Our Story

The history of the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church now bridges three centuries. In 1863. E.P. Hart, a leader in the early Free Methodist movement, and his wife, Martha, were at a rural railroad station in Ida, Michigan. They were pioneer church planters for the growing denomination. The drooping spirits of the Reverend E. P. Hart were encouraged by this wife, Martha, on that cold January day as she emphatically said:

While there’s a track, I’ll never go back, But go on at the risk of my all.”

Those simple words were set to music as revival fires swept across Southern Michigan, reaching Spring Arbor during the winter of 1870-1871. A.V. Leonardson became the first pastor of the fledgling flock of members. An old stone schoolhouse a mile west of Spring Arbor was the first home of the little church. Then, it was on to the dilapidated buildings remaining from a Free Will Baptist School in Spring Arbor. The next home for the congregation was the Music Hall of a new Spring Arbor College and then on to the chapel of a boy’s dormitory.

The Early Years

In 1922, a lovely stone church just north of M-60 on Cottage St, was built under the leadership of the Rev. James G. Fortress. You can see the bell at the west entrance to our sanctuary and some of the original stonework in our Fellowship area immediately to the south of our sanctuary.

The stone church was outgrown within a few years, and in 1963 a new sanctuary was constructed under the leadership of the Rev. Herbert Sebree. Sixteen years later, in 1979, the sanctuary was decreased in size to become our current Chapel and was replaced by our present sanctuary under the ministry of the Rev. John Hendricks.

In 1993 a major facility update took place under the Rev. Darold Hill. The Community Family Center, our current offices and additional classrooms were constructed. Today, many years after Martha Hart gave those determined words in 1863, the same spirit remains among our people. “While there’s a track, we’ll never go back, but go on at the risk of [our] all.”

Path to Success

This past February, we introduced a comprehensive and ambitious Vision Plan to our congregation. While building a bridge to the future, we rejoice in our past and gain inspiration from such a great “cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us. Our journey includes thousands who have come to a life-transforming faith in Jesus Christ. We have see a number of men and women who have gone on into vocational ministry as pastors, missionaries, and educators. Many more lay leaders have been nurtured here and are now serving in Kingdom work around the world. Though the Free Methodist Church and Spring Arbor University are two separate institutions, they have benefited from a strong and close relationship that has benefited generations of students as well as the local community. Pastor Mark Van Valin arrived in August of 2003 as the 47th Senior Pastor of the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church.