The records of the Church of the Messiah (2.5 linear ft., 1875-1988) span most of it's years -- from establishment in 1874 through several transitional periods and into the late 80s. The collection consists mainly of ledger books and record books, collected material pertaining to church history, scrapbooks of clippings, and photographs. There are four series in the Church of the Messiah collection: Minutes, Registers, Scrapbooks and Miscellaneous Material, and Photographs.
Researchers should note that Church of the Messiah collaborated in ministry with Epiphany Episcopal Church in the early 1970s. The two churches merged in 1974. The Bentley Historical Library holds a small collection of Epiphany records (1 linear ft. and 4 oversized volumes).
The Church of the Messiah began as a mission of Christ Church, Detroit, holding its initial service in November of 1874. Four years later, the first chapel of the Messiah was erected at the corner of Mt. Elliott and East Fort. Messiah was officially recognized as a Diocesan Mission in 1880 and achieved parish status in 1885 with the Rev. G. Mott Williams (later to become Bishop of Marquette) as its first rector. The congregation continued to expand and by 1897 had outgrown its chapel, worshipping in the parish hall.
In 1899, the Messiah congregation made an agreement to buy the materials of St. Paul's Church at Shelby and Congress (the oldest Episcopal congregation in Detroit) for $1,000, and to use the material to construct a new church as much like St. Paul's as possible. It cost $28,000 to move and rebuild the structure. Many who wished to see the old church they knew and loved preserved, contributed toward the expense. Relocation began in 1900, was completed a year later, and a dedication service was held November 3, 1901 -- twenty-seven years after Messiah began and fifty years after the original St. Paul's was built.
Church of the Messiah became a large and diverse congregation in its new location on East Grand Boulevard and prospered as the neighborhood around it flourished. Well-known Detroiters of the early part of the century were members, as well as blue-collar workers and middle-class families. In 1922, a large parish house was built to house the abundant activities of the church. There were 1,500 communicants in the 1920s, and the church continued to serve the neighborhood effectively through the decade that followed. A decline began in the late 40s, however, as families began to move out of the area. Membership and attendance dipped significantly in the 1950s and 1960s as the neighborhood fell into urban decline.
In 1970, Archdeacon Irving Mayson envisioned a black / white team ministry to bring renewed life to both Messiah and another east side parish, Church of the Epiphany. (Epiphany, located at Cadillac and Kercheval, was organized in 1895 and admitted as a parish in 1911). In 1971, Ron Spann and Dean Cole were hired, soon to be joined by others who shared a vision for urban ministry. Influenced by charismatic renewal at Houston's Church of the Redeemer, Spann and Cole arrived with a vision for Christian community and a desire for strong commitment to the neighborhood. Several months later, Church of the Redeemer sent two of its members to spend a year at Church of the Messiah. The roots of a new community were formed as people moved into the neighborhood and drove in from the suburbs to become part of the vision. An active lay leadership evolved.
By 1974, Church of the Epiphany was sold and ministry was consolidated at Church of the Messiah. Some members left, including Cole, but many others were drawn to the congregation. Extended family households were established for members interested in a shared economic lifestyle. Work crews were established for parishioners who needed a structured work environment. An accredited private elementary school and a day care center were created; a food purchasing group organized; and a performing team, The Fisherfolk, ministered through the arts.
In the second half of the 1970s, the congregation addressed issues well beyond immediate boundaries. A global consciousness toward broad-based social issues emerged, and Messiah members included these concerns in their worship. The Messiah Peace Ministry held retreats to focus on resisting the arms race. Members embarked on peace missions to Nigeria, South Africa, and Nicaragua. They joined with churches in Houston, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Berkeley in 1977 to form a socially oriented group called "Community of Communities." Addressing bigotry in all its manifestations, including racism, classism, and sexism, was high on the agenda.
In the meantime, however, the predominately black, lower-income neighborhood surrounding Church of the Messiah continued to deteriorate, and concern for justice hit closer to home. Neighborhood involvement led to the purchase and ownership of threatened nearby apartment buildings. The buildings eventually became cooperatives owned and operated by tenants, a pioneering initiative consciously designed to empower lower-income residents. The housing corporation sought to build community spirit and to address the needs of a disenfranchised population, not only in housing but in economics, crime, health, education, social welfare, and political empowerment.
By 1986, a dynamic full-time youth director provided tutoring, weekly discussion classes, scholarships, field trips, recreation, and summer employment. Over the years youth ministry leaders continued to provide educational, spiritual and recreational activities for youth in the neighborhood. Nutritional needs of the elderly were served by the Senior Citizens Food Pantry, and many people living in foster-care facilities and nursing homes along the Boulevard became members of the congregation.
The community continues to grapple with and to respond to change, convinced that the future of the church rests essentially with the quality of the relationship it shares with those in its neighborhood. What was once a largely white middle-class congregation of people, many of whom at one time came into the city from the suburbs, is now a racially mixed, neighborhood church with a unique and unusually committed congregation and a rich and notable history.
