  Benjamin Member Username: Benjamin Post Number: 151 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.60.35.169 |
I've recently moved to Detroit, and am in the process of looking for a church. I'm an Anglican (Episcopalian) by faith, and I'm looking for suggestions. I'm aware of the Cathedrial Church of St. Paul, as well as with the Old Mariners Church (no longer in formal communion, I know, but in the Anglican tradition.) I'm planning to attend both these churches at least once before I make any final decision. Are there any others I should be considering, though? I'm looking for... 1. An intelligent pastor. There's no point in sitting through the preaching of a dullard. Period. I'm looking for someone who knows their bible and their traditions, and has the intellect nessicary to interperet both. 2. An artistic enviroment. Both in terms of the structure itself and the quality of the music program. 3. A traditional enviroment. I really am a big fan of the bulk of Anglican Tradition. 4. Close to downtown. I'm living in Roseville, and intend to bike to church Sundays, so I suppose I could bike in some other direction as well, but it would be convient to be downtown afterwords. I don't think I could bike much further before ten o'clock and still look presentable. Where I have priorities, they're largly in the order presented. As I say, I have the two in mind, but I just want to know if I'm overlooking anything. Benjamin A. Vazquez, U.E. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 316 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.60.139.212 |
Have you considered Christ Church on East Jefferson and the Chrysler Freeway, just east of downtown? It's built in the Gothic style and almost 150 years old. They do wonderful musical performances on the major holydays. | ||
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2 Post Number: 897 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 24.223.133.177 |
Tee Hee! Livedog2 | ||
The_aram Member Username: The_aram Post Number: 5014 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.124.8 |
can you really be all about the "unity of empire" if you're living in Roseville? i mean, we kind of kicked the British to the curb, oh, about 225 years ago. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 1241 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
"3. A traditional enviroment." Apparently, also an environmentalist. | ||
Benjamin Member Username: Benjamin Post Number: 152 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.60.35.169 |
Neilr, thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a shot. And I hold the the Unity of Empire in different ways. I believe in the cultural bonds which unite the english speaking world. I believe in the strengthening of the ties between the old and new world regardless of their forms. And I remain a subject of Queen Elizabeth, as I remain a citizen of Canada. In any case, Detroit didn't want to leave, as I recall. Benjamin A. Vazquez, U.E. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2625 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.100 |
Benjamin, I assume that you are planning on biking down Gratiot all the way downtown to attend church?? Have you taken that route before? I cannot think of a worse route to take biking downtown than the main arteries.... there's parking allowed all the way, and the roadway is not the best in some parts of the route. You better bring a spare tire, cuz there's likely to be broken glass in some areas. | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 1804 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 208.44.117.10 |
Christ Church on Jefferson is the top choice, and it fits most of your requirements. Phil Jackson, the Rector, is a great man, extremely well-educated, and provides an intellectual, yet faith driven perspective. I would definately give it a try. Although it does seem awfully far to go for a Sunday morning bike ride. | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1617 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
See, eventually people start answering the questions... heh, heh... (stab, poke) I've been to the cathedral a few times and I have friends who attend there. I think it fits pretty well with your list. You may want to spend some time checking it out and giving it a chance. You should be aware that the congregation is pretty eclectic... culturally, ethnically, and most notably... religiously. The teaching is very anglican and scripturally-based, though, the congregation is nice, and I like the dean. Good luck with whatever you choose. llyn CIA, GMC, NFL | ||
Benjamin Member Username: Benjamin Post Number: 153 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.216.7 |
Thanks again. I'll make sure to drop by the three mentioned so far. I might bike down Jefferson instead of Gratiot, and quite often I'll probably bring a map with me and make a point of biking through some neighbourhoods I've never been through before. Gratiot's definantly the quickest route though. I'm not truly worried about the distance to be biked, as I've biked many times longer distances before, and I used to bike a similar distance on occasion to attend church in St. Thomas. I expect to take about two hours. Benjamin A. Vazquez, U.E. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1831 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.228.57.79 |
If you're biking down Jefferson you might want to check out Church of the Messiah on E. Grand Blvd. and E. Lafayette (just two short blocks off Jefferson). I'm not Episcopalian and don't know if the church's liturgy meets your requirements, but it's a beautiful little church that has held on and managed to stay a neighborhood based church despite all the changes in the neighborhood. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 320 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.60.139.212 |
Bvos, Church of the Messiah has also spearheaded much of the residential rehab and infill housing in the East Grand Blvd. / Lafayette neighborhood over the past 25+ years. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1837 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
I'm very familiar with their history. I used to work there. | ||
Zede Member Username: Zede Post Number: 14 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.236.198.3 |
