Parishioners at St. Michael the Archangel in Suttons Bay marked 150 years as a community Sunday.
Bishop Jeffrey J. Walsh of the Diocese of Gaylord celebrated the anniversary Mass with current pastor Rev. Leonard Paul and former pastor Rev. Wayne Dziekan.
The theme of the celebration was “generations to generations“ and several generations of families whose names have become synonymous with the community participated, among them were members of the Leo Skowronski family.
To mark the occasion, a memory book was assembled featuring reflections of faith and family. Nonagenarian Irene Chemosky contributed to the book.
She lived out on a farm at the top of Hilltop. In the winter they would walk down a two track to M-22 and her uncle would pick up the whole family of eight children mom and dad and they would all pile into his car or at times horse and buggy and go to church. Irene was baptized, made her First Communion and Reconciliation and was married at St. Michael’s.
The church was first on the scene of religious life of the community — first as a mission — served by Rev. Ignatius Mrak. The first services were held in the homes of settlers, with Mrak coming from the Peshawbestown mission to officiate. The first church structure, a pioneer building, was replaced by a framed structure, which burned down in 1904.
Chemosky recalls when the original church burned the congregation actually built the new church, which farmers sold potatoes to support construction of a new structure at its current location.
Following the liturgical celebration, nearly 200 persons gathered for a meal in Fr. Baker Hall in the lower level of the church.
