Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church has stood on South Catherine Street on Bay City's west side since the height of the lumber era, when Swedish immigrant families settled the neighborhood to work in the mills. Today the congregation numbers about 600 members, belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through the Mitten Synod, and carries the motto "United in Christ, Messiah serves and nurtures all people." The building, designed by architect Alden B. Dow and dedicated in 1956, houses an active sanctuary, a commercial kitchen that feeds the neighborhood every Thursday evening, and a barrier-free facility that welcomes everyone.
A Swedish Lutheran Beginning in West Bay City (1880 to 1938)
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church was organized by fifty people in October 1880 with the primary purpose of providing pastoral care for the Swedish immigrants who had come to West Bay City for work in the lumber mills. The early congregation built its first church at the northwest corner of Henry and Thomas streets, on land donated by lumberman Henry W. Sage. The young body affiliated with the Augustana Synod and saw many pastors come and go in its first twenty-five years.
By the 1920s most parishioners were no longer fluent in Swedish. In 1924 the congregation made the decision to use English exclusively in worship, a turning point in the life of the church. Fourteen years later, in 1938, the congregation was renamed Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church. Through the 1930s and 1940s, pastors Nordale and Wahlstrom led the renovation of the original building, a remodeling of the sanctuary, and the start of a building fund for something larger to come.
The Alden B. Dow Church on Catherine Street
When Philip Nelson arrived as pastor in 1953, plans for a new church began in earnest. The architect chosen was Alden B. Dow. Dow's design brought together a worship center with educational and social facilities under one roof, a forward-looking arrangement for a mid-century congregation. The cornerstone was laid in October 1955, and the present church was dedicated on October 14, 1956.
For the next four decades Messiah experienced stable, faithful ministry under pastors Ringstrom, Niemi, and Fuller. Pastor Andreas Teich was called in April 1994, and the same year the congregation engaged the ELCA for a facilities assessment. A task force followed up with renovations, repairs, and new amenities. Pastor Teich retired in fall 2022, and the Rev. Timothy Jahn was called as pastor in November 2023. Today the congregation continues to grow and to improve both the building and the ministry.
Sunday Worship with Open Communion
Two Sunday services are held each week at 501 Catherine Street, at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Both services feature open table communion, meaning the table is open to all who come. The 10:30 service is the musical center of the week, with the adult choir singing most weeks and the youth choir contributing about once a month.
On the second Sunday of every month, a Healing Service is held immediately after the 10:30 service, around 11:30 a.m. Members of the prayer team are present to pray with anyone who would like prayer for themselves, for others, or simply to give thanks for God's blessings. The church's facility is barrier-free, and the welcome extends to all.
Music: Adult Choir, Youth Choir, and a Christmas Eve Tradition
Music Director Norma Roenicke has nurtured Messiah's choirs since 1998, drawing on decades of performing and teaching experience. The adult choir rehearses between services most weeks from September through May and sings nearly every week at the 10:30 Sunday service. The youth choir, open to ages three through ten, rehearses on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. during the school year and sings about once a month at the 10:30 service.
Solo and small-group performances are encouraged and coached by the music director. The Christmas Eve concert is a beloved Messiah tradition that brings together the adult choir, the youth choir, and instrumentalists and small ensembles from across the congregation.
Wednesdays with Jesus, Confirmation, and Vacation Bible School
Wednesday evenings are the heart of Messiah's ministry to children and youth. "Wednesdays with Jesus" is a lay- and parent-led educational gathering for children ages three through ten, meeting from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. The youth choir rehearses just beforehand, from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m., so families can participate back-to-back if they choose.
Confirmation is a two-year pastoral program offered to middle schoolers at the pastor's discretion. A summer Vacation Bible School rounds out the year, led by the youth directors.
Thursday Prayer, Bible Study, and Food of Faith
Three regular rhythms fill Messiah's Thursdays. At 12:30 p.m., "Pray Without Ceasing" gathers people for a non-partisan time of prayer for the country and the world. Adult Bible Study meets at both 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. And from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., or until supplies run out, the Food of Faith program serves a free meal from Messiah's commercial kitchen to anyone who comes.
Food of Faith: A Thursday Meal for the West Side
Food of Faith is an ecumenical partnership of churches and organizations from Bay City's west side. Messiah Lutheran hosts the program, opening its commercial kitchen so the cooks can prepare and serve the best possible meals to Bay City residents. Pickup runs from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., with no qualifications or questions asked. Anyone seeking prayer for themselves or others is welcome to email the church office, and updates about Food of Faith are posted on its Facebook page.
Pastor Tim Jahn and the Staff
The Rev. Timothy Jahn was called as Messiah's pastor in November 2023. A Lutheran pastor since 2007 and the son of a Lutheran minister, Pastor Tim grew up at All Saints Lutheran Church in Hartland, Michigan, where he developed a love of music that he often shared through his church's praise band. He met his wife Laura as a camp counselor at Michi-Lu-Ca, the same ELCA camp where he later returned with his own children.
After earning a bachelor's in literature at Eastern Michigan University, Pastor Tim enrolled at Trinity Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, served a year-long internship at Christ Lutheran Church in Libby, Montana, and was ordained on June 17, 2007. He accepted his first call as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Easton, Maryland, where he served until 2011. His second call was to Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville, an inner-ring suburb of Baltimore, where he specialized in youth and young-adult ministry and mentored young leaders in the Delaware-Maryland Synod's Lutheran Youth Organization. From there he served brief calls at Living Grace Lutheran Church in Urbana, Maryland, and Advent Lutheran Church in Lake Ann, Michigan, before coming to Bay City. He and Laura have four children: Magdalena, Soren, Ezra, and Lars. His vision for the Church is to deepen spirituality, relationships, and community action through small-group ministries rooted in the good news and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Music Director Norma Roenicke continues to nurture Messiah's choirs, a role she has held since 1998. Office Manager Jackie Drzewicki, a lifelong Bay City resident, joined the staff in 2025 to keep the office organized and the bulletin looking its best. Custodian Beau Veitengruber, who grew up attending Messiah with his family and now worships there with his own wife and two daughters, also joined in 2025 to care for the facility.
Wider Lutheran Connections
Messiah is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and sits within the Mitten Synod, also called the Northwest Lower Michigan Synod. The congregation partners with Trinity Lutheran in Battle Creek as a mission partner. Wider ministries supported from Messiah include Samaritas, the Lutheran social services body in Michigan; Lutheran World Relief, which provides resources and aid around the world; and Living Water Ministries, the camp resource located in New Era, Michigan.
Giving and Getting Involved
Messiah receives gifts through several channels. Electronic giving is handled through Vanco Services, either online or through the Vanco Mobile app (search for "Messiah Lutheran Church"). Bank transfers can also be arranged directly through one's own bank. In worship, the offering plates accept cash, check, and coins, and printed offering envelopes are available on request. The Congregation Council reviews the budget and finances, periodic audits are conducted, and financial reports are publicly available upon request.
Volunteer opportunities range from choir and youth ministry to the Food of Faith kitchen and the prayer team. Services are recorded and posted to Messiah's YouTube channel, and sermons are available as a podcast, making the congregation's life accessible beyond the sanctuary for members and visitors who cannot be present in person.