St. Paul Lutheran Church celebrates history, upgrades

ROYAL OAK — St. Paul Lutheran Church and school is the longest-serving church in Oakland County, and it just celebrated more than 150 years and some renovations with a ribbon cutting on Dec. 2.

The ribbon cutting, hosted by the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the church’s history as well as the newly renovated welcome center and office space just inside the main entrance. 

Students from St Paul Lutheran Church accompanied the Rev. Jake Andrzejewski as he cut the ribbon and received a plaque from the Chamber of Commerce. The plaque commemorated the renovations to the church and its continued involvement in the community. 

“St. Paul has a divine and unique capacity to be the unchanging in a changing world,” Andrzejewski said. “These doors you’re going to be walking through are doors that generations and generations of families have walked into, where the same thing happens every Sunday.”

Andrzejewski said that the ribbon-cutting ceremony was important to bring awareness to St. Paul Lutheran Church and the work it does in the community. 

“It tells the church and the school of our accomplishments within the ministry of Royal Oak, within the things that we do together as a family, church and school,” he said. “At the same time, it’s an invitation to everyone else. It’s an opportunity to tell everyone it’s an open-door policy for anyone who wants to join the congregation.”

Christine Chubenko, chairwoman of the board of directors for the chamber, used to attend St. Paul Lutheran School in fourth and fifth grade and was a member of the church for a while.

“It means a lot to see the church continue to be a mainstay of the community. They are a great service to our community,” she said. “They (the church) have been a member of the chamber for a while; the plaque was to commemorate their new section. ... They are a foundational piece of the community in general, so we gave them a plaque to commemorate their continued membership and the fact that they are updating and making their place a better place.”

Chubenko said that when she was at St. Paul Lutheran School in fourth and fifth grade was when the church was building its current building. 

“I remember that to me, the old church looked so big, and then I found out during the ribbon cutting that it only held 65 people. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I remember seeing tons of people,’ but no, in my little eyes, it was only 65, and then we moved to the big, beautiful church,” she said. “I remember looking straight up the brick wall along the back and just feeling how magnificent it was. To me, it was such an opulent and wonderful, warm, sacred feeling.”

Andrzejewski joined St. Paul Lutheran Church in 2020 and said that being a part of such a historic church is a humbling yet exciting experience. 

“I was only here for three years when the church celebrated 150 years, and being new, but also feeling like I belonged here for so long, that’s the impact of this church,” he said. “It really is cool, especially in the pastoral position where I can vouch for the 17 pastors who have been there before me, and I can give excitement and honor to the pastors who will follow me. So, for me, it’s humbling in that way. I get to be a part of a history that long predates me, and I get to build a future that will long come after me.”

Looking to the future, Andrzejewski hopes that the church continues to be a safe space for the community of Royal Oak. 

“I hope we can continue to be a staple to Royal Oak. I am hoping that now that we have 150 out of the way, we can still cater to the younger generations that are moving in truckloads to Royal Oak,” he said. “This is what we love to do; we love to teach and preach Jesus, and we love  to bring families in and let them know they are a part of the bigger family of heaven for the next 150 years.”

For more information on St. Paul Lutheran Church in Royal Oak, visit stpaulroyaloak.org.