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Westland Free Methodist Church celebrated 150 years



          By Sarah Shurge                                                                                         step  of  the  way,”  said  Pastor
             “We’re not just celebrating us and                                                                   Nofzinger.  “Their  faithfulness  over
          our building, but celebrating loving                                                                    the years and willingness of the mis-
          people  for  150  years,”  said  Eric                                                                   sion  they've  been  giving,  has  led
          Rose, associate pastor at Westland                                                                      them to not only survive but thrive,”
          Free Methodist Church.                                                                                     Nofzinger said the church has a
             To reach 150 years, you have to                                                                      real focus on the teenagers and chil-
          be doing something right, right?                                                                        dren of the church and providing a
             Being a church with a rich history                                                                   safe environment for kids to grow in
          and a focus on loving and serving the                                                                   their faith.
          community, Westland Free Methodist                                                                         Aside from focusing on their fu-
          Church has been doing more than                                                                         ture generation, they also focus on
          something right for 150 years now.                                                                      the  future  of  technology.  WFMC
             Sunday,  September  26th,  West-                                                                     adopted livestreaming their service
          land  Free  Methodist  Church  cele-                                                                    even before the pandemic happened.
          brated its 150 year anniversary with                                                                       Even with the 150th anniversary
          family and friends.                                                                                     party, people’s needs were still at the
             “This  church  has  been  such  a                                                                    focus.
          huge  part  of  the  community.  It's                                                                      “We wanted to make it [the party]
          about more than just the people in                                                                      really simple. The whole celebration
          these walls. It's about what we can                                                                     is low-volunteer and that’s because
          do to make this community a better                                                                      we want people to spend time in con-
          place,”  said  Tyson  Nofzinger,  lead                                                                  versation.  After  the  pandemic  we
          pastor  at  Westland  Free  Methodist                                                                   want  people  to  sit  down  and  talk
          Church.                                                                                                 about relationships,” said Associate
             The Free Methodist Church dates                                                                      Pastor Rose.
          back to 1860, when B.T. Roberts, J.                                                                        On  Sunday,  September  26th,
          W. Redfield and others formed the  Old Wayne Free Methodist church was on the SW corner of Main and Clark.  Bishop   Linda   Adams,   Free
          Free  Methodist  Church  of  North                                                                      Methodist  Church  USA,  gave  the
          America at an organizational confer-                                                                    message. Three formal WFMC pas-
          ence at Pekin, New York.                                                                                tors  came  to  the  service:  Earl
             The name “Free Methodists” was                                                                       Habecker  (who  served  from  1987-
          derived from the resistance to slav-                                                                    1995),  Mark  Cryderman  (served
          ery.  Many  of  the  early  Free                                                                        from  1995-2005),  and  Randy  Ben-
          Methodists were highly critical of the                                                                  nett (served from 2005-2011). Along
          Methodist Episcopal Church, which                                                                       with special guests: Conference Su-
          did not condemn slavery.                                                                                perintendent  Bruce  Rhodes,  State
             Roberts was an abolitionist who                                                                      Representative   Kevin   Coleman,
          believed  the  church  and  people                                                                      Wayne-Westland School Superinten-
          should  be  free.  He  believed  you  State Representative Kevin Coleman, Wayne Westland Schools Superintendent John  dent John Dignan, and Wayne Mayor
          should  be  able  to  attend  church  Dignan, and Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa presented certificates and awards for the  John Rhasea also representing West-
          whether you had money or not. He   150 year anniversary to Pastors Eric Rose and Tyson Nofzinger.       land Mayor Bill Wild.
          also believed that you could not have                                                                      “This is home to me. I came here
          a slave if you were a Free Methodist.  (WFMC).                        partnered  with  organizations  such  on Super Bowl Sunday 1996, so it's
          Many  of  the  early  Free  Methodists  Even  after  changing  the  name,  as the Jefferson Barns Community  been quite a while. Such good mem-
          were active in the operation of the  the church continued to thrive and  Vitality Center, where they developed  ories here,” said Mayor John Rhasea
          Underground Railroad.              grow.                              a  dinner  church  to  serve  the  Nor-  during the 150th celebration service.
             Because of this, Roberts started   Now the WFMC has become an      wayne community.                     Mayor  Rhasea,  Superintendent
          Free  Methodist  churches  in  many  essential church in the community  “We just tried listening to what the  Dignan, and Representative Coleman
          slave towns. However, he also started  for building relationships and serv-  community needs. It's easy for the  presented certificates and awards to
          churches in regular towns such as  ing the people.                    church to say ‘here’s what we can do  the  church  for  their  commitment,
          Wayne, Michigan.                      WFMC volunteers time and is in-  for you,’ but instead we asked ‘what  dedication, and service for the past
             The church was started as a Free  volved  with  the  community  in  so  does the community need?” said As-  150 years.   There was a luncheon
          Methodist congregation on Septem-  many  different  ways.  They  have  sociate Pastor Rose.             that followed the service. Along with
          ber 28, 1871.                      adopted  Schweitzer  Elementary      It’s  important  for  a  church  to  activities  for  kids  like  a  bounce
             It started as a home church but  School,  and  provide  popsicles  for  focus on the needs of the community,  house, inflatables and glitter tattoos.
          then transitioned to a few locations  the  kids  on  hot  days,  stock  the  but  they  also  must  focus  on  what  Westland Free Methodist Church
          and  was  called  the  Wayne  Free  teacher’s lounge, and volunteers help  they need to do for the church to sur-  is  located  on  South  Venoy  Rd.  be-
          Methodist Church around 1910. As   the  kids  learn  to  read.  They  have  vive.                       tween Palmer and Cherry Hill. Their
          the congregation continued to grow,  adopted a community garden, volun-  “This  church  has  always  been  service is Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
          they bought five acres of property on  teer at a community-wide clean-up  willing  to  do  whatever  it  takes  to  For  more  information  about
          Venoy Rd. and changed their name   day, along with a food pantry, and  move  forward  with  the  mission.  WFMC,  visit  westlandfmc.com  or
          to Westland Free Methodist Church  Halloween  events.  They  also  have  Adapting;  they've  done  that  every  call (734)728-2600.
                                                                                                                 The Wayne Dispatch · October 2021 · 7
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