Marquette
District
Detroit Annual Conference
Pastor: |
|
Rev. Sandi
Kolder |
Sunday
Worship : |
|
11:00 am |
CONTENTS
Gallery
News
History
GALLERY
NEWS
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Crocodile
Dock at Paradise
On Sunday morning,
July 26 children and adults joined in praise as the culminating
activity of Crocodile Dock, Bible School 2009. The spirit
of Christ moved all through the sanctuary that had been
transformed into a bayou with Christ as the focus. Worshipers
had walked through the parted Red Sea on their way into
the church.
The program began many months earlier
when Sue Anway, Bible School leader, chose Crocodile Dock
as the program for 2009. The program consisted of an opening
session that set the theme for the day with a drama and
songs, a children involved Bible story, crafts, games, snack
and closing session all emphasizing the daily theme. As
the children enthusiastically chanted, “Fear not!”
in response to the daily motto, volunteers knew that their
work was important.
Sue has cultivated a group of 20
volunteers who look forward to working together each summer
to provide programming for the children of the Paradise
community. A Volunteer in Mission team painted a backdrop
for the dock, shack and boat constructed by Tom Norman.
The Bible School team of volunteers consists of local teens,
community members, summer residents and retirees. Parents
share their children with the team for 5 evenings. Participants
shared the love of Christ throughout the daily sessions.
“God keeps his promises”
was the theme for the final day at Crocodile Dock. The children
became Israelites following the pillar of a cloud by day
and flame by night. When their wandering was finished, they
camped unhappily on the shore of the Red Sea. They were
very upset when they heard the sound of Egyptian soldiers
approaching. However, they squealed with delight when the
Red Sea opened and they went through while fans carried
spay over them. During crafts time they made turtle buddies
for themselves and for a child who is a part of a disaster
such as a hurricane. Snack consisted of two graham cracker
squares topped with blue frosting placed on a plate with
chocolate and peanut butter chips representing the Israelites
escaping through the parted Red Sea. Games time found children
playing water games amid peals of laughter. The day closed
with children participating in praise and dedication of
their turtle buddies. Each child took home several surprises
including a CD of the songs sung during the week.
Bible School at Paradise unites children
and adults in learning, loving and praising Christ. Everyone
is already looking forward to our next adventure together.
Vesper Cruise
On Sunday, August 7, 2009, around members and friends of
the Paradise church community met at 3:30 at St. Ignace
at the Driftwood Restaurant to share a meal before leaving
on their evening adventure. They enjoyed a vesper cruise
in the Straits
as they joined in the community faith journey. A faith offering
was taken on the cruise.
Praise Services Continue
The Spirit moved with the music of Marty Miller on Sunday
evening, July 12 at the Paradise United Methodist Church.
An inspired crowd of 25 joined Marty in songs of worship.
Marty led the singing of praise songs, old hymns and several
of his own compositions. Marty’s 14 year-old son,
Cody, ran the soundboard to support Marty’s performance.
Marty’s music carried a message of love and hope.
Marty said, “Even when we are in challenging situations,
He is with us. He does not prevent us from trials and sadness
but He is with us, sharing our pain. We need to open our
hearts to His healing presence.” Through his music,
Marty offered worshipers a path to Jesus. Marty brings excellence
in musicianship and a deep love of the Lord to share with
his audience. Participants worshiped through a beautiful
selection of heartfelt songs of praise for our Lord.
Blueberry Festival
On Aug.21 and 22, as part of the Blueberry Festival, the
Paradise UMC will be hosting a Pasty dinner. You may come
to the church to purchase a full pasty meal from 2-7 p.m.
There will also be a bake sale available with many blueberry
items home prepared by members and friends of the church.
On Sunday, Aug 23rd at 11 a.m., an ecumenical church service
will be held in the out of doors at the Paradise UMC (weather
permitting). All are invited!
Next Year, 2010, will be
the 50th anniversary of the Paradise Church.
HISTORY
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ORIGIN OF THE UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH OF PARADISE, MICHIGAN
as written by Jan Huetenstine
On April 7, 1959, a busy mother of
six children, ages 4 - 15, wrote a letter that ignited the
desire for a Methodist church in the tiny Upper Peninsula
town of Paradise, Michigan. Ione Thompson's letter to Rev.
Gonser, the Superintendent of the Marquette District of
the Methodist Church, was answered just three days after
it was received, expressing interest and sending information
for Sunday school materials.
On July 5, 1959, the first service
was held in the Whitefish Township Hall, and 28 faithful
attended. The church was officially organized on November
7 under the supervision of Rev. Gonser; by June of 1960,
four children had been baptized.
