Union Church

Union Church

Lake Orion Community Church is a one-story, front-gabled, Greek Revival, frame structure with a deep entablature, corner pilasters, Gothic-influenced triangular head windows, and a two-level steeple with a spire. The building rests on a raised foundation.

Lake Orion Community Church is architecturally significant as a well-preserved Greek Revival structure and historically significant as a house of worship shared by Methodists, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists.Union Church
Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists and Congregationalists scattered throughout this area in the mid 19th century all felt the need for a house of worship. Since funds were tight they together built a common church which they named the Union Church.

Built in 1854 it was the first church built in what is now Orion Township. It measured then 35 by 50 feet to which a session room and kitchen were added in 1877. The entire cost was $5000.

The Congregationalists had priority for choosing their service time since they paid off the $250 debt remaining. But when they decided to change the time from 2PM to 10AM it conflicted with the Methodists which provided incentive for the Methodists to build their own church. In 1873 when they moved out, the church was renamed The Congregational Church. The congregation disbanded, however, in the early 1900’s for lack of members. In 1921 they deeded the property to the Baptists for $1.00 stipulating that it be used for church services only. Even in 1942 when the Baptist church split the original members stayed on and the church became known as the First Baptist Church. In 1972 they built a new church on Scripps Road and the Village of Lake Orion bought the building for use as council chambers, village offices and a police station.

Even the Apostolic Church was there. But they defaulted and it reverted to Village hands. In 1988 the Township bought it for use as a senior citizens’ center. The sanctuary had structural weakness and other deficiencies preventing its use by the occupants. Many of these have been addressed and the building has now been stabilized from further deterioration. The building awaits mechanical upgrades.

It is the Orion Historical Society’s hope that the sanctuary of this historic church will be used for community events and come to symbolize the union of our community.