DETROIT – For 162 years the Marine City United Methodist Church has been a pillar of the community, but on January 31st, it's doors will close for good.
In the beginning, the church was built for sailors, who even donated the stain-glass window that looms over the congregation, but as the number of members steadily diminished, it became time to call it quits.
"We have done all that we could in the last six months," parishioner Darlene Markel said. "But with the size of the church and the membership we have now... it's an aging membership."
"We have some diminishing returns on the ability to do things for the community and to get funds that we need to operate," added Church Trustee Bob Rhodes. "You weep a little bit, your heart breaks a little bit, but you need to move on."
After January 31st, the church will be up for sale, but the bell that sits atop it will be donated to the museum.