I'M NEW!
We are so blessed to have you here! Sit back, relax and enjoy getting to know us as you browse through the pages!
SUNDAY SERVICE
Sunday Mornings
The coffee will be ready for you! We have a relaxed atmosphere so if you dress casually, you’ll feel right at home. We tend to take time before and after service to connect with each other. In fact, service could start a little late as we wrap up our conversations.
Family Events
We have four special Family Gatherings each year for our church families and community.
These include:
Easter morning celebration
Summer Picnic
Harvest Party around October 31st
Christmas Celebration
Service
Service usually starts with worship followed by Pastor Rob or another speaker sharing. We seek the Lord and what is on His heart, and what we share is Biblical and centered on God as our Loving, Good Father. We are committed to discovering who He is , who we are to Him, and how we can share Him with our world.
Thursday Night Gathering
Every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. we gather at Resort for a time of prayer and intercession. This time is a bit different each week but plan on praying and worshipping together as we seek God’s presence and heart for those gathered and for our church and world. Many times, this includes prophetic ministry and time to pray for healing.
Children's Ministry
Following worship, we have classes available for nursery to elementary aged children. Your children will have caring, fun adults teach them about how much God loves them along with Bible stories and lots of fun.
The Bridge Recovery Service
Every Friday night at 6 p.m., we have a Recovery Service at 30 Bridge Street in Petoskey. This night is for anyone who has a hurt, habit, or hang-up to work through. It’s another night to encounter God and know His heart for you.
WHO WE ARE
We're Passionate People Pursuing the More of God
Family of Christ is a place where people encounter God, become part of a family, are healed, equipped, and sent to change their world. We are a church family hungry for more of God and to have freedom in the Holy Spirit. We love to worship, seek His presence, and experience encounters with Him. We pursue healing and are called to help others be restored in their identity and healed: spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The verse that has established our church is Isaiah 61. By God’s grace, we have been a church since 1974.
About Us
In October of 1974, six couples began Family of Christ because they were hungry for more of God, desiring greater freedom in worship and the opportunity to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Our Mission
Encounter God
Restore Lives
Change the World
Our Foundation
God gave us Isaiah 61 as our assignment and we had a vision of being like a MASH unit where wounded, worn-out, hurting people would come to be refreshed, healed, and sent out.
Statement of Faith
There are certain unchanging truths that characterize the essence of what we believe as a church.
CULTURAL VALUES
Intimacy
with God
Seeking a deep, authentic, loving relationship with God is our priority.
We endeavor to honor and love God with our whole being.
We desire to experience His presence in our lives.
We relate with Father God who is a Good Father, Jesus who is our brother and friend, and the Holy Spirit who is our comforter, teacher, and nurturer.
Holy Spirit
We walk through our days expecting to hear from and be led by the Holy Spirit.
When we meet, we go after an atmosphere flowing in the Spirit’s gifts & power.
We expect God to intervene supernaturally in people’s lives.
Worship
Worship is at the heart of pursuing the more of God and His presence. We worship Him with extravagant joy and gratitude. We come together as individuals who have united our hearts and lives to worship and serve our God who loves us.
Prayer
We highly value both individual and corporate prayer to see the Kingdom of God come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Healing
We pursue physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for everyone. Again, praying on earth as it is in heaven.
Identity
We recognize that we are sons and daughters of a loving God. We are all created in God’s image and knowing our identity frees us to be all He has created us to be.
Prophetic &
Hearing God
God is speaking, and He has good things to say, and it is our heart’s desire to hear His voice for ourselves and others.
Our
Relationships
We nurture authentic relationships where we love, care for, encourage and honor one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We endeavor by God’s grace to live authentically, demonstrating His unconditional love.
Family of
Christ Church
We are committed to seeing people transformed by their relationship with Jesus. As we trust in what Jesus accomplished on the cross, healing, refreshing, restoration, and freedom will come to each believer so that we are people sent out to change the world.
LEADERSHIP
MINISTRY LEADERS
Robb & Phyllis Burkee
'The Bridge' Pastor
Robb is in his second decade as Senior Leader at our other campus THE BRIDGE. His wife Phyllis is a leader within the SOZO healing ministry team at Family of Christ. Robb & Phyllis share a passion to see God touch those with hurts, habits, & hang-ups. God has called them to deepen their love relationship with Him & embrace a lifestyle demonstrating the full power of God. Pastor Robb is also a State Farm Insurance Agency and Phyllis is a relator with Jack VanTreese and Associates in Petoskey.
John Drenth
Sound Manager
John Drenth is our sound guy! He has a heart for worship and makes us all sound good. John is an integral part of our team here, and you’ll see him on Sunday mornings keeping us all on track so we can share Jesus with the world.
Mary Lechowicz
Children's Pastor
Mary Lechowicz has attended the church since 2003 and has been actively involved with children most of her life and has been our Children’s Pastor since 2021. Mary is dearly loved as she nurtures and cares for the children so beautifully. The atmosphere in the classrooms is fun, creative, and full of Jesus’ love! Mary has been married to Denny Lechowicz since 1990 and they have three grown daughters. They reside in Petoskey with their two dogs, Leo & Luke.
Lisa Millen
Thursday Night Leader
Lisa has a team of leaders who facilitate our Thursday Night Gathering, a time we gather for prayer, intercession, worship, and prophetic ministry. Lisa and the team have hearts for prayer, prophetic and apostolic leadership. Their hearts are not only to influence our church but also our city and region by going after more of God. Lisa and her husband, Jim, own and operate Great Lakes Reclaimed here in Petoskey, and they have 4 grown children and a granddaughter.