CHURCH  HISTORY

 

During the summer of l999 Rev. Tracey Lewis from the Living Waters Christian Church in Pinconning, Michigan began to hold tent meetings at the Fair Grounds in Alpena, Michigan.  As interest grew Rev. Lewis moved the meetings, which were open to the public, to Thursday and Friday evenings at the AMA-ESD Building on State Street. Then, still at the AMA building, followed meetings once a month on Wednesday evenings which Rev. Lewis conducted with about 12 - 15 attending. Weekly meetings became a possibility. 

 

In 2001 Rev. Doug Bliss from Living Waters Christian Church, Pinconning was asked by Pastor Lewis to come to Alpena to shepherd the new flock, to be called River of Life Christian Church.  He accepted and stayed with John and Shirley Hering for three weeks until housing became available.

 

A Pastors leadership council was set up to help with overseeing of local church while under the leadership of Rev. Dennis and Tracey Lewis.  The council members were Dr. Joanne Root-Bliss, John & Shirley Hering, Jim & Julie Robarge, Ted & Delia Godt and Rachel Kowalsky.

 

The church continued to meet at the AMA Building until 2003 when services moved into the present building on Miller Street.  Every week we stored all the equipment needed for services in a trailer and hauled it to the building and set up.  Leadership positions were being filled.  Children’s Church was a must from the beginning.  Seven-year-old Michael Bestwick used to sit out on the curb at the parking lot at the AMA building and pray for kinds to come.  He was the only child in attendance for a long time.  “God bless you Michael”.

 

Pastor Doug rented a house on 14th Street and in the summer church services were held in his back yard on the Thunder Bay River bank.  A few baptisms were held there.  Wednesday evening services were held at his home.  During the summer we held Sunday morning services at  Michikewis Beach on the Lake Huron waterfront.  These services drew in people from the area. Students from the Bible school in Pinconning, of which Rev. Dennis Lewis was the director, came to help with services. 

 

Frank and Twila Wilcynski received training here and were in leadership until they became ordained pastors.  They then went to Pinconning to help out there and eventually started a church in Tawas City MI.  Delia Godt also did her Practical Ministry training here, her husband Ted became involved as well. Brenda Smith and her daughter Cheryl helped with Children’s Church. River of Life  was one of five churches that  Rev.  Tracey Lewis started in Northern Michigan. 

 

A youth group was started and now has developed into younger and older teen groups.  In 2005 Pastor Doug invited Spirit Wind Ministries of Virginia to bring their summer camp program to Michigan which was “sponsored” by River of Life. The camp is held in June of each year at Camp Bethel in Hawks, Michigan. There has been a good turnout of children 7 to 12 years of age each year since. Older youth (16 -18) went as junior counselors and were supervised by Brenda Rost and others.

 

In 2007 the membership voted to become independent, established new corporate bylaws and a revised governing structure.  Our church name was changed to River Of Life Community Church of Alpena. Membership is available through attendance at a series of “New Member Classes”.

 

A food pantry was set up and continues to provide needy families with assistance.  Many people have been helped financially after counseling with Pastor Doug.