Reverend Chapin resigned her position in 1891 and was replaced by Dr. Rodney Johonnot. Church attendance had reached an all time high and the Sunday school attendance has also grown. Dr. Johonnot suggested the establishment of a new church building fund. His thoughts proved to be prescient.

In the middle of the night of June 6th 1905, during a violent storm, lightning struck the spire of the wood frame Unitarian Church in Oak Park. By dawn, it had burned to the ground.

The following morning, Frank Lloyd Wright put himself forward to design a new church.