Faith In Our Lives

Our places of worship bind our community together.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, dedicated in April 1872, is the oldest religious edifice in St. Joseph. Today the Catholic congregation supports Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Elementary and High Schools.

The Congregational Church of St. Joseph began in 1854 and met in the city’s Old White School House. A frame structure was built in 1860 and a 1922 renovation covered the exterior with brick veneer. A new house of worship, located at 2001 Niles Ave, was dedicated in 1955.

On June 13, 1866, seventeen people formed the First Congregational Church of Benton Harbor. Their first church, known as the Little Brown Church, was finished in 1868. A second church was built in 1890 on Pipestone; another building was added in 1913; fire destroyed both in 1926. The Cathedral is on the same property. Declining membership forced the church to close May 13, 2007.

Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Joseph, came into being in 1867 when its German founders built a church at the present location. In 1886, a new edifice was built. A parochial school was completed in 1912 and the present church was built in 1925. The present elementary school was dedicated in 1952.

The Second Baptist Church, Benton Harbor started in 1875. The first house of worship was built in 1880 but it burned to the ground. The first unit of the 8th St. church was completed in 1893. Then in 1944, the expanding membership moved to 477 Cherry St. Finally, the congregation relocated to 600 Lynch St. The street was renamed Donald Adkins Dr. in honor of their spiritual leader (1974 to 1999).

The Children of Israel was organized in 1895. Its first synagogue was built in 1900. The congregation moved to 114 Lake St., Benton Harbor in 1925. They merged with Ohava Sholom Synagogue in 1959 and were renamed B’nai Sholom. In 1963, they moved to 2050 Broadway. Temple Beth-El and B’nai Sholom joined in 1971 and renamed their conservative denomination to Temple B’nai Shalom.

The Faith in our Lives Rounding Board was made possible by an anonymous donor.