Great Lakes Conference of the ECC

06/28/2026

What a joy to celebrate the ordinations of Laura Jackson and James Bryde at Gather 2026 in Phoenix, AZ. Both serve on the staff of Faith Covenant Church in Farmington Hills, MI - James as Associate Pastor; Laura as Children’s Pastor.

06/24/2026

Head over to our website and sign up for the Pastor's Retreat! greatlakes.cc

06/01/2026

It was bittersweet to worship with Christ Community Church of Allegan, MI yesterday to celebrate the retirement of their beloved Pastor, Wally Coots, and to give thanks for the ministry that Wally and his wife, Donna (leading worship and Bible studies), have provided for the past 11 years. During their tenure, Christ Community Church initiated a significant ministry to homeless people and has grown younger through intentional ministry to children and families. While sad that their pastor is transitioning away, this vibrant, inter-generational church is looking forward to what God has in store for them in the future. Assistant Pastor Karen Ehrich (who is the full time Executive Director of “Allegan County Love Inc.”) will be serving in an interim capacity while the church undergoes a search process. Wally has served as a Covenant Pastor for over 45 years, including a decade at Green Timbers Covenant Church in Surrey, British Columbia, 17 years at Forest Park Covenant Church in Muskegon, MI, 7 years at the Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, and 11 Years at Christ Community Church. The church celebrated their ministry with words of affirmation and appreciation, the gift of a magnificent “friendship quilt” featuring family signatures, and a five-star pot-luck meal. Happy Retirement, Wally and Donna!

PS. Forever a Youth Pastor at heart, Wally dreamed for years that on his last Sunday in pastoral ministry he would preach while wearing shorts. Today his dream came true!

05/27/2026

Good morning! I hope today is a good one!

05/26/2026

It was a joy to worship with Evergreen Covenant Church in Branch, MI, on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The worship and the message were uplifting and compelling. The recognition of men and women who have served our country was powerful. Served by Pastor Keith Foisy and nestled in a beautiful, rural part of western Michigan where many people come from larger cities to spend their summer, the church’s worship attendance increases during the summer months. But throughout the year, Evergreen strives to meet the needs of people who live on the margins in their area with ministry initiatives that address hunger, human trafficking, drug addiction, I.C.E. Detainee ministry, and family support needs.

05/17/2026

It was a great joy to install Dr. Tim Swinson as Pastor of Northport Covenant Church this morning. Tim and his wife Beth Ann come to us from outside the ECC, with a background in church planting, pastoral ministry and teaching. Northport Covenant Church was founded in 1894 by Scandinavian immigrants. The church has been experiencing an influx of youth and young adults thanks to a recent partnership with the local Youth for Christ ministry.

05/15/2026

Save the date!! Fall seems like something far off in the distant future, but we all know how fast the summer flies by - so put this on your calendar! More details to come in the near future!

05/14/2026

Hello! I am hoping to get some more feedback surveys from those that attended our Annual Celebration in Canton at Life Canton last month. We always want to hear what we did right, what we can do better, and if anyone has any suggestions for types of workshops we should offer. Please help us out if you can. Thanks!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/22296VQ

05/14/2026

So awesome! Great job!

A moment 80 years in the making! 🎬🏆

Pictured is filmmaker Dillon Rahill receiving a gift from CWRD Director Nils Clauson at our anniversary gala. Thank you, Dillon, for bringing this story to life.

Go and Do Likewise, our award-winning film celebrating 80 years of God’s faithfulness through CWRD, received "Best Humanitarian Film (Short)" at the World Film Festival in Cannes.

Bring the film to your church. Visit our website to request a viewing kit and access the film.

05/07/2026

Thank you, Life Church Canton!!!
Volunteers and Staff members of Life Church Canton did a wonderful job of preparing for and hosting the 2026 GLC Annual Celebration. The work began months in advance so that all the details could come together for various group gatherings over three days: small groups for credentialing interviews; medium-size groups for equipping workshops, and large groups for business meetings and worship. The team served three meals for almost 100 people each (at tables with beautiful centerpieces) and made sure we had snacks and excellent coffee all day every day. The welcome was warm, the facilities were immaculate, the food was delicious, the tech support was superb, and all our needs were met to be able to conduct all of our meetings in comfort and without distraction. Well done, Life Church Canton. Thank you for blessing all of us with outstanding hospitality!!! Life Canton