Covenant News

Harbert (MI) Continues 75th Anniversary Celebration

HARBERT, MI (June 20, 2003) - Harbert Community Church continued its celebration of 75 years in ministry recently as Evangelical Covenant Church President Glenn R. Palmberg was the guest preacher for a Sunday morning worship service attended by approximately 300 people.

The church was host to a special banquet the Saturday evening before Palmberg spoke, attended by some 200 people, according to pastor Joel Kruggel. The church took a look back at the various decades, using music, quiz show questions and lots of humor to make for a lively evening. Harbert Community hosted a confirmation reunion Sunday, June 1, that attracted 275 people. Nearly 50 former confirmands were among that group.

Harbert Community Church, an Evangelical Covenant Church, evolved as Swedish workers in the Chicago area spent summers in small towns off of Lake Michigan, conducting weekend tabernacle services. Strong local women's groups and Sunday school activities in the 1920s helped lead the way to the founding of the congregation. Numerous Covenant pastors served the church as the church evolved. Harbert Community Covenant joined the Covenant in 1981 with a membership of 204 under pastor Ron Magnuson. The current congregation membership is 220 and the church has benefited from a passionate service element, especially among its senior adults, Kruggel notes.

The church enjoys a thriving ministry with a local Habitat for Humanity program in nearby Benton Harbor. In addition, many individuals have assisted local children in a tutoring ministry and some have helped renovate an area preschool.

For more information about the church, its ministries and the 75th celebration, call Kruggel at 269-426-4321.

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