the inspiring history of miucc

Since its founding in 1977, MIUCC has been a testament to faith, service, and community. The idea for our church was born under the guidance of the UCC Board of Homeland Ministries, Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, and a special task force. By 1981, with Rev. David Gould as our organizing minister, MIUCC became a reality and obtained its charter in 1982.

The first church property was a 4-acre farm in Middle Island, complete with a farmhouse, cottage, and a fruit storage root cellar, which was converted into our first sanctuary. The farmhouse served as the parsonage where Rev. Gould and his family lived. After a fire destroyed the cottage, a new building was constructed adjacent to the sanctuary.

Rev. Gould resigned in 1984, with Rev. Nelson serving as interim pastor until Rev. Meredith Jeffers was installed in 1988. During Rev. Jeffers’ tenure, a soup kitchen was launched in the farmhouse, and the church organized a multi-church CROP Walk to support food pantries and soup kitchens.

In 1994, Rev. Lee Ann Betz became pastor, introducing a unique “Clown Camp for Christ” to bring joy and faith to teenagers. Rev. Louis Tuleja served as interim pastor starting in 1997, leading until 2009. During this time, most of the original property was deeded to Habitat for Humanity, leaving the church with 1.2 acres. The farmhouse remained our center for worship, Sunday school, and the soup kitchen. Members even built a shed to support the food pantry, which distributed food weekly.

In 2009, the congregation purchased the historic 1837 church at 271 Middle Country Road, restoring it with great effort. The work earned MIUCC the prestigious Pelleltreau Award for outstanding historic preservation.

Under Rev. Stephen Shick, who became pastor in 2009, MIUCC expanded its outreach, restarting the food pantry and soup kitchen in 2011. That same year, we hosted a Spiritual Gifts retreat and launched our first 5-day Vacation Bible Camp, which welcomed 15 children. After Rev. Shick’s resignation in 2014, Rev. Tuleja returned briefly. In 2015, Ronald Allen became pastor, serving for a year while pastoring another church. He recommended Rev. Robert Ruis, who joined us in 2017 and continues to guide us today.

The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2022 brought significant hurdles. The church complied with state shutdowns, and Rev. Rob taped sermons in an empty sanctuary, sharing them on Facebook. While the food pantry remained active, the soup kitchen transitioned to serving takeout meals in late 2022.

Throughout the years, MIUCC has hosted successful annual craft fairs, Bible studies, and faith-sharing groups for men and women. In 2024, we began opening the church on Wednesdays for prayer and teaching with Rev. Rob. MIUCC remains dedicated to feeding the hungry, supporting the community, and bringing youth and families closer to God. From our beginning to the present day, MIUCC’s story is one of faith, perseverance, and love. We thank God for His guidance and everyone who has contributed to our journey. Join us as we continue to grow in faith and serve our community.