Church of the Messiah

In Detroit’s vibrant Islandview community, the Church of the Messiah stands as a testament to faith and action. The Church of the Messiah isn’t just a place of Sunday worship. This 149-year-old Episcopal church is a cornerstone of the community, serving the diverse needs of its Black, White, Asian, and Latino members. The Church of the Messiah fills the gaps, providing everything from affordable housing and employment services to medical care and free internet access. Imagine a church with an 84-member marching band focused on literacy. This is the Church of the Messiah, organizers of the Silence the Violence march, one of the nation’s largest anti-gun violence demonstrations. The Church of the Messiah’s history is just as fascinating as its present. The original structure was designed by Calvin Otis in the early 1850s as St. Paul Protestant Episcopal Cathedral. It featured a distinctive early English Gothic style with lancet windows and a prominent steeple. The interior, however, was kept simple, reminiscent of a New England meetinghouse. Years later, to make way for People’s State Bank, the entire church was moved, stone by stone, to its current location at the corner of E. Grand Boulevard and E. Lafayette. It was then renamed Church of the Messiah. Today, the Church of the Messiah continues its mission of service. It manages 213 units of affordable housing through its housing corporation and offers a wide array of programs under the BLVD Harambee initiative. This includes youth mentoring, community leadership development, and even a health clinic. The Church of the Messiah is more than just a church; it is a beacon of hope, a testament to the power of community, and a vital resource for the Islandview neighborhood.