The Rev. Dr. Yvette Griffin's congregation, Pilgrim Baptist Church in Detroit, will be able to invest in improvements to "Food for the Soul", her community outreach program, as a result of the Michigan Community Center Grant.

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity awarded $64 million in Community Center Grant funds for 100 Michigan municipalities and organizations to expand programming or work on capital projects to serve 1.6 million Michiganders. There were nearly 1,000 applications requesting over $1 billion in funding. As part of this, Michigan IPL was awarded $998,638 to support 6 Congregation Community Centers in Detroit that provide critical community resources and essential services to communities that are typically underserved.

Michigan IPL is delighted to be working with 11 congregations in Michigan as a part of the Sacred Spaces program. We are pleased to learn more about Trinity Reformed Church through information shared by Co Pastor Benjamin Bruins.

   Grand Rapids's Trinity Reformed Church shows a vision for the future through a recent ordination service and plans for environmentally focused building projects.

Jim Craig wears many hats at Asbury UMC including Church Leadership Team and Chair of the Asbury CDC Board. He was recently able to share with Michigan IPL regarding the ministries and goals for Asbury UMC and the benefit of participating in the Sacred Spaces program.

 Asbury UMC began a sister non-profit organization called Asbury Community Development Corporation, which operates one of the largest urban farms in Michigan, with 17 hoop houses.

St. Luke's Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Saginaw is participating in Sacred Spaces. Pastor Joyce Redfearn shared a little bit about the church and its focus on Creation care with Michigan IPL.

St. Luke's Christian Methodist Episcopal Church invests in children by offering math and reading programs for both elementary and middle school students.

Located in Charleviox, the Greensky Hill Indian UMC is pastored by Jonathan Mays. Pastor Mays was able to share a little bit about his unique church and how the Sacred Spaces program will benefit his congregation's mission and ministry.

Worshippers at Greensky Hill UMC have services in both Anishinaabemowin and English.

Bob Chapman, the Vestry Warden at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Detroit, was able to share with Michigan IPL how his congregation impacts their Detroit community for the better. As an Episcopal/Ecumenical/earth-based congregation, involvement with Sacred Spaces will help St. Peter's achieve their energy justice goals.

As an Episcopal/Ecumenical/earth-based congregation, solar panels are one part of the efforts to protect the environment at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Detroit.

On Sunday, Sept. 24, the power was switched on at the solar panel installation at Trinity African Methodist Episcopal (Trinity AME) Church in Lansing. The solar panel installation at a Black church is the first in mid-Michigan and only the second to occur in the state.

Henderson Bodiford (Trinity AME, Lansing), Rob Rafson (Chart House Energy), Jennifer Young (Michigan IPL) and David Arnosti (Capital Area Chapter of Michigan IPL) initiate the solar array at the commissioning service for Trinity AME's solar panels.

Rev. Soren Schmidt of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chassell shares how his congregation is getting inspiration for earth stewardship, and how they ease their fingerprint on the environment. As one of the 11 participants in the Sacred Spaces program, this Michigan congregation is well on its way to achieving its efficiency goals.

Holy Trinity in Chassell, MI describes itself as " A church that actively shares a living, daring, confidence in God’s grace with our community and the world."

Rev. Millard Southern of Allen Chapel AME in Kalamazoo shares how his congregation has overcome challenges and is poised to take proactive steps towards environmental justice. We are thrilled to work with Allen Chapel AME and Rev. Southern as they participate in the Sacred Spaces program.

Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest and first AME church in Kalamazoo, founded in 1855.

 The Rev. Dr. Yvette Griffin of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Detroit was recently able to share some of the great things happening at Pilgrim Baptist. Participation in the Sacred Spaces program has offered some new opportunities for this congregation!

 The Rev. Dr. Yvette Griffin of Pilgrim Baptist Church views air quality and environmental issues as critial factors for her Detroit community.

Detroit's  New Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church is a participant in the Sacred Spaces grant. We are glad to hear from Deacon Wilson Moore about the church, and its hopes for sustainable energy options.

New Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church: Aubrey Agee and Deacon Wilson Moore Jr.