Wonder what makes Kirk of Our Savior a family church? It is a place where love abounds. The Kirk of Our Savior began as a mission church. It was called the Nankin Mission of the Garden City Presbyterian Church. The first worship service was on July 7 1958. It took place at the Cady School. The school was on the corner of Cherry Hill and Wayne Road in Westland Michigan.
The members chose the name Kirk of Our Savior in 1960. This honored Scottish tradition. Kirk means church in Scottish. On Pentecost Sunday June 5 1960 the Kirk was officially organized. This was done by the Presbytery of Detroit.
The congregation bought eight acres of land on March 12 1961. This land is the present location of the Kirk. It is on Cherry Hill Road in Westland. A building fund campaign was successful. The groundbreaking ceremony was on July 7 1963. The Kirk held its first worship service in the new sanctuary on December 22 1963.
Since then Kirk of Our Savior has been known as a family church. It is devoted to mission. The people of the Kirk are generous. They are loyal to each other. They are also loyal to Jesus Christ.
The Kirk enjoys traditional worship. It also tries new things. It seeks new ways to worship God. People are comfortable expressing themselves. They laugh. They sing. They enjoy the sermon. Children’s time is special. The Kirk believes in having fun. It enjoys fellowship. Each week it reminds each other of this. It does so in many ways.
Reverend Michael Beckman has been the pastor since 2015. He was born in Pennsylvania. He grew up in Texas and Oklahoma. He graduated from the University of Delaware. He worked many jobs before ministry. He was a social worker. He was a salesman. He directed a daycare center. He was a substitute teacher. He felt a call to ministry. He earned his Master of Divinity degree. He attended Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Pastor Mike loves nature. He is a sports fan. He loves the Philadelphia Eagles. He loves the Philadelphia Phillies. He loves the Michigan Wolverines. He loves the Oklahoma Sooners. He loves Reader’s Digest. He loves coffee. He loves the beach. He loves singing in the car or sanctuary.
Carolyn Marnon has been the administrative assistant since January 2015. She is from Portland Oregon. She graduated from Portland State University. She has a BS in Business Administration. She lived in San Diego and San Francisco. Her husband was in the US Navy. They have two children. Both are college graduates. Carolyn writes for The Wayne Dispatch. It is a monthly newspaper. It promotes positive community news in Wayne. She enjoys reading. She enjoys art journaling. She enjoys junk journaling. She used to be a competitive roller skater.
Kirk of Our Savior invites you to come and see for yourself. Experience the love and fellowship. Discover the joy of worship. Feel the warmth of a welcoming community. Kirk of Our Savior is more than just a church. It is a family.