Harbor Beach Churches

Harbor Beach's churches reflect the community's religious development from the mid-nineteenth century onward. The First Baptist Church began in Rock Falls about 1864 in a building Jeremiah Jenks built as a gathering place, was organized in 1874 with Reverend A. M. Swain, moved after Jenks shifted his business interests to Sand Beach, opened a new church at First and Broad Streets in 1877, added a parsonage in 1882, and the congregation discontinued meeting in 2009 while the building is now used by the hospital. Reverend Evan L. Davies began Presbyterian preaching in Port Hope and Sand Beach in 1880 on alternating Sundays, and after a delay caused by the fire of 1881, the First Presbyterian Church was completed at State and Third Streets in 1883 and continues to serve area Presbyterians. Reverend Edward Matthews began Free Methodist services on May 26, 1880, in the Rock Falls Schoolhouse, and five years later a church was built at South Second and Trescott streets with a parsonage added in 1893, where the congregation still worships in the original church. Lighthouse Assembly of God was organized in 1924, met in several local buildings for 18 years, built a 22 × 40 foot church at 628 Lytle Avenue in 1942, added a 22 x 38 foot structure in 1967, built a full basement under both structures in 1987, and dedicated its current facility at 8960 Section Line Road in September 2008. Catholic worship in Sand Beach began about 1866 when Father Klug held services in area homes, a 33 × 65 foot church on South First Street called the Mission of St, Vincent de Paul Church began services in 1882, the name changed to Our Lady Of Lake Huron in 1885, a new church was built in 1917, the school opened on September 8, 1924, and the first high school graduation took place in June 1942. The Community of Christ, originally the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first met in several places in eastern Huron County under Elder Tom Rawson, met in the Community House beginning in 1946 through arrangements by Emerson Wood, was organized as an official congregation in 1951 by pastor Elder John Rogers, finished construction of a church building on Trescott St. in 1957, and adopted the name Community of Christ in 2001. Reverend George Owens first held Methodist services in 1857 in a schoolhouse about a mile south of Sand Beach, after a fire destroyed that building in 1871 services moved to a school in Sand Beach, the church at First and Trescott Streets was dedicated in 1880, an addition was built in 1891, and the parsonage was built in 1923. Lutheran services under Pastor William Schwartz began in various homes in 1878, in 1881 a small house southwest of the city was built to serve as church and school, a new brick church opened in 1904, and in 1993 the present Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church building on North Third Street was built.

Harbor Beach, Michigan · United States