Our Story
EARLY HISTORY OF GREENFIELD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Where It All Began
Susan Gavin, who owned a knit shop on 12 Mile Road in Berkley, was teaching Vacation Bible School in the 1940s, about the same time that the Detroit Presbytery recognized Berkley as a promising mission field.
These were the seeds that eventually grew into Greenfield Presbyterian Church.
The Presbytery invited people to Sunday services at Angell School. Charles Leber, a student at Princeton Theological Seminary, staffed the mission. Then Rev. Charles Bates was called. An ordained minister, he first served two Missions, in Royal Oak and Berkley. But after Rev. Bates called on people door to door, Berkley’s mission grew, so he focused his energy there.
On Feb. 13, 1949, Greenfield Presbyterian became an organized church with 79 charter members. In May 1949 they moved into a little white church at Catalpa and Greenfield Road, purchased with a $15,000 loan from the Presbytery.
On Oct. 1, 1954, the cornerstone of the present structure was laid and the little white church became the Parish Hall and Sunday school. Worship services were held in the basement until May 4, 1958, when the present sanctuary was ready.
After Rev. Bates retired in 1961, Rev. Donald Flowers was pastor until August 1969. During Rev. Flowers’ tenure, the church reached 340 members and over 300 in Sunday school. More Sunday school rooms were built, plus a new office in a new area of the basement. There were also plans for a new sanctuary above the new Sunday School.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were three pastors:
Rev. Robert Sawyer (Feb. 8, 1970 to Dec. 31, 1973).
Rev. Margaret Scabich (August 29, 1974 to April 15, 1979).
Rev. Robert Barnes (June of 1981 to June 30, 1988). During his term the memorial stained-glass window was mounted.
After years of declining attendance and aging members, the congregation decided to sell some of its land and use those proceeds to supplement its pledged income. In 1991 the congregation called its sixth pastor, Rev. Peter Moore. In the years Rev. Moore has been the pastor, Greenfield has grown into a loving, vibrant and faithful church, as presented in the following pages.
Innovative programming for children and youth began attracting new families. With program staff to support these initiatives a contemporary service, Praise Makers, was added. The congregation became involved in hands-on mission projects in the community including two shelters for the homeless. In recent years the congregation has also placed more emphasis on adult education and spiritual growth.
Since 2007 Greenfield has conducted four multi-year capital campaigns. These campaigns are in addition to the annual stewardship campaigns.
The first campaign was named Building to Serve and covered the years 2007 - 2009. This campaign helped the church become more accessible. The plans included adding on to the second level so offices could be moved and an elevator added. Also a new multi-purpose room and an accessible restroom was added to the second floor. The total for the project was $677,000. Through the generosity of the congregation the pledged amount received was $496,085 from 143 pledging units. A loan from Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program (PILP) in the amount of $250,000 was taken and paid back in 1.5 years.
The second campaign was called Finishing the Race. This debt reduction campaign covered the years of 2010-2012. The amount pledged was $169,623 from 74 pledging units. When this campaign was completed, there was a small surplus that allowed the church to celebrate the success with the congregation.
The third campaign, Postcards from the Kingdom, went from 2014-2016. Multiple projects were taken on in this campaign. Video screens were added to the sanc-tuary to complement the worship service. The main entrance was overhauled to make the building more welcoming. The roof and one of the parking lots were replaced. A more visible, modern electron-ic sign was installed. A unique aspect to this campaign was renting an apartment for a refugee family. The amount pledged was $231,000 from 102 pledging units.
The fourth campaign, Our Home/Our Future, went from 2018-2020. This time the focus was on the lower level of the church. Restrooms were moved and updated, the nursery was moved and made more friendly for guests. The main area of fellowship hall was completely redone with new lighting, flooring and ceiling. The kitchen was updated and plumbing issues rectified. This campaign also includes funds for the pastoral transition process. The project was budgeted for $477,000. There were 118 pledging units totaling $437,000. A line of credit was taken with PILP for $450,000.