The work of the Evangelical Church in Michigan began with Rev. Solomon Altimos in 1939, and the Michigan Conference was organized in Carey, Ohio, in 1864. Sixty feet north of this boulder stood the church where the first annual session was held April 12-17, 1865, with Bishop Joseph Long as chairman. Church members in the Conference numbered 1414 in 1865 and 13,071 in 1933. Charter members of the conference were Presiding Elders D. Strohman and A. Nicolai, J. Borough, J.M. Fuchs, S. Henne, D.C. Rohland, M. Alsbach, Jno. Meck, Geo. Doll, R. Riegel, C. Deike, J. Paulin, and M. Speck.