The Presbytery of
Lake Michigan had its beginnings in the 1830s as churches were
formed in settlements along the road connecting Chicago and
Detroit. In Edwardsburg, three people promised to form a church
whose members swore they “neither drank, manufactured,
or trafficked in spirits.” From these humble beginnings
the presbytery has grown to 18,077 members in 70 congregations,
one new church development, and one immigrant fellowship.
Today, ministries all over the Presbytery of Lake Michigan
grew from a germ of an idea to blossom into flourishing witnesses
of Christian faith. In Holland, Amy Devanney saw a need for
cross-cultural understanding between her congregation and the
growing Hispanic population. Now the Reciprocal Language Project
pairs one English learner with one Spanish learner. Every week
they teach each other their native language. Strong bonds of
friendship, their mutual excitement at achieving a goal, and
increased understanding of each other’s culture have made
this program a community asset.
In Homer, a harvest dinner for the community has grown to monthly
dinners, open to everyone, that have become an important gathering
for older adults in particular. The presbytery’s partnership
with the Ho East Presbytery in Ghana came about after several
churches discovered they were all relating to different congregations
in Ghana and could strengthen their work in a partnership between
the presbyteries and the PC(USA). The presbytery also has a
partnership with CEPAD Nueva Guinea in Nicaragua. |
