On Sunday,
June 7, the parishioners of St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church held a potluck
dinner to recognize 50 years of catholic worship and Biblical teaching here in
Swartz Creek. In 1959, a group of
Episcopalians met
together for worship in a one-room schoolhouse not far from the present site
of St. Bartholomew's. The mission was called The Church of the Holy Cross. In
1960, the congregation became a mission of
St. Paul's Episcopal Church,
downtown Flint. Charles Barth, one of the early founders of General Motors,
gave the money for the present building. Not surprisingly, the new church was
consecrated in the name of Saint Bartholomew.
In the year 2000, the parish voted to leave the
Episcopal Church and become an
independent Anglican church.
The Diocese of Eastern Michigan sold the buildings to the congregation. Since
they had already paid off the original loan, the people of St. Bartholomew's
thus paid for their building and land twice over. This is an indication of the
devotion and piety of these fine people.
The congregation also took the opportunity on Sunday to celebrate their
rector, Fr. Gene Geromel's, 25th
anniversary as their pastor and his
35th anniversary as a
priest. A solemn high mass was celebrated with Fr. David Sprunk and the Rev.
Deacon Steven Maas as assistants.
After the meal, the congregation paid a special tribute to Mrs. Alicia
Geromel for the work she does with the youth and the
Christian education program.
An especially touching moment was when Fr. Geromel said that God had chosen
him this wife because she would be a good helpmate.
