Perhaps, like me, you’re struck by the quiet resilience of this building? This is Berea Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church of Highland Park. It stands as a testament to faith and community. Its story is woven into the very fabric of Highland Park.
Berea Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church has a unique history. St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1913. Highland Park was then a growing village. The Ford Plant had just opened. It brought many workers to the area.
In 1926, St. Paul’s built a new church building. It was located at the corner of Eason and Joslyn. Butterfield and Butterfield designed the structure. The church once supported a Cornish population. Many had moved from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They came after the copper boom. In 1953, the church hosted a Cornish-style supper. Films from a trip to Cornwall, England were shown.
In 1957, the congregation hosted an Upper Peninsula Night. It was billed as a “UP Reunion”. Reverends from Houghton, Calumet, Negaunee, and Iron River attended.
St. Paul merged with Berea Methodist Church in the late 1960s. Berea was a black congregation. It was founded in the mid-1930s. In 1941, Berea built a church at 398 La Belle. After the merger, it became Berea-St. Paul United Methodist.
In the mid-1970s, the church offered hot lunch meals for seniors. This was through Project Nutrition. In the 1980s, a children’s summer program was hosted here.
Unfortunately, Berea-St. Paul closed around 2007. Funerals were held consistently until the mid-2000s. By 2011, Powerhouse Temple used the building. In 2017, it was for sale for $120,000. The interior was rugged but usable.
In 2017, Greynite was incorporated. They practiced Zen Buddhism. By 2019, their address was 16241 Joslyn. They renovated the interior. They also hosted outdoor services. They are now selling the building to another nonprofit.
This part of Highland Park is often forgotten. The roads are in poor condition. Many homes have been scrapped. Liberty School, once a jewel of Highland Park, is nearby. It sits in disrepair.
The sanctuary inside Berea Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church features exposed wooden beams. A pipe organ stands ready to fill the space with music. The church can seat over 500 people. Let’s hope that whoever purchases this church does the structure and those remaining in the neighborhood justice.