Utica United Methodist Church sits on Canal Road in Sterling Heights, a Macomb County suburb north of Detroit. The congregation gathers around a simple, hopeful motto - "Inviting people to rely on Jesus to find unexpected purpose, peace and joy" - and works that motto out through two Sunday services, a Thursday evening recovery ministry, a long-running Stephen Ministry of lay caregivers, and a network of mission partnerships that stretches from Pontiac to Zambia.
Two Sunday Services, Two Styles
Sunday worship at Utica UMC is built around two very different services so that newcomers can find a fit. The 9:30am service is the traditional offering. Worshipers enter through the front doors and are met by greeters who hand out a bulletin and walk them to a seat in the sanctuary. Music is led by the organ and the chancel choir, and there is space set aside for wheelchairs along with headphones available for those who need them. After the service, the fellowship time continues over refreshments.
At 11:00am the contemporary service begins in the Fellowship Hall. The side entrance is marked with a sign; inside, greeters help newcomers grab a drink and a snack, find a table, and settle in before the praise band starts. The dress code is described by the congregation as fun and casual for all ages and families. The 11:00 service is also livestreamed on YouTube, so people at home can follow along as the service happens.
Sunday School for Every Age
Children from PreK through 5th grade are invited to Sunday school during both the 9:30am and 11:00am services. Classes meet in the upstairs classrooms, and children are dismissed from worship during one of the hymns or songs and met at the back of the worship area by their Faith Teacher. They return together at the close of the service.
Middle school and high school students have their own Sunday school, with youth classes for grades 6 through 12 meeting in the downstairs classrooms. Teachers lead discussion about Bible lessons, faith, and how those lessons connect to daily life. For the littlest ones, unstaffed Toddler and Crib rooms are open during both Sunday services for families with infants and toddlers.
Beyond Sunday morning, the Kidzone ministry runs the STARS+ summer day camp for children ages 7 to 12 - a six-week program of Bible lessons, crafts, activities, field trips, and recreation that has been a summer staple. A children's media center makes books, DVDs, and other resources available for families to borrow and continue the learning at home.
Thursday Night Celebrate Recovery
For people who cannot make Sunday worship, or who are walking through hurts, habits, or hang-ups, the church hosts Celebrate Recovery on Thursday nights at 6:30pm in Room 302. The evening opens with a service of worship music and a message, then moves into open share groups and small groups. Trained leaders guide a Christ-centered, confidential process that the church describes as a place to start over and find hope. The Thursday service is open to anyone who wants to worship during the week, not only those working through the recovery curriculum.
Celebration Place, the children's companion to Celebrate Recovery, gives kids a parallel path of songs, games, videos, and conversation as their adults explore healing topics. The program has been on break, with families invited to contact the Celebrate Recovery leaders to be connected when it resumes.
Stephen Ministry: Walking Beside Hurting People
Utica UMC has been a Stephen Ministry congregation for over 20 years. Stephen Ministers are laypeople who have completed 50 hours of training and then offer one-to-one, confidential Christian care to people navigating difficult seasons - hospitalization, grief, a new job, the loss of a loved one, the absence of family due to military assignments, or a spiritual crisis. They are not counselors or therapists; they are companions. The church's Stephen Leaders connect hurting people with a Stephen Minister who can walk with them on the journey toward wholeness.
Adult Bible Studies and Fellowship
Adults at Utica UMC have several weekly and monthly options for digging into Scripture together.
For fellowship, the Commit to be Fit group meets Mondays and Thursdays at 10:00am in Room 301 for chair aerobics, strength training, and stretching. The Women's 4th Day Emmaus Group gathers on Thursdays at 11:00am for prayer, support, and encouragement toward a grace-filled life - no prior Emmaus Walk is required.
United Women in Faith and United Methodist Men
United Women in Faith at Utica UMC is a busy circle of women who meet on the second Wednesday of each month at noon for a potluck luncheon and an informative program (they do not meet in July and August). The Faith Circle meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00am, focusing on cards and communication with the church's homebound and senior members. The women run supply drives for the food pantry and partner with community organizations including Turning Point, the Salvation Army, Abigayle Ministry, the Methodist Children's Home Society, and Lighthouse of Oakland County.
Utica United Methodist Men (UUMM) gathers on the third Saturday of each month at 10:30am in Room 104 for fellowship, spiritual growth, and shared projects. The men maintain the Veteran's Honor and Memorial Garden and host the annual High Beam Car Show, and they pitch in to support events led by other groups in the church.
Youth, Scouts, and Children
The HECTIC Youth fellowship is the church's ministry for teens in grades 7 through 12, with Sunday school classes for middle and high schoolers during both worship services and additional programming that runs throughout the year.
The church is also home to Boy Scout Troop 80, which meets in the Fellowship Hall on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00pm, and to a Cub Scout pack and dens that meet on selected Monday evenings. These scouting groups use the building as their regular home and connect their service projects into the wider life of the congregation.
Worship Band and Chancel Choir
Music ministry at Utica UMC runs on two parallel tracks. The Chancel Choir sings at the 9:30am traditional service and rehearses on Monday evenings. The Gosbells handbell ensemble also rehearses on Monday evenings, supporting worship throughout the year. The Worship Band leads the 11:00am contemporary service, rehearsing on Thursday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. Contemporary Worship Leader Mer Renne coordinates the band's ministry and is the contact for anyone interested in joining.
Together In Missions: Local, National, and International
Through its Together In Missions team, Utica UMC partners with the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church to support ministry near and far. Locally, the church walks with Baldwin Center in Pontiac (which feeds, clothes, educates, and empowers the men, women, and children of that community), Cass Community Social Services in Detroit (food, health care, housing, and employment programs), and Methodist Children's Home Society, which provides care for children and families impacted by trauma.
Nationally, the church supports the Society of St. Andrews, which salvages unharvested produce to feed people across the country. Internationally, the congregation underwrites the Mujila Falls Agricultural Project in Zambia, which addresses hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and leadership training, and Next Generation Ministries, which provides a Christian home to homeless children. Two missionaries are supported directly: Randy Hildebrant, who serves in rural ministry, and Temba Nkomozepi, who works at the Mujila Falls Agricultural Center. The church also supports UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) in disaster response and hunger relief.
Outreach Around the Calendar
Utica UMC hosts a number of recurring community events throughout the year. Red Cross Blood Drives fill the Fellowship Hall in February, June, and October. Drug Take Back Day, held in partnership with the Sterling Heights police department, runs as a drive-thru in April and October from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The Oil Change Ministry, run jointly with Trinity Lutheran and King of Kings Lutheran, takes place the last Saturday in September. In the spring, the church adopts a section of Van Dyke Avenue for a road clean-up, and the congregation helps MCREST (Macomb County's entry point for people experiencing homelessness) by providing a week of meals and financial support.
Spiritual Gifts and Getting Involved
For newcomers who want to find their place in the life of the church, Utica UMC offers a Spiritual Gifts Inventory to help people identify the gifts they bring to the body. From there, the church points members toward the many teams, circles, and outreach ministries already in motion - a fitting match for a congregation whose mission is to invite people into the unexpected purpose, peace, and joy of following Jesus.
Visiting Utica UMC
The church is located at 8650 Canal Road, Sterling Heights, Michigan. Sunday worship is at 9:30am (traditional) and 11:00am (contemporary, with livestream). Sunday school for children and youth runs during both services, and unstaffed Toddler and Crib rooms are available. Celebrate Recovery meets Thursdays at 6:30pm. The office phone is 586-731-7667, and the staff can be reached through the contact form for prayer requests, questions, or comments. E-giving is available for those who want to support the church's ministry financially.