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Bethany Lutheran Church of Keweenaw
History

On January 16, 1908 a group of people living in the Fulton-Mohawk area met to discuss the desirability of establishing a parish in the area.  From this meeting the Evangelical Lutheran Betania Parish was formed as part of the Bethlehem Calumet Parish affiliated with the Suomi Synod.  In 1910 the parishoners began to build the church building and by 1911 it was being used for worship and other congregational functions.  As the Suomi Synod ceased to exist in the early 1960's the congregation merged into the newly formed Lutheran Church in America.  In 1963 the Mohawk and Ahmeek parishes of the Bethlehem Calumet Parish merged to form the current Bethany Lutheran Church of Keweenaw. By 1988 the congregation merged into the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) of which it belongs today.  In 1964 plans were discussed for obtaining land and building a chapel in the Copper Harbor area as part of an evangelism program to embrace all of Keweenaw county. Also in 1964 Bethany called its first resident pastor. Mission work continued in the Copper Harbor area until May 12 of 2000 when the Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Chapel was built on its current site on M26 across from the marina. Both sites, Bethany Lutheran church of Keweenaw in Mohawk and Shepherd of the Sea Chapel in Copper Harbor continue to thrive as one faith family engaged in God's mission in the Keweenaw.

"EVERYONE IS WELCOME"



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