About

The First Presbyterian Church of Allegan invites you to our worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30! While the style of worship is generally traditional, our worship often includes more contemporary changes and songs as inspired from the pulpit or by members’ suggestions. Members always serve as ushers and greeters, and ordained elders assist the pastor in serving communion monthly, which is open to all who wish to partake of it. Children are invited to ring the church bell before worship each Sunday by pulling the rope in the narthex.  They also  participate in a special time in the service alongside older members.  After the children’s moment, kids can stay in worship and enjoy an activity bag or join others in the nursery or education hour for ages 5 to 8.

A special Benefit Concert is held on the second Sunday evening of each month from October through June, with visiting professional musicians from West Michigan providing excellent music from a variety of genre’s.  Blues, soul, jazz, celtic, African drumming and dance have all been featured. Each free admission concert is for the benefit of a different local non profit organization. A free will offering is taken,  90% of which goes to the designated non profit and 10%  toward putting on future benefit concerts. The sets of the concert are highlighted with thematic readings and a prayer and a short illustration of the the theme. A supper reception in the sanctuary follows the concert, allowing time for personal interaction with the artists and a time mingling with friends.

Every week on Wednesdays our church hosts a free community lunch from 11:30 till 1 pm.  A group of dedicated volunteers, led by our certified professional food manager, Joan Townsend, helps prepare and serve lunch.  Entertainment is provided by Lyle Whitney on guitar, and people are invited to come and have a nourishing lunch, hang out with friends, or also  just to sit with a free cup of coffee and enjoy the music.   The lunch is supported by donations from church members,  from the community, from the church’s funds, and grants from the Presbytery of Lake Michigan.

For the first time in 2012 we joined together with our local domestic violence shelter,  Sylvia’s Place, and raised funds in a 5K  Walk-Out on Violence.  In spite of a terribly rainy day that kept walkers to a minimum, the fund raiser was a success, and we are planning another Walk-Out for 2013.

 Largely social in nature, our Presbyterian Women’s group meets periodically  for devotions and informal conversation, holds fund-raising bake sales, and plans outings to local restaurants where they enjoy a meal out together.

Within the last ten years much of the church building has been renovated. The sanctuary was painted, the choir loft rearranged, and new carpeting laid. An office for the pastor and secretaries was remodeled and the pastor’s office has been redecorated. A handicapped bathroom has been added, as has an elevator, for our historic building provides a sanctuary on the second floor. More recently we have renovated the kitchen which is now large, spacious and inviting.

Our ministry includes offering hands-on job training for developmentally challenged individuals. We are please, too,  to offer our facilities to be used by Recovery (a mental health self-help group) and two AA/NA groups for their weekly meetings, free of charge.

We host community potluck suppers on the last Wednesday of each month at 5:45 pm, (as long as it doesn’t interfere with a holiday. ) The attendance at the suppers varies with a mix of people from the church and the community, and the food is always wonderful.  Check the calendar to come to the next one.

We have a very long history and  a grant received from the Presbyterian Historical Society assisted our efforts to preserve our records on microfilm.  Record books dating back to our founding in 1836 had been kept at the church, but the oldest of them now are being kept for us at the Presbyterian Archives in Philadelphia, in an environment controlled to prevent any further deterioration.  The microfilm copies give us access to the records when we find it necessary, or just interesting, to visit our past.

The First Presbyterian Church of Allegan celebrated 175 years of God’s ministry in Allegan in May of 2011. An entire months worth of special worship services and events celebrated the occasion.

God is doing a new thing at First Presbyterian Church of Allegan!  We are reaching out to the community and growing as disciples of Christ!   Come as you are and join us as we
Rejoice in God’s Love, Reflect God’s Grace and Respond to God’s Will!