Ward Church sits on Six Mile Road in Northville, Michigan, where two Sunday services draw roughly a thousand worshippers to its sprawling campus each week and another eight hundred join online. The multi-generational Evangelical Presbyterian congregation is known for its strong children's ministry, a Monday-morning Forgotten Harvest food distribution that serves hundreds of local families, and a wide network of local and global partnerships that extends from Detroit to Bangladesh. Rooted in a 1928 church plant from Detroit's Central Presbyterian Church, Ward has spent nearly a century adapting its ministry to the changing needs of western Wayne County while holding tightly to thoughtful theology, healthy families, and extra-mile hospitality.
Traditional and Contemporary Worship on Sunday Mornings
Ward meets in two distinct Sunday services at the Northville campus, with a third service held at the Farmington Hills location. The 9 a.m. traditional service leans on beloved hymns, the choir, the organ, and piano, with strings, brass, and percussion joining when called for. Historic creeds, prayers, and liturgies frame the morning and give the service a connection to the wider church across centuries. About five hundred people gather for this service each week.
At 10:30 a.m., the contemporary service draws another five hundred worshippers to a band-led format that mixes updated hymns, classic choruses, and new songs. The choir and orchestra occasionally join the band. The aim, the church says, is musical excellence without showmanship, paired with a relevant biblical sermon and the same historic creeds found in the earlier service. The Farmington Hills campus holds a single 10:30 a.m. contemporary service on Sundays.
Services run about sixty minutes. Both services are livestreamed and remain available afterwards on YouTube. A digital bulletin, sermon notes, and an interactive online experience are available through the Ward Church app.
WardKids: From Nursery to Fifth Grade
Sunday morning programming for children runs during both worship services and serves infants through fifth grade. The nursery provides a screened, secured, and routinely sanitized environment staffed by volunteers and paid evening workers; parents receive a text if they are needed during the service. The preschool wing groups children by birthdate so friendships form alongside school readiness, with play, storytelling, music, and simple truths like "God loves me," "God made me," and "Jesus wants to be my forever friend." The elementary wing gathers kindergartners through fifth graders for a large-group time of worship, Bible story, memory verse, and offering, followed by small groups tailored to each phase of life. Three basic truths shape the teaching: God is good and can be trusted, God sent Jesus to rescue, and the Holy Spirit helps kids live and love like Jesus.
Parents who want to extend Sunday's lesson at home can use the Ward Church Families App for weekly questions, devotionals, and family resources. Pioneer Girls, a club for first through sixth grade girls, meets Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. during the school year, with Bible lessons, crafts, games, and mentoring.
Each January, May, and September, the church offers infant baptisms and child dedications during regular worship services. Infant baptism is part of the Presbyterian heritage the congregation teaches and recommends, while child dedication is available for families who prefer to wait until their child can personally profess faith. Parents attend a short class and receive a parent guide before the celebration.
Middle School, High School, and the Arts
WardStudents, the church's ministry for grades six through twelve, runs on two rhythms. On Sunday mornings, middle schoolers gather in the Students Room at 9 a.m. for their own class, and at 10 a.m. all students are invited to The Gathering for games and community before heading into the 10:30 a.m. contemporary service with their families. Service opportunities in the ReNu Coffee shop, kids ministry, and hospitality are available at both hours.
Wednesday nights belong to students. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for 9 Square, Gaga Ball, and music. The schedule rotates: first and third Wednesdays pair high school small groups with middle school large group, second and fourth Wednesdays flip that pattern, and fifth Wednesdays send students out for outreach events like bowling, ice cream, or movies.
For families looking for music education, Ward School of Music offers private lessons in piano, flute, cello, and violin, taught by faculty members selected for both musical excellence and Christian faith. Shine Day Camp, the church's summer day camp, runs alongside Ward Preschool, a weekday early-childhood program that continues a long tradition of care that began at the original Detroit campus in the 1970s.
Small Groups, Sunday Morning Classes, and Adult Communities
Small groups are the backbone of adult discipleship at Ward. Each fall and spring, the church offers a church-wide curriculum that aligns with the sermon series and runs about six to eight weeks, with groups encouraged to meet weekly. Outside of those semesters, groups decide their own pace. The Director of Small Groups, Sarah de Jong, helps newcomers find a fit based on season of life, location, and schedule. Childcare options vary by group, with some pooling resources for a shared sitter and others arranging it individually.
For those who prefer a Sunday-morning option, several Sunday Morning Groups meet between or around the services, with no registration required. The Community Bible Class, a twelve-week study through the Gospel of John, meets Tuesday mornings in the Northville Chapel and Tuesday evenings in the Northville Conference Center, with childcare available at both. A church-wide workbook-based study is offered each fall to align with the seasonal sermon focus.
Ward also offers free access to RightNow Media, a large library of biblical video and curriculum resources, to every member and regular attender.
