who is driving alone.  There is a drive-up area for drop off and pick up right at the church entrance through the handicapped parking area.  This is an accessible entrance area.

Otherwise, parking is on the street or across the corner of High Street and East D Street in the parking lot.  From the High Street side, you may enter the church by coming up the steps on the outside, or you may enter through the street level parish hall (which will be getting set up and decorated for the reception) and then take the elevator to the church level.

Directions to the church: St. George's is literally behind the Ace Hardware on N. Illinois Street in Belleville. 
(Note:  If you use mapquest or other map websites, it will probably direct you to come to Belleville via I-64 to Illinois 159.  This is perhaps more direct but not a more convenient route because it has bad traffic on the weekends and necessitates many left turns across traffic without lights.)

If you're coming from St. Louis or the west, cross the river at I-255 (JB Bridge) and continue north.  Or you may cross the river at I-55/70/highway 40 at the Poplar Street Bridge and continue to I-64 East (toward Louisville) to I-255 South (toward Memphis).  From either direction, exit at highway 15 (exit #17A) east toward Belleville.  Travel about 8 miles and exit at South Illinois Street highway 159 toward Smithton and Red Bud.  At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn left and go back UNDER highway 15.  You will pass a Subway and Denny's on the right.  You are now going northbound on hwy 159, also known as S. Illinois Street.

Continue northbound on S. Illinois Street.  There will be stop lights at S. Belt (by BP and Hardees), at Monroe Street (by Jack in the Box), at Washington Street and Lincoln Street.  You will come to the intersection with Main Street where there is a fountain and a circle of streets.  Circle to the right and continue northbound on S. Illinois Street, which will become N. Illinois Street once you cross Main Street.  (Interesting note:  Belleville has the longest Main Street of anywhere in America.)

IMPORTANT NOTE:  This is NOT like a roundabout in England where everyone yields.  This is a free-for-all and everyone is out to run into you, so be extremely careful.

There will be a traffic light at A Street (by the bank).  Continue about 1/2 a mile.  There will be another stop light near Salvation Army and at the next street, just prior to Ace Hardware, you will turn right onto East D Street.  There is a tattoo parlor on the corner.

St. George's in one block away at the intersection with High Street.  Parking is in the lot catty-corner from the church or on the street.

If you're coming from the Casino Queen--ride the wedding bus.  Driving yourself from the Casino Queen:  Follow the signs to I-64 eastbound.  Approximately 3 miles, exit at I-255 South (toward Memphis).  Drive approximately 3 miles, exit at highway 15 (exit #17A) east toward Belleville.  Travel about 8 miles and exit at South Illinois Street highway 159 toward Smithton and Red Bud.  At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn left and go back UNDER highway 15.  You will pass a Subway and Denny's on the right.  You are now going northbound on hwy 159, also known as S. Illinois Street.  Follow the remaining directions above.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  It's a straight shot from the Casino Queen through East St. Louis to highway 15.  While this is significantly shorter and I have driven it many times in the day, this is a high crime area and I would not drive it after dark and I would be leery of driving it in the day as an obvious tourist.