About Prince of Peace Parish - St. Anne · Linwood, Michigan
Prince of Peace Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw serving the small communities of Linwood, Kawkawlin, and Beaver in the Saginaw Bay region of Michigan. It was formed on July 1, 2014 through the merger of three historic parishes: St. Anne (Linwood), Sacred Heart (Kawkawlin), and St. Valentine (Beaver). St. Anne Church, the oldest of the three, serves as the parish church, while Sacred Heart in Kawkawlin continues to host weekend Masses. The parish is led by Fr. Prentice Tipton and offers Mass in English, faith formation for children, sacramental preparation, and a vibrant liturgical music program rooted in the area's long Catholic heritage dating back to 1891.
- Established
- 2014
- Patron
- St. Anne (grandmother of Jesus, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Prentice A. Tipton
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
Prince of Peace welcomes parishioners and visitors to a faith community that brings together three historic Bay County congregations under one roof of shared witness. Families benefit from a full Faith Formation program that spans preschool through eighth grade, including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for young children and sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Weekend Mass is offered at both St. Anne in Linwood and Sacred Heart in Kawkawlin, weekday Masses are celebrated, and the Sacrament of Penance is offered regularly — giving families the rhythm of prayer and the convenience of multiple worship sites.
Mass times at Prince of Peace Parish - St. Anne
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 pm at St. Anne Church, Linwood
- Saturday 5:30 pm at Sacred Heart, Kawkawlin (after Mass as scheduled)
About Prince of Peace Parish
Prince of Peace Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Saginaw formed on July 1, 2014 by the merger of three historic congregations: St. Anne in Linwood, Sacred Heart in Kawkawlin, and St. Valentine in Beaver. The merged parish serves the Saginaw Bay region of Bay County, Michigan, with St. Anne Church functioning as the parish church and Sacred Heart as a second worship site. Funerals and weddings may be celebrated at either church. The parish is led by Fr. Prentice Tipton, with Deacon Michael Arnold serving as Deacon Emeritus, and is supported by a Pastoral Council chaired by Scott Stewart and a Finance Council chaired by Troy Johnson.
- Formed July 1, 2014 (merger of St. Anne, Sacred Heart, and St. Valentine)
- St. Anne Church serves as parish church
- Sacred Heart Church retained as additional worship site
- Funerals and weddings may be held at either church
- Pastoral Council Chair: Scott Stewart
- Finance Council Chair: Troy Johnson
History of St. Anne Church, Linwood
Six lots were cleared on August 9, 1884, when Bishop Henry J. Richter of Grand Rapids gave his consent to build a 40-by-60-foot structure. Father Charles Dequoy celebrated the first Mass in that original church on November 22, 1891. Because the building had no pews, worshippers sat on pieces of log atop planks of wood. The first church was destroyed by fire in 1916, taking many of the early records with it. A beautiful brick church was completed and dedicated on July 31, 1921, and remains the principal house of worship for the parish.
- Six lots cleared Aug. 9, 1884
- Bishop Henry J. Richter (Grand Rapids) gave consent to build
- First Mass celebrated Nov. 22, 1891 by Father Charles Dequoy
- Original 40×60 ft structure had no pews — logs and planks used for seating
- Church destroyed by fire in 1916 (many early records lost)
- Current brick church dedicated July 31, 1921
The Church Building — A Treasure
The current St. Anne Church is a Romanesque-style brick structure featuring a dramatic bell tower, impressive stained-glass windows created and installed by Detroit Stained-glass Works, and a 1,450-pound bell cast by the Stuckstede Bell Foundry Company of St. Louis, Missouri. The Stations of the Cross are large oil paintings on canvas and were restored in 2010.
- Romanesque construction with dramatic bell tower
- Stained-glass windows by Detroit Stained-glass Works
- 1,450-pound bell from Stuckstede Bell Foundry Co., St. Louis, MO
- Stations of the Cross — large oil paintings on canvas, restored 2010
Patron Saint — St. Anne
St. Anne is the patroness of the parish's principal church. According to tradition, Anne was the wife of Joachim, the mother of Mary, and the grandmother of Jesus. Anne and Joachim were childless for many years until Joachim went into the desert to pray for a child and was told by an angel that their daughter would be named Mary and dedicated to God. The memorial of St. Anne is celebrated on July 26.
- Wife of Joachim, mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus
- Feast day: July 26
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation classes are held at the Parish Office Center and serve children from preschool through eighth grade. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist is family-based and normally takes place in second grade, with the requirement that the child have attended at least one year of Faith Formation first. At least one parent or designated adult must attend each sacramental class.
- Preschool/Kindergarten (Ages 4–6): Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — hands-on materials for each lesson
- Grade 1: Pflaum Gospel Weeklies — weekly lessons following the liturgical year
- Grades 2–5: St. Mary's Press — Discover! Finding Faith in Life
- Grades 6–8: Ignatius Press Faith & Life Series (Third Edition)
- Sacramental Classes (2nd grade and older) for First Reconciliation & First Eucharist
- Classes meet Tuesdays 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm
- Contact: Director of Faith Formation, 989-697-4443, [email protected]
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by its pastor with a team of paid staff and volunteer council leaders. The Diocese of Saginaw listing also reflects a wider administrative team supporting both worship sites.
- Rev. Prentice A. Tipton — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Michael (Mike) Arnold — Deacon Emeritus ([email protected])
- Jill Friebe — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Jennifer Watts — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Beth Anderson — Business Manager/Bookkeeper ([email protected], per parish directory)
- Karen Reed — Secretary ([email protected] / [email protected])
- Sarah Histed — Office Professional ([email protected])
- Annette Szyperski — Faith Formation Coordinator ([email protected])
- Avery LeFevre — Coordinator of Liturgical Music ([email protected])
- Scott Stewart — Pastoral Council Chair
- Troy Johnson — Finance Council Chair
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at Prince of Peace is coordinated by Avery LeFevre, Coordinator of Liturgical Music, who can be reached at [email protected]. The parish maintains a music ministry that supports weekend Masses at both St. Anne and Sacred Heart.
- Music Director: Avery LeFevre
- Contact: [email protected]
Visiting, Sacraments & Office Information
Funerals and weddings may be celebrated at either St. Anne in Linwood or Sacred Heart in Kawkawlin. The Parish Office is located at 315 W Center Street, Linwood, MI 48634, and is open Monday 8:00 am–4:30 pm and Tuesday–Friday 8:00 am–12:00 noon. Phone: 989-697-4443. Bulletins are published regularly and available on the parish website.
- Address: 315 W Center Street, Linwood, MI 48634
- Phone: 989-697-4443
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon 8:00 am–4:30 pm; Tue–Fri 8:00 am–12:00 noon
- Funerals and weddings at either church
- Latest parish bulletin available online