Lake Orion’s King of Kings Lutheran Church, located at 1715 S. Lapeer Road, will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year.
The church has a celebration planned for Aug. 14 at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Orion Road. The members recently lost their pastor, Luther Wright, who lost a long battle with cancer. Ted Kerr serves as King of Kings interim pastor.
The church recently completed an expansion of its building, and dedicated the new wing to Luther Wright. The church was originally formed as a mission congregation of the Lutheran Church of America in 1960, when a parcel of farmland was purchased.
The Reverend James L. Wallace was the mission developer, and a parsonage was secured on Hi Villa for $23,750 in 1963.
The first steering committee was assembled, and chose the name King of Kings Lutheran Mission. The school board had approved use of the township high school for the mission, but the steering committee opted to rent the former Hawkins Funeral Home for $250 per month.
The first worship service was held on Dec. 8, 1963, with 112 worshipers. The congregation was formally organized on March 29, 1964.
On Easter Sunday, services were held at the Hanoute GM Dealers garage in Lake Orion. The funeral home was too small to accommodate the 200 in attendance.
The congregation continued to meet in the garage until the first church building was completed. Pastor Wallace was officially installed on June 7, 1964. Ground breaking services for the original construction of a sanctuary, fellowship hall and offices was at the Feb. 28, 1965 service. At that service Pastor Wallace also resigned to assume other responsibilities in Ohio.
Pastor Dean Beck became pastor of King of Kings on Aug. 8, 1965. The cornerstone laying ceremony was Aug. 29 in the unfinished sanctuary, and sealed in a copper box were a Bible, charter membership list, pictures of the service, the church constitution and history, and the July 1964 edition of The Lake Orion Review.
The dedication of the new church was on Oct. 31, 1965, Reformation Day. Pastor Beck served the church until March of 1970, when he accepted another call to Garden City.
Pastor Charles Infelt became pastor of King of Kings on June 15, 1970. He was there five years, leaving in spring of 1975.
Pastor Rodney Vereb became pastor on June 15, 1975, serving until Jan. of 1980. The congregation was without a pastor for year, as lay people and Rev. Glen Blesco and Rev. Herbert Amala helped the church remain active.
Pastor Daniel Jones arrived in 1981. In 1984, the church celebrated 20 years in the community. In Nov. of 1984, Pastor Jones resigned and Dr. Ahti Karjala was appointed the role of vice pastor and supply pastor in Jan. of 1985.
Pastor David Keener came to King of Kings in June of 1985. The church’s first expansion of a new sanctuary, offices and narthex were dedicated Dec. 18, 1989. The church celebrated its 25th anniversary on May 21.
In the summer of 1991, Carol Arslanian was hired as Minister of Spiritual Gifts, serving until spring of 1994. In the fall of 1995, the church added Susan Williams as Director of Parish Life.
Pastor Keener left in 1996, and Rev. Julia Schoenbach served as interim pastor until Rev. Luther Wright accepted the call, and began in Aug. of 1997. He was installed in Sept. of that year.
Marilynn MacFarland served temporarily as Praise Team Leader in 1998. Les Huston was hired in 1999 as full-time music director, relieving Mark Arslanian of his 10-year, ‘temporary? choir directorship.
Huston left and MacFarland stepped in as interim praise team director. Williams left that year, and Mary George took over the choir, followed by Peter Cartwright, followed by MacFarland, who was hired as music director in 2002.
In 2000, the church became ‘Purpose Driven,? disbanding the church council and initiating a board of trustees (elected officers) with a Board of Purpose Ministries.
Also in 2000, the building team began to meet to develop a ‘footprint? for the congregation’s facilities needs, and a three-year capital building fund campaign was started.
In July 2002, the congregation learned of Pastor Wright’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. His immediate sick leave was initiated and after a series of supply pastors, Pastor Overdier began as an eight-month, part-time interim pastor.
In 2003, Pastor Boone filled the pulpit for eight weeks as interim pastor. Pastor Ted Kerr joined the King of Kings family in Sept. of 2003, as full-time, long-term interim pastor.
In October 2003, the congregation hosted the community event, ‘The Benefit Magnificent? for the Wright Family.