With a history dating back to 1855, the Sashabaw Presbyterian Church continues to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
As church members await the restoration of their historic building on Maybee Road, music performed by entertainers who have completed their own personal restorative journeys, highlight the Aug. 28 Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social.
Men of Grace, a vocals-oriented musical group of men who have completed a year in Grace Centers of Hope, brings a mix of faith-based songs with an upbeat blues and gospel feel.
‘The guys of Men of Grace have come through the program. The amazing things is that these guys have been homeless, eating out of garbage cans and drug addicts. But they have been drastically changed,? said Men of Grace director Duren Gutierrez.
‘In addition to the music, the guys let the audience know what’s happened in their lives and how they’ve changed,? he said.
Gutierrez noted there is a high rate of change over in the group, which serves as one aspect of the center’s aftercare program for patients.
‘We try to build a community where there’s responsibility, community and accountability? just because they’ve been clean for a year doesn’t mean they’re still not struggling,? said Gutierrez.
Besides providing aftercare for the men, the group also helps raise funds for GCH. Typically all donations and profits from the group’s CD sales go to GCH.
The group has produced three albums of original material and is working on a fourth, said Gutierrez. In spite of concentrating mostly on vocals, performances include Gutierrez on keyboard and member Derek Vulcano on the saxophone.
The church’s revival presents another testament of restoring what could have deteriorated into nonexistence without intervention.
The restoration, ongoing for about a year, according to Reverend Laura Sias-Lee, is an attempt to preserve an important part of the area’s history.
She said members of the church hope to give back to the area by opening the building for community use
Sias-Lee said once restored, the church will not host regular services. The building will be available for groups around the community to use for events like concerts or meetings. Events like a special Christmas service or performances by Sashabaw Presbyterian’s youth drama club should take place there once the building is restored.
‘We would’ve like having it ready for the 150th anniversary,? said Sias-Lee who was unsure of an exact completion date.
Funding for the restoration comes from church members? donations, said Sias-Lee.
The concert and ice cream social take place at Sashabaw Presbyterian Church’s current location at 5300 Maybee across from their historic church building. Tours of the historic church and its restoration are offered to visitors following the concert.
Sashabaw Presbyterian Church is also interested in tracking down people of any denomination who may have worshipped or been a part of the historic building’s past.
Those looking for more information on the ice cream social or wishing to provide information on past members should e-mail the church at L2D2Lee@aol.com.