Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Governing body of the Church of God denomination in Michigan. Administrative records, 1925-1988, including annual reports, minutes of Michigan Ministerial Assembly, and minutes and reports of various church committees, divisions, and boards; correspondence with various individual congregations, also collected historical materials about specific congregations; correspondence of executive secretary-treasurer Gale Hetrick; correspondence files of other clergy and church officials; historical materials collected by Hetrick as background for his history of the church; audio-tapes; and photographs.

The records of the Church of God in Michigan consist primarily of correspondence, administrative records, collected historical files, and photographs and audio-tapes, covering the period of 1880 to 1988. The bulk of the records date from 1920, the year of the founding of the Michigan Ministerial Assembly. In large part, the collection was collected and maintained by church historian and executive secretary, Gale Hetrick.

The collection divides into eleven series: Michigan Ministerial Assembly; Administrative Records; Congregational Records; Congregation Historical Materials; Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Gale Hetrick, Correspondence Files; Correspondence with Clergy and Church Officers; Church Organizational Files; Printed Material; Collected Historical Materials; Audio-tapes; and Photographs. The final two series, Audio-tapes and Photographs are unprocessed.

Episcopal church located in Detroit, Michigan; church records include church histories, vestry minutes, annual parish meeting minutes and reports, membership directories and card indexes, scattered correspondence and bulletins, records of church women's organization, and photographs.; also register of baptisms, marriages, burials, and communicants; and registers of church services.

The records of the Church of the Ascension Church span most of this parish's history, though there are many gaps especially in the late 1970s through to its demise in the 1980s. The record group is strongest for the middle period of the church's history. There is unfortunately little material relating to the ethnic changeover of the church in its last decade. The record group has been arranged into the following series: Registers of baptisms, burials, marriages, communicants; Registers of church services; Historical/background information; Vestry meeting minutes; Parish meetings/reports; Church Office; and Church organizations. The Historical/Background Information series includes written histories, newspaper clippings, and photographs of church personalities and activities. The greatest depth of information about the church is found in the run of Vestry meeting minutes and the series of Parish meetings/reports.

Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) in Dearborn Heights, Michigan was established in 1954. In 1990, the church building was sold; and in 1998, the congregation officially disbanded. The records include a complete register of church vital records, parochial reports, and annual reports.

The records of the Church of the Good Shepherd are perhaps of most value for their genealogical information about church families. In addition, the records include a complete church register and an inclusive series of parochial reports, Bishop's Committee meetings, church school records, and annual reports. Church histories were written in 1959 and 1981 and a scrapbook spanning the life of the church combines pictures and newspaper clippings.

The records have been arranged into the following series: Registers of Baptisms, Marriages, Burials, Communicants, etc.; Administration; Membership; Activities; and Historical and Background Information.

The records of the Church of the Holy Spirit have been arranged into the following series: Registers of baptisms, communicants, burials, marriages, etc.; Registers of church services; Bishop's Committee; Reports; Bulletins and newsletters; Miscellaneous; and Membership records.

Episcopal Church in Detroit, Michigan with long history of involvement in social action activities and urban ministry. Records include minutes, registers, scrapbooks and photographs.

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).