ESCANABA — For generations of Escanaba residents, the doors of First Presbyterian Church have opened at life’s most meaningful moments to welcome joy, grief, faith and fellowship.

In 1866, the Rev. G.W. Lloyd came to Escanaba as a missionary to help build a church. After two months of labor, he formed a congregation and built a church for its members on the corner of South Fourth Street and First Avenue South. While the church was not officially organized until 1866, a Presbyterian Sunday School first took place in 1864 at a home within the neighborhood.

The church’s Articles of Incorporation were notarized by Eli P. Royce, a surveyor and prominent figure in Escanaba at the time. Royce and his wife, Sarah, are reported to have been faithful members of the church since its humble beginnings.

Three years later, the Rev. N.E. Pierson became the first installed pastor of the church and its growing population. Soon after, the congregation outgrew its first house of worship and started constructing a new building after moving their current, smaller church across the street.

The Rev. Daniel Van Beek of the First Presbyterian Church in Escanaba speaks at the pulpit. Van Beek has been with the church since fall 2024. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

The new building opened for service May 28, 1872. The much-needed room the new church was built to offer didn’t suffice for very long, though, as the congregation obtained property at a larger site in 1898 and completed their new building in 1899.

M.K. Bissell and John Lehr reported two lots at the corner of Georgia and Wells — now Ninth Street and First Avenue — could be purchased for $1,750. Today’s First Presbyterian Church still stands on this lot.

A pipe organ was purchased for the church in early 1892, which would mark the beginning of the church’s strong connection to music.

“Music is in the heritage of this congregation for sure,” said the Rev. Daniel Van Beek, the current installed pastor of First Presbyterian Church.

It was popular for hymns to be sung in parishioners’ homes in the early history of the church, creating community bounded in faith.

The sanctuary inside First Presbyterian Church has undergone various renovations throughout the church's history, including receiving new pews, carpeting and new fabric behind the organ pipes. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Choirs have served within the church over the years under various titles, including Choralier Choir, Calvin Choir, Carol Choir and the Sanctuary Choir.

Today, Ann Wood serves as First Presbyterian’s director of music. Wood is also the director of the Bay de Noc Choral Society and a music teacher to residents within the area.

Musicians at First Presbyterian often collaborate with those at St. Joseph & St. Patrick Catholic Church down the street. In fact, First Presbyterian’s sexton, Phil Stapert, also serves at St. Joseph & St. Patrick.

“We have a lot of connections through music in the area,” said Van Beek. “We have an organist here who’s also one of the leaders of Esky Baroque, and I think there’s about four or five people in this congregation who are a part of that group.”

In 1966, the church was without a pastor for 20 weeks. The elders of the church stepped up to fill this role.

First Presbyterian Church's stained-glass windows may look unassuming to the untrained eye, but their panels are actually mix-matched. This unique piece of the church's history is looked upon fondly. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

“Those other people who are elders in the church, in those periods where there isn’t (an installed pastor), they take a little bit more leadership,” said Van Beek.

Two years later, in 1968, renovations began on the church’s sanctuary. New pews, carpeting and new fabric were added behind the organ pipes. Additionally, the choir area was relocated.

In 1976, Choir Director Claire Garrard resigned after 28 years. It was at this time that Ann Wood became director, and she has served ever since.

Years later in 1994, the church sold their manse, or clergy house.

The church would soon undergo several changes as it expanded. The addition was completed in 1999.

In 2004, the church sold the house they owned across the street. Portions of those funds were used to restore their stained glass windows, which have their own unique history.

“They’re really old, but they were refurbished and cleaned up because they had gotten so dull over the years,” said Wood. “The windows were assembled the wrong way in the first place.”

The panels on each window are mix-matched, with one’s lower panels meaning to be matched with the other window’s upper panels. While this was an unfortunate oversight, the church reassembled them the same way as before once they were cleaned.

“(The cleaners) came, they took them all out and cleaned them,” said Wood. “They came back and said, ‘Do you know these aren’t put together the right way? Do you want them back the way they were, or do you want them the way they’re supposed to be?’ And the church said, ‘Oh no, we want them back the way they were.'”

Another unique part of the building’s history involves First Presbyterian’s fellowship hall from 1899, where the congregation gathers for social activities. The hall used to have basketball hoops for members, which is evident in the original floor’s shiny but aged look.

“Even in older churches, they’ve often redone their fellowship halls to a more modern look. I like that this still captures the character,” said Van Beek.

The Community Thanksgiving Dinner was first held at First Presbyterian’s fellowship hall in 1980 and continued there until it moved to the Escanaba Junior/Senior High School, when a larger space was needed for the event.

Almost 50 years after the last renovation of the church, in 2016, the sanctuary was upgraded and rededicated thanks to the contributions of current and past members. That same year, First Presbyterian Church celebrated their sesquicentennial service, or 150 years of worship.

Since then, a new reverend has been called to the church to preach. Van Beek, who grew up between Grand Rapids and Holland in a town called Hudsonville, graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky in 2020 and began preaching at First Presbyterian in the latter half of 2024.

“I sought out a church in the U.P. Once we met each other, it was like, ‘Oh, this is going to work,'” said Van Beek. “It answered a prayer, I think, on both sides.”

Wood added, “We’re delighted to have Daniel.”

Unlike other faith organizations, the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination does not assign pastors to churches. When a pastor is drawn to a congregation that is without a pastor or will be in need of one, both the pastor and congregation go through an interview process.

After moving to the Upper Peninsula, Van Beek became acquainted with other congregation leaders in the area, often collaborating with churches for events such as a combined Christmas Day service.

“I’ve become good friends with the Lutheran pastors in town, the new Methodist pastor… I’m trying to get to know the other churches that I’m less familiar with,” said Van Beek.

Like many churches in the area, First Presbyterian livestreams services online. Another trending theme amongst churches is the decreasing numbers within congregations compared with many years ago.

“Like many churches, we don’t have as many people as we used to have. But that’s almost all churches unless they’re a brand-new church or something that didn’t exist years ago,” said Van Beek.

On a regular Sunday Service, between 50 to 60 members attend First Presbyterian to worship. While the number varies from week to week, it’s estimated that roughly 10 children under the age 6 regularly attend services, much to the delight of Van Beek and Wood.

“It’s wonderful to see the little ones. We have a lot of littles right now, and they’re great,” said Wood.

First Presbyterian Church continues to open their doors for all, unconditionally welcoming anyone looking for a regular place of worship or simply a space to find some peace.

“We as a congregation are devoted to boldly loving God and boldly loving our neighbor, following Jesus Christ as witnesses of his justice and peace. We welcome everyone, in their full and complete selves, without condition, as we are commanded to love like Jesus loves, without exception,” Van Beek wrote.