One Congregation, Four Generations, Sixty Years on Clinton River Road
Memorial Baptist Church has stood at 12651 Clinton River Road in Sterling Heights, Michigan, since 1965. The city around it has changed; the building and the address have not. The church's purpose, in its own words, is to know Christ, to be shaped by His Word, and to make Him known, and it still gathers as one congregation spanning four generations, from longtime members who helped build the place to young families just starting out.
What people most often notice first is that the entire Sunday service is interpreted in ASL, every week, whether or not anyone has told the church they are coming. That is not a special accommodation scheduled on request; it is simply how Memorial does Sunday.
A Sunday Morning at Memorial
There is one service, beginning at 11:00 AM, that runs about an hour. The order is unhurried and familiar: the congregation sings, prays, reads Scripture, hears a sermon, and once a month shares the Lord's Supper. The music is a mix of hymns and contemporary songs, with the words on the screen so anyone can sing along or simply listen. Members usually place their gifts in an offering box on the welcome table, since the church does not pass an offering plate during the service, and guests are never expected to give.
No one is asked to stand or introduce themselves. People can be as anonymous or as known as they want to be. The church is comfortable with questions and doubts, and several of its leaders are glad to sit down with anyone who wants to talk, with no lecture and no pressure.
The Deaf Ministry Built into the Service
Memorial's Deaf ministry is woven into the Sunday service itself, not added on the side. Every part of the morning, the singing, the Scripture reading, the prayers, the sermon, and the announcements, is interpreted in ASL from start to finish. Deaf members have been part of this church for years, and the church's own framing is that the good news about Jesus was never meant to depend on whether you can hear it spoken.
The building is wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking beside the main entrance and an accessible restroom. Anyone with a specific accessibility question is welcome to call the church office in advance.
Teaching Straight Through Books of the Bible
The preaching at Memorial is expository, meaning the church works straight through books of the Bible rather than hopping between topics. The current series walks through the book of Acts, and past messages are available to watch before a first visit, so newcomers can hear the pastor, Ronny Manneboina, before they arrive. Manneboina serves as Senior Pastor, supported by a Ministry Assistant and a team of elders and deacons.
GriefShare Every Saturday Morning
Saturday mornings at 10:00 AM belong to GriefShare, a Christ-centered support group for people grieving the death of someone close. The group meets at the church building and offers a steady, welcoming place to be honest about loss alongside others who understand. A separate Prayer and Care ministry is also available for the harder seasons of life, from grief and a difficult diagnosis to a marriage in trouble; requests can be shared with the church by name, anonymously, or privately, and a leader will follow up when asked.
Next-Generation Ministries and the Child Care Center
Middle and high schoolers have their own youth group, and a young adults community gathers around the questions of twenties-and-early-thirties life: school, jobs, rent, and what comes next. Seasonal Bible studies and gatherings are offered for women and for men. A worship ministry welcomes singers, musicians, and people who run sound and screens, and Memorial is always glad to meet anyone interested in serving that way.
Tucked into the same campus is the Memorial Baptist Church Child Care Center, a nonprofit Christian education ministry licensed by the State of Michigan. The center serves children from birth through age 12, with year-round care for infants through Pre-K and a summer day camp for school-age children ages 5 to 12. Hours run Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the center introduces literacy, math, science, music, art, and Christ-centered routines. Karen Villalpando leads the center as its administrator, and families from the broader community are welcome to tour and apply.
Turning Outward: Local and Global Missions
One Sunday a month the whole church turns outward, taking on neighborhood and Macomb County needs, responding to whatever is in front of them, as a way of loving Sterling Heights in practical terms. For global work, Memorial gives, prays, and goes through the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, Send Relief, and Disaster Relief, and the church prays by name for the persecuted church. The body of beliefs behind all of this is the Baptist Faith and Message (2000).
What Memorial Believes
Memorial teaches that the Bible is God's Word, revealing who God is, the way of salvation, and the truth needed for faith and obedience. The church confesses one true and living God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, who lived without sin, died for our sins, rose from the grave, and will return as King. Salvation is God's gift of grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned. Baptism is for those who have trusted in Jesus, a public picture of new life in Christ and a first step of obedience, and the church practices baptism by immersion. The Lord's Supper helps the church remember Jesus' death, give thanks for His grace, and look forward to His return. The church itself is described as a family of believers who worship together, grow in Scripture, care for one another, and help each other follow Jesus. Membership classes are held every quarter for anyone ready to take that next step.
Visiting Memorial
Wear what you would wear to lunch with friends: jeans are normal. Turn in from Clinton River Road; parking is available in front of the building, in a smaller lot on the right, and in a large lot behind the church with its own entrance. Accessible parking is beside the main entrance. Come through either door, and someone will be there to greet you. The church office can be reached at 586-739-2132 or info@mbc4him.org for any question before a first visit.