Gems of our Congregation and Community:
We own our building, which has lovely stained glass windows and a furnished office for the minister. However, being an older building, it is difficult to heat and keep cool, and the plumbing needs to be updated. We have two computers for use by the congregation and the religious education department. We are upgrading our sound system.We have an educated, talented and dedicated congregation, and an outstanding music director and choir. However, like many organization, too few of our members are active participants. We have a bequest from one of our founding members, but from time to time face liquidity problems .
We live in a diverse community on the shores of Lake Michigan, surrounded by other lakes and natural sylvan beauty that is enhanced by the changing seasons. We have state and county parks, a nature center, a nature preserve, and a new nature trail for walking and biking. We have a winter sports complex with a luge run, and a sports arena and local indoor football and IHL hockey teams. For a town our size we have a remarkable number of cultural venues: a symphony orchestra, a very good art museum, a county museum, a small museum dedicated to the depression era, two playhouses and an independent movie theater. Overall, we have good schools and an affordable standard of living.
Our Interim Minister states that Congregational Wage Rate Area 2 more accurately represents Muskegon than does CWR Area 3. Although Muskegon has been economically depressed for many years, our downtown is experiencing a renaissance, with a growing number of green spaces. We have a vocational college, which is building a new culinary institute, as well as a community college, and while there isn’t a great variety of ethnic eateries, we have many hidden gems throughout our community.