I'm a member at the cathedral (though not in town currently) and can't recommend it enough. The dean, Steve Bancroft, is definitely an excellent preacher and a dedicated supporter of Detroit. The cathedral has also been a strong supporter of the city whenever and however it can. As Llyn (a friend of mine, BTW) said, the congregation is wonderfully diverse in every way - racially, economically, theologically, etc. The dean is fairly MOTR - a committed moderate, which is a decidedly Anglican virtue. The worship is prayer-book / traditional, but not as high up the candle as you can get - not exactly high-church Anglo-Catholic, if that's what you're looking for, but it's not low, either. The 10:30 a.m. service is the BCP Holy Eucharist service, Rite II (except Rite I in Lent), except once a month it's Morning Prayer with Eucharist attached. There's a Choir of Men & Boys, a Choir of Women & Girls, and a Chamber Choir, but they take the summers off. Phil Jackson, rector of Christ Church, was previously at the cathedral, so I know him too. His church would also be an excellent choice. He's a graduate of Church Divinity of the Pacific, where I'm in school right now!  If you like high church, you can't do any better than "Matty Joe's" (St. Matthew's & St. Joseph's) on Woodward at...Holbrook? (if memory serves - anyway, it's near the Boston-Edison area). The diocese's website has a congregation directory you can search: http://www.edomi.org/congregat ions.asp although just now when I was trying it, it wasn't working. Might be my browser, though. While I highly recommend the three churches above, there are many neighborhood churches I haven't visited. I would encourage you to try some of those. If you find a good neighborhood church, they're the ones who can use extra members. Many are struggling right now, as you can imagine. Of course, that depends on the level of involvement you want. The Cathedral and Christ Church will have larger congregations, but not so large that they lose the sense of community. In fact, there is a very strong sense of community in both. Good luck - I know you'll find a great home church. There are so many good ones to choose from! Let us know if you find any gems we haven't mentioned! | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1622 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
She speaks! How are the San Fran summers?! | ||
Elevator_fan Member Username: Elevator_fan Post Number: 13 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 65.42.41.61 |
Consider St. John's across from the Fox Theatre. A traditional congregation, with a top notch music program. 1928 Prayer Book. See: http://www.stjohnsdetroit.org/ | ||
Tndetroiter Member Username: Tndetroiter Post Number: 169 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 141.217.226.162 |
Is Fr. Engalls (Ingalls?) still at Mariner's? | ||
Jenniferl Member Username: Jenniferl Post Number: 326 Registered: 03-2004 Posted From: 12.75.18.89 |
A question for Cathedral members: What's going on with the Herlong Cathedral school? Did they find a way to keep it open for the upcoming school year? Or has it gone the way of far too many Detroit private schools? | ||
Benjamin Member Username: Benjamin Post Number: 154 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.216.7 |
Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'm going to wind up attendin the cathedrial, which looks wonderful. I still want to see the choir in action, though. Benjamin A. Vazquez, U.E. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1531 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Tndetroiter: Sorry to report that Rev. Richard Ingalls passed away earlier this year. Here's the death notice: INGALLS THE RT REV RICHARD W., Age 79, April 24, 2006. Beloved husband of Wilma (nee Cross). Loving father of Richard W. Ingalls, Jr. (The Rev.) (Lynn), Dr. Brian K. Ingalls, Ann (Sean) Gillespie, Bette (Don) Wisniowiecki, and the late Criag Ingalls. Dear grandfather of Richard III, Robert, Brian J., Andrew, and Rebecca. Brother of John (Libby), Wayne (Joyce), Jim (Lois), Virginia, Carol, David, Sharon, and Bonnie. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Memorial gathering Friday, May 12th, 2-8 p.m. at Chas Verheyden Funeral Home, 16300 Mack, Grosse Pointe. Requiem Eucharist Saturday, May 13th at 11 a.m. at Mariners' Church of Detroit, 170 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, 48226. Memorial contributions may be made to Mariners' Church of Detroit. Of course both newspapers ran obituaries but they are accessible only to online subscribers. | ||
Benjamin Member Username: Benjamin Post Number: 155 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.216.7 |
Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'm going to wind up attending the cathedrial, which looks wonderful. I still want to see the choir in action, though. Benjamin A. Vazquez, U.E. | ||
Tndetroiter Member Username: Tndetroiter Post Number: 184 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 141.217.226.162 |
My Dad took me to several services in various Novembers for the Edmund Ftizgerald that Rev. Ingalls presided over. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1532 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Prior to his dad's death, Rev. Richard W. Ingalls Jr. was installed as Rector of Mariners' Church. Here's the link to the press release announcing his installation: http://www.marinerschurchofdet roit.org/news/newrector.htm | ||
Zede Member Username: Zede Post Number: 16 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.236.198.3 |
Jenniferl, Sadly, the school had to close, at the end of this past school year ('05-'06). That's all I know, though. Benjamin, You will NOT be disappointed with the choirs (or the organists!) at the cathedral. The choirs should be back in action soon! Llyn, This summer has been mostly cool. We had a bit of that heatwave here that everyone else in the country had, but it was only a couple of weeks, and it was only like a typical Detroit summer. Of course, it's cooler on the coast than just a little ways inland, where they were over 100. Other than that heatwave, it's actually been chilly here, especially in SF. Today, I found some Vernors in a little shop in SF, so I've got a little bit of home tonight. |
