History

In 1841 the Clarkston Methodist Episcopal Church was chartered. There is little written to describe what those charter members thought their particular mission was as a church in the then rural countryside of Michigan. Over the years, the church offered worship, Christian education, fellowship and mission. It is safe to say that there were some years it has been impassioned in fulfilling mission and some that it was lost in complacency. Few churches, if any, avoid the roller coaster swings of faithfulness and spiritual vitality. The original church building was located at the corner of Buffalo and Church streets. After fire destroyed a number of frame buildings, the brick edifice at Church and Buffalo streets, which now serves as a private home, was built in 1897 and served the congregation for over 60 years.

In the 1950’s this congregation was an established presence in the community lodged in one of the great historic buildings on E. Church and Buffalo street. In the middle of that decade, something stirred to challenge the status quo of this church. The historical retelling of what happened is still available from a few who were there at the time. A congregational member donated a seven acre site in 1957, where the current building now stands. The congregation went to the location and outlined plans for the new church taken in an aerial photo.

The congregation made the decision to move from its long loved location and build a new church. This kind of decision never comes casually in the life of a church. Over the years members attach a great deal of importance on the places where they have worshiped, married, baptized, buried and celebrated resurrection. The only way to be able to find the way to leave such a sacred location is to discover a greater calling and purpose that compels a decision to move. When our spiritual parents made the decision to come down the hill to the present location of the church, they were literally taking a huge step of faith. There was no certainty that God would bless their action, that ministry would flourish or that others would come to share in the work. There was only the commitment to faithfully follow where they felt God was leading them.

The faithfulness of God quickly became evident by the vitality of ministry of the congregation. The church grew from a membership of 430 in 1950 to 880 in 1960. Some might perceive that people were drawn to this church because of the beauty of the building or the charisma of certain pastors or church program. The truth is that this congregation grew because whenever the people of God act in faith as they engage in mission, a blessing follows. Since that time, the church has maintained faithful ministry. Today we have grown to a membership near 1400 and a worship attendance of nearly 600. In the midst of national church decline in members and attendance this is an accomplishment onits own. Over those 42 years there have been the typical church life moments of comedy, pain, triumph and failure. Throughout it all, this congregation has had a significant presence in the community and engaged in quality ministry. . However, the world around us has changed and the county around us has exploded in population and evolved in character. Northern Oakland County is a very different place since the early 60’s and Clarkston has been on a fast track pace of change even more recently than that. The population growth of the area and the changing needs of the community, church and individuals led to a need to begin to raise questions concerning the future direction and mission of Clarkston UMC.