A Congregation of the LCMS
Our History
On Sept. 18, 1956, the charter members group of 63 communicants was released from our mother church, Trinity Lutheran, to form a new congregation at the north end of Port Huron. The first Voters' assembly was held on Sept. 27, 1956, in the home of Louis and Eleanor Friedlein. The name "Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church" was chosen for the new congregation. Pastor Pfotenhauer, then pastor at Trinity, was the religious leader and advisor for the newly formed congregation.
The first official worship service was conducted on Sunday, Nov. 4, 1956, in the Garfield School auditorium at 3pm. The Rev. Edward H. Buchheimer of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Detroit, delivered the sermon that afternoon.
The future of Faith began with the purchase of 5 1/2 acres of land near the north end of Stone and LaSalle streets. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on March 16, 1958, for the new church with a cost of $26,000 for the land and a totally investment of $130,000. The dedication of the new facility (which is now the current gymnasium) was held on Oct. 12, 1958. At the time the congregation consisted of 268 souls and 160 communicants. Dutch Construction Co. built the first structure with Louis Friedlein chairing the Building Committee.
Our first pastor was the Rev. John Buchheimer, a 1955 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He was the son of the Rev. Edward Buchheimer who had delivered the sermon at the first official service. He left Faith to become the pastor of Our Savior Lutheran in Detroit.
The Rev. Otto Krupski was our next pastor. He was installed on Feb. 25, 1962, and came from Berwyn, IL.
The present sanctuary layout was proposed in 1965. Plans were adopted on Feb. 15, 1966. Construction began the next year by the Clarence Phillips and Son Construction Co. An early winter storm on Nov. 3, 1966 toppled the back wall of the current sanctuary, which resulted in the need for it to be rebuilt. Dick Phillips, the son of Clarence and a current member of Faith, was the builder for our most recent building addition and remodel in the early 2000s.
The present sanctuary was dedicated on May 7, 1967.
After serving for five years, Pastor Krupski left Faith in 1967. A farewell service for him took place on Nov. 5, 1967.
In January 1968 the Rev. Marion Pierson was called to serve as pastor. He was installed on Feb. 25, 1968. During his pastorate, his wife, Marilyn, served as our organist.
Beginning June 24, 1979, the Rev. Dennis Hinze became our associate pastor.
After 18 years of faithful service, Pastor Pierson left Faith in 1986. In 1987 the Rev. Clark Fredrick began serving as pastor and continued in that role until 1990.
On April 28, 1991, the Rev. Timothy Eichberger, who came to Faith from another congregation in Grand Blanc, was installed as pastor. He served until his retirement in 20___.
After Pastor Eichberger's retirement, a call was extended to and accepted by the Rev. C.J. Ransdell, who served Faith until his departure in 2013.
Faith's current pastor, the Rev. Mark L. Huff, came to Faith from St. Louis. He was installed on July 19, 2015.