Women, Men, and Young Adults
Women's ministry at Ward centers on Bible study, friendship, and a packed calendar of interest-based groups. Bible studies run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and are always open to newcomers. The MomCo, the church's chapter of MOPS International, runs three meetups - morning, afternoon, and evening - so moms at any stage can find a fit. Mornings and evenings offer paid childcare. The MomCo also hosts a monthly Mom's Night Out, monthly playdates, and a Mom 2 Mom Sale each fall and spring.
A Ladies' Exercise group walks together Mondays and Thursdays in Chapel Suites 1 and 2. Quilting Hands gathers on the second Tuesday evening of each month to sew quilts for outreach missions, and Stitch and Chat meets on the second Thursday morning to put together care donations for patients and the homeless. The Professional Women's Mentor Group meets the third Thursday evening for working women who want to learn from one another.
Men gather for a monthly fellowship breakfast on the first Wednesday at a local coney island restaurant, and Men's Huddle meets on the third Wednesday at 6 a.m. in Chapel Suite 3 for coffee, light breakfast, Bible study, and prayer.
Ward Young Adults, for ages eighteen to twenty-six, meets Thursday nights at 7 p.m. in the Students Room for food, conversation, prayer, and a meaningful walk through Scripture. The group welcomes college students, career starters, and anyone in between.
Singles and Senior Adults
Ward Singles, the church's community of single adults, draws people who have never married, are divorced, or are widowed and want to grow together. The current group ranges in age from fifty to seventy, and the ministry is open to all single adults. A Wednesday night Bible study, video-based through Right Now Media, runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Chapel Suite 2 during the school year, with a warmer-weather Fireside Devotions gathering at the fire pit near Entry 3 during the summer. Social, service, and sport events are held every other weekend.
Senior adults, ages sixty-five and older, are served through Senior Luncheons four times a year, Sunday morning groups, ladies' exercise, quilting and sewing circles, Bible studies, and eight-week Grief Workshops twice a year. Starting Again, a peer support group for widows and widowers, meets on the first and third Thursday evenings. Pastoral and deacon visitations, a parking-lot shuttle, and information about in-home care and assisted living are all available, with Pastor to Seniors Mike Frison and the Care Team walking alongside the sixty-five-and-older community.
Hand in Hand: Special Needs Ministry at Every Age
Special needs ministry has been a Ward hallmark since the early 1980s. Hand in Hand, the children's wing of that work, integrates children with disabilities into WardKids classrooms wherever possible and provides a self-contained classroom for those whose needs require it. Special Needs Buddies are paired one-on-one with children to offer positive support. A Parent's Night Out, held one Friday evening per quarter from 6 to 9 p.m., gives parents a few hours of respite while their children enjoy games, crafts, and snacks.
Potter's Wheel, the adult counterpart, meets weekly on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Chapel Suite 3 for Bible study, prayer, singing, and conversation. Young Life Capernaum gathers teens and young adults up to age twenty-six with developmental or intellectual disabilities for Tuesday night meetings filled with music, games, crafts, snacks, and conversations about Jesus, with a week-long summer camp offered during school break.
A Quiet Room is available during services for those who need a calmer space to follow along, and Bethany Crane, the Special Needs Ministry Director, helps families navigate placements and supports.
Care Ministries: Walking Through Hard Seasons
Ward Church's Care Ministries exist to help people through personal crisis, illness, and grief. The main phone line connects to a Care Department extension, and a Care Ministries team member returns messages left after hours. The church maintains a network of licensed counselors and offers referrals to help people find a fit.
Support and recovery groups are open to members and the wider community. DivorceCare, a thirteen-week Christ-centered program, runs in fall and spring on Wednesday evenings. Grief support is offered through two local partners, New Hope Center for Grief Support and GriefShare, with eight-week workshops hosted at the church twice a year. An infertility support group for women meets the second Tuesday evening of each month. Families Anonymous, a fellowship for those affected by a loved one's substance use, meets Tuesday evenings. An Alzheimer's Association Caregiver Support Group gathers the first Tuesday evening, and an Ostomy Support Group affiliated with the United Ostomy Associations of America meets the second Sunday afternoon each month. A mental health support group led by a licensed counselor is also available, with childcare offered.
Financial Wellness workshops, presented by Thrivent, run throughout the year, and Financial Peace University is offered periodically. Free virtual financial coaching is available through Money Canvas for those who want one-on-one guidance.
Gateway 328: Standing Against Human Trafficking
Gateway 328 is Ward's anti-human-trafficking ministry, named for Galatians 3:28 - "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The ministry connects people with partner organizations working at the forefront of the fight in metro Detroit and around the world. Locally, Gateway 328 works with All Worthy of Love, doing weekly street outreach in Detroit and Ypsilanti, building relationships, providing meals, and distributing care kits. Internationally, the church has sent teams to Thailand to work alongside Not Abandoned Ministry, reaching women and girls exploited by the sex industry. Ward has also supported the same work in Spain and Morocco, learning alongside Christians serving in Muslim-majority communities.
