The Peoples Church of East Lansing
Encyclopedia
The Peoples Church of East Lansing is an interdenominational Protestant congregation located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan
. It is officially a member of (in alphabetical order) the American Baptist Churches USA
, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ
, and the United Methodist Church
. The congregation's membership currently numbers around 1,300.
tradition. The congregation was the only church in East Lansing, Michigan, which was home to the State Agricultural College of Michigan, which would later become Michigan State University
.
In 1924, the congregation made the decision to dissolve its organization and reincorporate as "The People's Church (Interdenominational)" (the name would be altered to its current form, sans apostrophe, later). The founding denominational partners in this reincorporation were the local association of Congregational Churches, the Methodist Episcopal Church
, the Northern Baptist Convention, and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
. (Each of these four denominations went through mergers or name changes since 1924, resulting in the current four denominational partners). The re-incorporation of the congregation as fully part of four denominations was one of the earliest such attempts at an interdenominational congregation in the United States, and was thus dubbed "The Great Experiment" by then-pastor Newell McCune. The explicit mission of the congregation stated in the 1924 Articles of Agreement was ministry to the students and faculty of (what was at that point) Michigan Agricultural College.
In 1927, the congregation completed their current church building, located at 200 W. Grand River Ave., on the border of the (recently renamed) Michigan State College campus. The congregation remained the only church in East Lansing until 1940, when St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was formed.
By the mid-1960s, The Peoples Church spun off a daughter congregation on the opposite end of East Lansing. This was originally to be named Edgewood Peoples Church and also affiliated with all four denominations, but in the end would be named Edgewood United Church, affiliated with just the United Church of Christ
.
In 1965, the church building suffered a massive fire that originated in the pipe organ
. By cutting holes in the sanctuary roof to allow the hot gasses to escape, firefighters were able to save the rest of the building (which surrounded the sanctuary on two sides). Following the fire, the interior of the sanctuary was remodeled in a more contemporary style, including the creation of a prominent stained glass window above the Chancel. During reconstruction an addition was also built to house new church offices.
The Peoples Church of East Lansing is the officially supported campus ministry to Michigan State University for both the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ.
Current Pastoral Staff include:
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
. It is officially a member of (in alphabetical order) the American Baptist Churches USA
American Baptist Churches USA
The American Baptist Churches USA is a Baptist Christian denomination within the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization is usually considered mainline, although varying theological and mission emphases may be found among its...
, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, and the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. The congregation's membership currently numbers around 1,300.
History
The congregation known as The Peoples Church of East Lansing began in 1907 as People's Congregational Church; as indicated by the name, the congregation was in the CongregationalistCongregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
tradition. The congregation was the only church in East Lansing, Michigan, which was home to the State Agricultural College of Michigan, which would later become Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
.
In 1924, the congregation made the decision to dissolve its organization and reincorporate as "The People's Church (Interdenominational)" (the name would be altered to its current form, sans apostrophe, later). The founding denominational partners in this reincorporation were the local association of Congregational Churches, the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, the Northern Baptist Convention, and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America was a Presbyterian denomination in the United States. It was organized in 1789 under the leadership of John Witherspoon in the wake of the American Revolution and existed until 1958 when it merged with the United Presbyterian Church of North...
. (Each of these four denominations went through mergers or name changes since 1924, resulting in the current four denominational partners). The re-incorporation of the congregation as fully part of four denominations was one of the earliest such attempts at an interdenominational congregation in the United States, and was thus dubbed "The Great Experiment" by then-pastor Newell McCune. The explicit mission of the congregation stated in the 1924 Articles of Agreement was ministry to the students and faculty of (what was at that point) Michigan Agricultural College.
In 1927, the congregation completed their current church building, located at 200 W. Grand River Ave., on the border of the (recently renamed) Michigan State College campus. The congregation remained the only church in East Lansing until 1940, when St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was formed.
By the mid-1960s, The Peoples Church spun off a daughter congregation on the opposite end of East Lansing. This was originally to be named Edgewood Peoples Church and also affiliated with all four denominations, but in the end would be named Edgewood United Church, affiliated with just the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
.
In 1965, the church building suffered a massive fire that originated in the pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
. By cutting holes in the sanctuary roof to allow the hot gasses to escape, firefighters were able to save the rest of the building (which surrounded the sanctuary on two sides). Following the fire, the interior of the sanctuary was remodeled in a more contemporary style, including the creation of a prominent stained glass window above the Chancel. During reconstruction an addition was also built to house new church offices.
Senior Pastors
- The Rev. F.W. Corbett (Methodist Episcopal), 1907-09
- The Rev. Robert Goldsmith (Presbyterian), 1909-11
- The Rev. William S. Steenma (Congregationalist), 1910-16
- The Rev. James T. Jones (Congregationalist), 1916-17
- The Rev. Dr. Newell A. McCune (Methodist Episcopal), 1917-49
- The Rev. C. Brandt Tefft (Congregationalist / United Church of Christ), 1949-60
- The Rev. Dr. G. Wallace Robertson (Presbyterian), 1960-76
- The Rev. Dr. Jack Boelens (Presbyterian), 1977-79
- The Rev. Dr. Richard C. Devor (United Methodist), 1980-84
- The Rev. Dr. Richard E. Murdoch (Presbyterian), 1984-94
- The Rev. Michael L. Dunkelberger (Presbyterian), 1996-98
- The Rev. Dr. Harry H. Johnson (Presbyterian), 2000-2010
- The Rev. Andrew D. Pomerville (Presbyterian), 2011-Present
Current Life
While no longer, in some sense, the university church, The Peoples Church of East Lansing remains a prominent congregation in the Greater Lansing-East Lansing area.The Peoples Church of East Lansing is the officially supported campus ministry to Michigan State University for both the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ.
Current Pastoral Staff include:
- Rev. Andrew Pomerville (Presbyterian), Senior Pastor
- Rev. Penny Swartz (Congregationalist), Associate Pastor
- Rev. Dr. Frank McAuley (Methodist), Interim Associate Pastor
External links
- The Peoples Church — Official website
- Peoples EVOLution Campus Ministry of The Peoples Church
- East Lansing - Peoples Church — Further history of the church and its buildings