By August of 1962, a plot of approximately
three acres, south of Whitefish Township School, was purchased
from the Michigan Conservation Department for $360. On November
1, Rev. Oswald was appointed the official minister. Another
month later, the ground-breaking ceremony was held, with
Rev. Gonser officiating.
Ione Thompson was instrumental in
organizing the first MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship), and
there were over 39 members by July of 1963. That same summer,
twenty-two MYF'ers from the Detroit Central Methodist Church
came to volunteer their services for the construction of
the church. They were featured in the July, 1964 edition
of Together, "Work Camp in Paradise,"
accompanied by many photos of them inside the church and
on the shores of Lake Superior for Sunday vespers.
On January 17, 1964, Rev. Seymour
had to abandon his plans to conduct an evening service in
Paradise, after walking 3 miles in a raging blizzard. He
spent the night at the Pomeroy's, south of town.
In 1964, plans for a church cornerstone
and its contents were in the making. These plans and the
contents are part of the church archives.
An interesting detail pertaining
to the financial needs of the church occurred when Lady
Margaret Rameden of London, England, learned of the church's
needs. She was the aunt of Jack Withey, a resident of Paradise.
She sent a bank draft for 50 pounds sterling on May 5, 1964.
This would have been a considerable sum at the time, and
records of the transaction are still in the church records.
Just 20 months after its ground-breaking,
on August 18, 1964, the Paradise United Methodist Church
opened its doors to 72 people for an evening service.
The last event celebrating the advent
of the United Methodist Church of Paradise occurred on August
14, 1983.
In 1985, eight stained glass windows
had been created by Lori and Gilbert Kiper, relatives of
Leo Zantop, a founder of the church.
HISTORY OF THE TOWER BELL
The bell, as far as anyone can remember, was made in England
and was originally installed in the Methodist Indian
Mission Church in Brimley, Michigan. Before 1910, it
was in an old, weather-beaten, unpainted building where
church members met. Mr. Joseph Dibley, only 18 years old,
came from England in 1909 and was appointed to the church
in that year. He was the pastor there for only one year
before he left for New Jersey to attend seminary.
Also in 1909, a new mission was built;
it was dedicated in 1910 and it was in this church that
the bell was installed. Three of the members were native
Americans. Mr. Bill Waiskey was a very old man then but
Andrew and John Waiskey were still very active in the church
at that time. At some point, the church burned down and
was abandoned. Somehow, the bell was saved but sat unused
for quite some time.
Robert and Ione Thompson and Leo
and Inez Zantop began the Paradise Methodist Mission Church
in 1959 for the benefit of their families. They began meeting
in the original Whitefish Township Community Building. In
1959, the Marquette District of the United Methodist Church
gave the bell to the newly organized church as its first
gift. Bill Bedell, Mike Thompson (for whom the tower was
built), and his father, Robert "Kelly" Thompson
went to Brimley to bring the bell to Paradise. Soon after
that, they acquired the property where the current church
was built and dedicated in 1962.
Private Mike Thompson graduated from
the army's basic training facility in Fort Knox, Kentucky,
in 1966. In June of 1968, the day before Mike went to Vietnam,
he hid the bell in a safe, wooded spot behind the church.
He served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and died there
in 1969, a first lieutenant. Posthumously, he was promoted
to the rank of captain.
The bell sat in the woods unused
and still safely hidden. After Mike's death, one of his
friends, Loren House of Paradise, found it and retrieved
it from the woods. Mike's parents, Ione and Kelly Thompson,
were charter members of the church and, together, initiated
construction of the tower. Pat Thompson, Mike's brother,
designed the tower. Kelly Thompson is now deceased but Ione
is still active in the church. The tower has the shape of
a cross with a redwood beam as its center. The apex of the
tower is shaped to form a cross, though this can be discerned
only from the air.
In 1970 or 71, Howard Nodurft, Clarence
Lazenby, Guy Haynes, and "Smokey" Nodurf, all
of Paradise, constructed the tower. The community, as well
as friends and family, contributed generously to the tower's
construction. It was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 31 of
1971 as a tribute to Captain Michael Kelly Thompson and
to all the other young men who had given their lives for
their country while serving in Vietnam.
Now the bell rings again, calling
men and women to the worship of the one true God.
AN ORGAN USED AT PARADISE
UMC
A circuit rider organ was given to the Paradise United Methodist
Church during the early 1960s. Rev. Ralph Kelley, the pastor
of the Metamora, Ohio United Methodist Church was the donor.
This small organ was used for fellowship for many years.
It is no longer being played but remains as a relic of the
past and may be seen in the archives on the campus of Adrian
College.
Paradise United Methodist
Church
7087 N. M-123
Box 198
Paradise, MI 49768
(906) 492-3585
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