Founded in June of 1964, St. Ephrem began with 450 original members has continued to grow into a larger parish that included having five different pastors, and the addition of the Fr. Milligan Activity Center in 1996. St. Ephrem Catholic Church spends November giving thanks and remembering loved ones. On top of their normal mass schedules, they also have Thanksgiving Dinner and other events.
November began with an amazing All Saints Day mass at St. Blasé Catholic Parish which brought two communities together. St. Ephrem used the start of November to present a theme where they remember all the funerals for the Month of the Holy Souls. The names of everyone who passed away this year can be found online or in the church paper. They also give an opportunity for parish members or guests to remember loved ones by writing their names in a prayer book at the front of the Church. All of the names will be prayed throughout the month of November during each mass. During each Friday of Lent, St. Ephrem Catholic Church offers fish dinners for families to come, eat, and bond with other families who attend. It allows them to be able to eat a good meal that does not have any meat in it.
St. Ephrem offers members of the parish lots of opportunities to be active in their faith. They give back to the community by offering Reconciliation before all masses, and food drives that take place every Thursday. These food drives are for anyone residing in Sterling Heights or Macomb County that is in need of emergency food assistance. After Each mass, people bring donuts for a Parish breakfast and can meet with new people and build lasting relationships with others. St. Ephrem planned a trip to Jerusalem that many members of the parish were excited for until it was cancelled due to the conflict in Palestine. The trip would have included a tour around where Jesus lived. Van, a parish member who was excited to go, says, “I was really looking forward to the trip but completely understand why it was cancelled. In the end, St. Ephrem was putting the safety of us first”.
St. Ephrem also has a religious program that teaches 1st graders all the way up to 8th graders about their faith while offering the Sacraments of First Communion and First Reconciliation. The Church also gives an opportunity for some members to sing during Christmas Eve mass, and also provide multiple service opportunities such as Altar Serving, Eucharistic Ministers, and lecturing. Jack, an altar server going into his 6th year says, “Everyone takes pride in what they do to help the Church. This is a community where everyone is always ready to step up and help the church whether it is planning mass or bringing in donuts for everyone”. Even though St. Ephrem wants volunteers, altar servers must be in at least 3rd grade, have received First Holy Communion, and attended many training sessions until they are deemed ready to serve. Servers show how much they care about St. Ephrem and the masses because they respond to emergencies such as funerals or weddings.
St. Ephrem is a Church that brings people together through faith and by introducing new people. The Church will continue to be here serving people’s needs. St. Ephrem’s volunteers and workers work to constantly ensure that St. Ephrem is a place for all and that everyone has a great experience at each event.