Forgotten Harvest and Local Outreach
Each Monday morning, Ward's Forgotten Harvest team gathers at 8:45 a.m. at Entry 7 to sort, pack, and distribute food to roughly 350 families a week. Forgotten Harvest, the church's primary food partner, redistributes more than 144,000 pounds of surplus food per day to local charities across southeast Michigan. Distribution runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. (or until the food runs out) and is canceled only when the temperature drops below ten degrees.
Beyond food, the church maintains a Disaster Relief Team of volunteers who help neighbors with downed trees, broken limbs, and storm debris. CARES of Farmington Hills, a partner food pantry and community resource, receives Ward volunteers on the first Tuesday of each month. The church also partners with the AAA Pregnancy Resource Center, Central Detroit Christian (a long-term Open Doors Detroit investment that includes a preschool, community gardens, and a church plant), New Hope Center for Grief Support, Northville Civic Concern, Good News Gang, Help's on the Way, SJ Helpers, and Hope Clinic. Days for Girls, a separate Ward ministry, handcrafts feminine hygiene kits each month that have reached women and girls in India, Kenya, Mali, Lebanon, Jordan, Chad, the United States, and among Ukrainian refugees.
Internationally, the church supports more than sixty global partners and runs short-term Impact Trips ranging from one to two weeks. Recent and ongoing trips include Bangladesh, where the church is growing its involvement, as well as Florida for creation-care work alongside Ward Woods Trailkeepers and other stateside partners. The church is an accredited member of the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.
ReNu Coffee, the Playscape, and the Media Center
Three gathering spots shape the Northville campus. ReNu Coffee, near Entry 1, is a full-service coffee shop open on Sunday mornings and during the week. The Playscape, a fun area for kids, sits nearby and was a major draw for one family the church featured in its stories. The Media Center, also by Entry 1, houses a wide-ranging library of children's books, study materials, Christian fiction and non-fiction, biographies, a Library of Things, and a Puzzle Exchange. It is open Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and offers free access to RightNow Media through Ward.
Other facilities include Ward Preschool, the School of Music, and dedicated spaces for each age group of children and students. The Northville campus hosts a large facility with sprawling grounds, and the Farmington Hills campus maintains its own contemporary service and ministry space.
Beliefs, Heritage, and the Mission
Ward Church is affiliated with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, a global movement of EPC congregations. Its mission, "Leading Generations to Live and Love Like Jesus," is lived out through five values: thoughtful theology, audacious generosity, healthy families, global reach, and extra-mile hospitality. The values show up in everyday practices - welcoming tough questions, sharing time, talent, and treasure, supporting families in every configuration, crossing barriers to bless neighbors near and far, and treating every guest as an honored one.
The church's roots run back to 1928, when sixty-five members started a "baby church" of Central Presbyterian Church in Detroit. By the early 1950s, the renamed Elizabeth W. Ward Memorial Presbyterian Church had built on Plymouth Road in Detroit and established a satellite in Livonia. It was one of the first churches in Michigan to broadcast services live on the radio, a ministry that continues on WRDT 560 AM each Sunday at 11 a.m. Through the 1960s and 1970s, while many congregations left the city, Ward kept a Detroit presence and pioneered Christian singles ministry, special needs ministry, and recovery programs that became models for other churches. The day care and after-school program begun in the mid-1970s grew into what is now Ward Preschool. Today the church continues its work from its Northville home, holding fast to its 1928 conviction that the local church is a place of food, warmth, and hope.
Leadership and Staff
Ward Church is governed by a Session of elders, a Board of Deacons, and a Board of Trustees, with members of each body elected in three-year classes. The staff team includes Caz Minter as Senior Pastor, Scott McKee as Senior Pastor, Terence Gray as Associate Pastor, Sean Carroll as Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Care and Farmington Hills Campus Pastor, and Chris Meagher as Interim Executive Director. Sue Hanstad directs Outreach and First Impressions, Don Ball leads Creative Arts, Justin Tucker directs Family Ministry, Mark Ordus directs WardStudents, and Candace Tucker directs Communications and Connection. Sarah de Jong serves as Director of Small Groups, Bethany Crane as Special Needs Ministry Director, and Melissa Martin as WardKids Director of Early Childhood. Mike Frison is Pastor to Seniors.
Worship is supported by choirs, bands, orchestras, and a creative team that keeps the traditional and contemporary services running smoothly week after week. Whether a visitor arrives at Entry 1 in their Sunday best or in jeans, the goal is the same: a warm welcome, a relevant word, and a place to call home.