A Reformed Voice on White Lake Road
On the west side of Fenton, just south of the US-23 overpass, the first building on the right off White Lake Road is Tyrone Covenant Presbyterian Church. Tucked into the rolling landscape of Genesee County, this congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) has built its identity around expository preaching, reverent and joyful corporate worship, and a steady procession of ministries that reach every generation. The church gathers under a Reformed banner, holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as its doctrinal standards, and teaches the Five Solas as the summary of its convictions. Visitors find a friendly congregation committed to making much of God in all of life and to the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ in their neighborhood and to the ends of the earth.
Sunday Mornings: Bible Classes and Expository Worship
The weekly rhythm of Tyrone Covenant is simple and deeply rooted. Sunday School for all ages begins at 9:00 a.m. A map of classrooms is available at the greeter center in the narthex. From Pre-K through fifth grade, children gather for their own classes; middle and high school students meet together in one class; and adults open their Bibles for in-depth study of Scripture. On the last Sunday of the month, the adult and senior high classes step aside so that Ministry Teams can meet, but other classes continue.
At 10:15 a.m., the congregation assembles for Morning Worship, the weekly gathering that gives Tyrone Covenant its public witness. The service runs about ninety minutes, ending around 11:45 a.m. Preaching is expository, working through books of the Bible with attention to the text. Worship is blended, combining a choir, a worship band with vocalists, and instrumentalists, and at least once a month the full team - all instrumentalists and all vocalists - leads together.
Those who cannot attend in person can stream the service live at 10:15 a.m. through SermonAudio or on the church's YouTube channel. Sermons are about thirty to forty minutes in length and are archived on the SermonAudio broadcaster, where a back catalog of series on Daniel, 2 Corinthians, Hebrews, Jonah, Ruth, the Lord's Prayer, John 17, Revelation, Judges, 1 Corinthians, Elijah, Luke and Pilgrim's Progress is freely available. The MyChurch app by SermonAudio makes the archive available on iPhone, Android and Kindle devices under the church ID tyronepca.
The Five Solas and the Westminster Standards
Tyrone Covenant is unapologetically confessional. Its Statement of Faith opens with a commitment to the Bible as the perfect and complete Word of God, the final authority in life, doctrine and godliness, breathed out by God and without error in its original manuscripts. The church confesses one true and living God, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, who has revealed himself in three uncreated, co-eternal and equal persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The gospel is set out plainly. Humanity, made perfect in Adam and Eve, fell into sin and now stands guilty before a holy God. In his mercy, the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, to live a perfectly obedient life, to die on the cross as a substitute, and to rise again on the third day. On the cross God exchanged our sin for Christ's perfection, and the Holy Spirit gives life and faith to the heart of the believer. Justification is by faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone, on the authority of Scripture alone.
The congregation holds the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as its denominational doctrinal standards, while reserving the Bible alone as the only final and infallible rule. Supplementary study resources the church recommends include the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort and the broader body of Reformed Creeds. A growing archive of Scripture prayer points, devotionals, and a downloadable Scripture reading schedule encourage members to pray the Bible throughout the week.
A Pastoral Staff Rooted in the Reformed Tradition
Senior Pastor Dr. Lawrence Bowlin came to faith in Christ during his high school years in Raleigh, North Carolina. He studied History at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he first sensed a call to ministry and met his wife, Ellen. He earned his M.Div. from Southeastern Theological Seminary in Wake Forest in 1998 and later completed his D.Min. at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Before Tyrone Covenant he served as a chaplain in Yellowstone National Park and as a pastor of churches in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Lawrence and Ellen have three daughters, Grace, Joy and Hope, and as a family they love to sing and have visited most of the national parks in the continental United States.
Assistant Pastor Dr. Mark Hudson was ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and is now ordained in the PCA at Tyrone Covenant. He holds a B.S. in History from Central Michigan University, an M.Div. and a D.Min. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Nancy have four children and ten grandchildren, and Mark works full time at Daystarr Communications in Owosso.
Assistant Pastor David Groendyk grew up in the Grand Rapids area in a Dutch Reformed household and came to faith through University Reformed Church and its college ministry at Michigan State University, where he also met his wife, Anaite, who was born in Guatemala and grew up in East Lansing. David graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi in 2019 and has served at Tyrone Covenant ever since. He and Anaite have four children - Elliott, Joaquin, Sofia and Lucia - and he oversees the youth ministry, the young adults ministry and the Friday morning senior Bible study.
The music ministry is led by Dr. Rose Stevens, who serves as Director of Worship and Music. She earned her doctorate in organ performance and her master's in music theory from the University of Michigan and her undergraduate degree from Northwestern College with a focus on Biblical studies and church music. She has experience equipping full worship ministry teams for blended worship. Sandy Kitchen serves as treasurer and Kathy Toonder as church secretary.
Music for the Upright: Choir, Band and Handbells
Tyrone Covenant takes seriously the call of Psalm 33 to sing joyfully to the Lord, play skillfully, and shout for joy. The choir rehearses regularly and leads worship together in the life of the church. A worship band with vocal members leads worship each week, and a handbell ensemble rehearses throughout the year. Once a month the entire music ministry - every instrumentalist and every vocalist - serves together. Those interested in joining any of the ensembles can contact her at music@tyronepca.org.
