Ministry: Past, Present and Future…
Past ~
History relates that in 1854, Sylvester Walker, owner of the Walker Tavern, helped form a committee dedicated to the building of a church to serve a congregation that had been meeting in people’s homes since the early 1840’s. William Blackmar, who had already given land for a cemetery, said that he would donate hilltop land for one church for the neighb
orhood. To cause no hard feelings, he proposed that the first person to supply bricks for the new church would be able to choose the denomination. Alonzo Smith quickly hurried home, and drove his team of horses to Jackson. He awoke the brick merchant and just as the sun was rising over the Irish Hills, arrived at the hilltop place where the new church would stand. By his quick action he earned the right to name the church and he proclaimed that the church on the hill would always be “Episcopal.” St. Michael’s cornerstone was laid in 1855 and the church was consecrated in 1858. William Narcissus Lyster, an Irish missionary who it is said gave the name “Irish Hills” to this area, was the first rector, and served the congregation from 1843 to 1870. Michael’s is one of the oldest churches in Lower Michigan, and is registered as a State Historical Site. Michael’s is a Welcoming and Affirming Episcopal Church embracing Total Ministry. We believe that as baptized Christians, we are all empowered through the sacrament of Baptism to use the gifts and skills for ministry that God has given to each of us. Total Ministry (also known as “Shared Ministry” or “Baptismal Ministry”) provides members of a congregation an opportunity to identify, develop, and use those gifts both within the congregation and out in the world in which we live our day to day lives. Every member of our congregation is invited and encouraged to use their unique set of gifts to carry out the ministries that God has called them to. Michael’s currently has a team of five people who studied together as a Covenant Group, and have become the Ministry Support Team for our congregation. Our team has one priest, two deacons, and two people commissioned in the ministries
of pastoral care and preaching. Our Ministry Support Team is not here to “do” ministry for us. They are here to support us as we do ministry together. Though this seems to be a new and different way of being the Church, New Testament scripture tells us that it’s really a very old and, in fact, the very first way of being the Church. The earliest form of ministry was to gather together as the “Body of Christ,” share bread and wine “in remembrance of me” as was Jesus’ charge, and to go out into the world “to do the work God has given us to do.” Sadly, as years went on, the Church became an institution with a separation of orders with the ordained doing the ministry while congregations became mere observers. Joyfully we’re returning to basics where all the baptized are empowered for ministry and we all are carrying out the ministries of priest, deacon, music, healing, care giving, teaching, preaching, hospitality, stewardship and whatever wonderful gifts God has chosen to implant in our St. Future ~
Total Ministry is a continuous process of gift identification, discernment and education. Once a Covenant Group has completed the journey to ordination and commissioning they become the Ministry Support Team. They will then be responsible to support and assist in developing the ministry of all the members of the congregation. As each Covenant Group completes the transition into a Ministry Support Team, a new generation will begin their journey and a new Covenant Group will be formed. Those who choose to make the commitment will enter the process of affirmation as postulants and candidates to fulfill all requirements of the Episcopal Church and will continue to study and pursue ordination or commissioning. As a Total Ministry congregation we no longer have to be a people gathered around a minister. We are privileged to be a ministering people, engaging the gifts God has given to us for the welfare of our church and our community. Thanks be to God for the gift of Total Ministry!
