Grace Chapel (Saginaw, Michigan, USA)
The East Side Mennonite Church in Saginaw, Michigan, began in 1955 as an outreach of the Saginaw Mennonite Church that itself was started in 1950 by LeRoy Bechler to the African American community in Saginaw. Bechler had held a Summer Bible School in the East Side in 1951.
Regular worship services began on 13 February 1955 and were held in the mission house until 1957. This "Fellowship Center"/residence was constructed before a meetinghouse. Melvin Leidig, the mission superintendent, was licensed as the pastor in December 1955. The congregation began to use a new church building in November 1956, but the parsonage and meetinghouse were lost within several years to urban renewal.
The congregation broke ground on a new meetinghouse on James Street on 4 September 1960. It used the name Grace Chapel at the new location. The first service in the new facility took place on 21 May 1961.
Bibliography
"Church becomes self-supporting." Gospel Herald 62, no. 36 (16 September 1969): 816.
Leidig, Lois Gisel. "Providing spiritual opportunities for youth in the city." Gospel Herald 48, no. 13 (29 March 1955): 304.
Nelson, James. "Grace Chapel" Gospel Evangel" 87, no. 5 (September 2006): 3-4.
Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 179, 223, 244, 309.
Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 249-250.
Additional Information
Address: 2202 Janes Avenue, Saginaw, Michigan 48601
Telephone: 989-755-3212
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Grace Chapel
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Melvin D. Leidig (1925-2018) | 1955-1972 |
| Oliver Hardaway (Student) | 1970 |
| John Paul Wenger (1940-2021) | 1972-1989 |
| Wilma Bailey (Assistant) | 1979-1981 |
| Howard Tyler | 1989-1998 |
| James H. Nelson | 1998- |
Grace Chapel Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1961 | 11 |
| 1970 | 32 |
| 1980 | 47 |
| 1990 | 68 |
| 2000 | 68 |
| 2009 | 68 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Grace Chapel (Saginaw, Michigan, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2024. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Chapel_(Saginaw,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179066.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (June 2024). Grace Chapel (Saginaw, Michigan, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Chapel_(Saginaw,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179066.
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