Children's Ministry: From Nursery to Kids Quest
The church encourages families to worship together even with the youngest among them. A nursery for infants through four years is available during the 10:15 a.m. service. Between the sanctuary doors, parents will find Bible activity sheets and bags with coloring books for children to use during the service. Sunday School classes for Pre-K through fifth grade run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. During the Sunday school hour, children also gather for Kids Sing.
On Wednesday evenings, Kids Quest runs October through April from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The program includes a meal, lessons and activities. Vacation Bible School is offered each summer with online registration.
Tyrone Youth Ministry (TYM)
TYM, the Tyrone Youth Ministry, exists to minister to the middle and high school students of the church and to encourage them to receive Christ and walk in him. The heart of TYM is the Wednesday night large group gathering during fall, winter and spring. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., students share dinner, fellowship, games, worship, teaching and group discussion. In the summer, the group takes a break from the usual routine and meets at various church members' homes for games and fellowship.
Sunday school runs from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and gives a more in-depth look at the Bible, the Westminster Standards and the Christian life. Students in sixth through twelfth grade meet in one class, and the curriculum follows a yearly plan: Old Testament prophets in the fall, the Westminster Shorter Catechism in the winter, covenant theology in the spring and the church in the summer. The year also includes a summer book study, two weekend winter retreats held jointly with other PCA churches in Michigan (one for senior high and one for junior high), a Cedar Point trip, a Family Day at Kensington Park, an August camping trip to Muskegon, a Friendsgiving and Bake-Off, a Carriage Town shopping trip with float decorations, and a Christmas party. Communication runs through a GroupMe thread for students, the Remind app for parents, and a monthly newsletter. Families can reach Assistant Pastor David Groendyk at pastordavid@tyronepca.org.
Men's, Women's and Senior Ministries
The Men's Ministry gathers for Bible study, events and activities throughout the year with a vision of helping men model biblical masculinity and find refuge in Christ through Christ-centered relationships.
The Women's Ministry, called TCPC Women's Ministry, seeks to live exalting Christ in the lives of its members, encourage fellow believers in their walk, and fulfill the Great Commission in the community. Women of Worth meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from September through May, and Bible and book studies continue throughout the year.
Senior Saints (those 55 and older) meet every Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. for an informal Bible study led by Pastor David Groendyk. Participants bring a Bible, and the church provides chairs, coffee and donuts. The calendar lists any weather-related cancellations.
Young Adults and the Crescent and the Cross Study
The Young Adult ministry welcomes anyone who considers themselves a young adult. Two young couples small groups - one on Tuesdays, one on Thursdays - give spouses a chance to study God's Word, pray and fellowship together; childcare is provided. The Young Adult, College and Career (YAC) group meets once a week in the evening for small group study, with about one social event per month, usually on a Saturday.
A particular recent Sunday school offering has been the ten-week series "The Crescent and the Cross," a study of Muslim beliefs and a biblical defense of the Christian faith taught by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin. The series explores who Muhammad was, what the Qur'an teaches, and how Islam understands Jesus, the Bible, salvation and God. Slide notes from the introductory session and Part 2 are available as downloadable PDFs.
Kids Hope USA and Jesus Walk
Tyrone Covenant partners with Kids Hope USA, a one-on-one mentoring ministry that pairs church members with children for about an hour each week. Mentors, prayer partners, substitutes and a lunch crew keep the program running; the church is grateful for the team that shares its time with this ministry.
Each Advent, the church hosts Jesus Walk, a guided outdoor experience that begins with Old Testament characters prophesying about the birth of Jesus and continues with New Testament characters telling of the events surrounding his birth. The twenty-minute walks run from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend of December. Afterward, guests are welcomed inside for homemade coffee, hot chocolate, punch, cookies and popcorn, along with musical performances.
Tyrone Fit Club and Other Community Connections
The church building also hosts Tyrone Fit Club, a donation-based exercise class open to adults and teens that meets in the youth room. Participants bring a water bottle and a towel. The church calendar also notes a regular high school and home school co-op class that meets on Mondays and a long-running partnership with Lake Fenton Little League.
Giving, Directory and Library Resources
Members and visitors can support the work of the church in three ways. Offering boxes are placed inside the sanctuary doors during services. Checks may be mailed to the church's P.O. Box 970, Fenton, MI 48430, or sent through a bank's bill pay service. Online giving to the general fund is available by credit or debit card, by text message, or by donating stocks, mutual funds or other investments by arrangement.
An online member directory is available through Instant Church Directory, accessible by mobile app or web browser. The church's library - books, DVDs, audio CDs and curated internet links - is catalogued through Libib Pro, and members can browse the collection online before borrowing items.
Getting to Tyrone Covenant
From Fenton, take US-23 south to White Lake Road, turn right (west), and the church is the first building on the right. From Grand Blanc, take US-23 south to the White Lake Road exit (exit 77), turn right (west), and the church is the first building on the right. From Howell and Highland, take US-23 north to the White Lake Road exit (exit 77), turn right, cross the over-pass, and the church is the first building on the right. From Linden, take Linden Road south to Bennett Lake Road, turn left (east) about a third of a mile to White Lake Road, then turn right (south) for roughly a mile; the church will be on the left just before the US-23 overpass.
The office can be reached by phone at 810-629-1261 or by email at secretary@tyronepca.org. Sunday School begins at 9:00 a.m., Morning Worship at 10:15 a.m., and the livestream goes live at the same hour for those joining from home.