While the COVID pandemic has limited going inside many buildings, one of my favorite things to do is travel to small towns and townships to see their public libraries and century-old churches.
I love checking out the architecture and learning the history of the buildings.
Like the stunning Bethel United Church of Christ stone church at the corner of Steinbach Road and Bethel Church Road (yes, named after the church).
The church sits at the crossroads, among the rolling hills of Freedom Township in the village of Manchester, Michigan.
Not surprisingly, the church is a registered Michigan Historic Site.
Constructed in 1909, the congregation dates back to 1840 when the Reverend Freidrich Schmid, a missionary pastor from Basil Switzerland, organized the congregation.
They first held services in a district school until a log church was built west of the existing church.
In 1909, the current stone church was dedicated.
What I found fascinating to learn: services were conducted only in German until 1926.
German services officially ended in 1955.
