Internal strife, an inept and absent bishop, a disillusioned laity, and deficit spending are leading Grace Episcopal Church – the largest parish in the diocese – towards dissolution. This was the parish home of the late President and Mrs. Gerald Ford.

At the parish’s annual meeting on January 12, 2012, Dr. Michael Olgren, Chair of the Finance Committee, painted a dire financial picture of the parish stating that the parish would either have to close its doors in September or revert back to mission status without a significant increase in giving.

If this were to happen, the Diocese would gain access to the parish’s $1.9 million endowment fund. A month previous, Dr. Olgren angered many parishioners at the annual meeting for a stewardship drive, when he wrote “I wish the rich people would come back, I get hungry at coffee hour.” The parish’s Rector, the Rev. Stephen Holmgren did not attend the annual meeting, citing concerns about his father’s health.

On February 29, several parishioners approached The Rev. Canon Robert Schiesler, Rector of St. Marks, Grand Rapids, and President of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Western Michigan, requesting an opportunity to discuss their concerns and to find a way forward before the parish closes.

In September 2010, a group of over 160 current and former Grace Church parishioners wrote to the Standing Committee expressing their concerns about the dissolution of their elected vestry resulting in the invocation of Diocesan Canon 31 Restoring Congregational Health. Currently, the parish remains under the control of an appointed leadership team and operates under a Plan for Restoring Health.

At the annual parish meeting on January 12, 2012, the Leadership Team projected a deficit budget of $130,000 for 2012, despite Endowment Fund allocations of approximately $100,000. This is on top of an actual deficit of $147,000 in 2011. The team then announced that the church would run out of operating funds by September 1, 2012, at which time the real estate and other assets of the parish would be conveyed to the diocese. “This action appears to fall under Diocesan Canon 26, Dissolution of Congregations as such, it would be a sad and ignominious end to a once-vital faith community and Gerald ford’s home parish,” noted the group.

“Our group continues to be deeply concerned about the future of Grace Church community. We would like you to know that we remain steadfast in our commitment to resolving this conflict through reconciliation and to restoring the long term viability of the parish. Before the congregation is dissolved, we are asking once again for your help in finding a way to return Grace Church to health. It seems in the best interests of everyone in the Diocese to save this parish from dissolution.

“We would appreciate an opportunity to talk with the entire Standing Committee, or your designation representatives. In addition 40 – 60 of us meet regularly for fellowship and lay worship, anyone from the diocesan leadership is more than welcome to attend one of these gatherings.” The letter was signed by Thomas Getz MD, Elizabeth Hamm, Robert Bennett Jr., Polly Hewitt, and Richard Steketee. A copy of the letter was sent to Episcopal Bishop Robert R. Gepert.

In his response, Schiesler said he understood their concerns and responded by saying that the Standing Committee and the bishop are in continuing communication on restoring health at Grace “which is our canonical responsibility as Council of Advice to the bishop.” He said that Bishop Gepert remains the canonical authority in oversight of Grace Church working closely with Dr. Holmgren and the Advisory Vestry regarding the mission of the parish. He said an interview with the Standing committee is “inappropriate”, but direct communication with the bishop is to be encouraged.

There is irony here as Gepert has stated several times that he will spend no more time responding to or addressing concerns from Grace Church parishioners. Some parishioners believe the bishop wants the parish to collapse in order to get his hands on the nearly $2 million endowment. Holmgren did not respond to an e-mail from VOL.

Bishop Gepert recently announced his resignation, effective during the summer of 2013.

Grace Episcopal Church, once the strongest, largest, most successful, historically low church parish in the Diocese of Western Michigan with the highest diocesan pledge for years in a row, reduced its pledge to the diocese in 2010 prompting Bishop Robert R. Gepert to dissolve the vestry and appoint a new “leadership Team” until funds were restored. That now seems unlikely.

Before Holmgren arrived in 2007, the parish pledged $60,000 to $75,000 a year to the diocese. After Holmgren arrived, the diocesan pledge was steadily reduced with each successive year. This past year’s pledge was $25,000. Because Grace’s pledge was so low, the Bishop cut his own staff significantly.

The church also served as the venue for former President Gerald Ford’s funeral on Jan. 3, 2007, and was the venue for former First Lady Betty Ford’s funeral on July 14, 2011.

David W. Virtue is a theologically trained journalist and a pioneer in Internet journalism. He has been a newspaper reporter and editor in New Zealand, Canada and the United States. He is the editor of Virtue Online

www.virtueonline.org where this article first appeared and it is used with permission.