(Photo submitted to Journal)

NEGAUNEE — St. John’s Episcopal Church found its roots in a house along the shores of Teal Lake in what has been called by local historians call the White House — the first summer home built on Teal Lake by wealthy Ohio businessman James Reynolds.

“He was accustomed to invite friends to his summer home on the Sabbath day and lead the service of his church,” the mifamilyhistory.org website states.

In 1869, the congregation moved to its current location, a gothic-style church at 101 E. Main Street in Negaunee originally occupied by the Union Church where all the Protestant people in the community held services. The structure was built in 1868 and transferred to St. John’s in 1869, and since then, the parish has been the only continuously occupied Episcopal church in the Upper Peninsula, the Northern Michigan Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan States. That same year, St. Johns Church joined the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.

While a lot has changed since services first began that white house, the thing that remains constant is the parishioners service to God, others and their community.

Kathy Binoniemi, who is the secretary of St. John’s vestry, or board of directors, said in her 30 years at the parish she is struck by the people there, and the spirit of inclusion.

“They just accept you as you are,” Binoniemi said. “They are a hard-working blue collar group of people who would give you the shirt off of their backs. Everyone has their own gifts, and each seems to have their own ministry, without realizing what they are doing for others and the community, or how they are helping…just little things you take for granted that they just do without thinking about it.”

One parishioner is a Vietnam veteran in his 70s, she said, who mentors students in Northern Michigan University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps, others are active in the local food pantry or simply visiting people when they are sick.

The parish celebrated its 150th anniversary on Nov. 2 with a special service presided over NMED Bishop Rayford Ray, including communion, special music provided by the Negaunee Emmanuel Lutheran Church choir and a potluck meal afterward.

“Two of our former rectors came for the service, one all the way from Maine and the other from Nebraska,” Binoniemi said. “And the big potluck afterward … in our church nothing is complete without food.”

Although parish has shrunk to about 25 members, Binoniemi said, it has survived, in part, due to the implementation of “mutual ministry” by the church several decades ago, a practice that emphasizes the training and empowerment of local church leadership and the use of voluntary clergy.

The church’s current leaders Reverend John Lenten and Reverend Jim Martindale are an example of this practice.

“Church leaders saw, that with communities being spread out, it would be better to have (local church leadership) discerned by the people in their own churches, rather than employ a full time priest which could be expensive,” Binoniemi said. “They are ordained as priests in their own churches after going through about three years of training. They preside over church services, and they are able to do weddings and funerals. Everything a priest can do, they can do.”

The church has put out a call for new membership, she said, with a trifold brochure that provides information on the parish and its people.

“It is a great place to feel included and accepted,” Binoniemi said. “We believe that everyone has their own gifts, some have the gift of communication, some organization and so on and everyone should use those gift.”

Or perhaps the brochure says it best: “We believe God loves you, no exceptions.”

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.