About Resurrection of the Lord Parish - St. Joseph · Alger, Michigan
Resurrection of the Lord Parish is a Catholic parish family of the Diocese of Saginaw serving Arenac County, Michigan. It is a two-site parish: the principal church, Resurrection of the Lord Church, sits in Standish at 423 West Cedar Street, while St. Joseph Church in Alger (7842 Newberry Street / Newberry Rd.) is listed as an additional-use mission church. Fr. Thomas Held currently serves as pastor, supported by a small staff handling faith formation, music, finance, and maintenance. The parish offers weekend Masses at both sites, weekday Masses throughout the week, Saturday confession, Friday Rosary devotions, and Eucharistic Adoration, alongside faith formation/OCIA programs for youth and adults.
- Established
- 1913 (St. Joseph, Alger); 1980 (Resurrection of the Lord, Standish, as merged parish)
- Patron
- Saint Joseph (Alger site); Resurrection of the Lord (parish/Standish site)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Held
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw (Vicariate 4)
Why belong here
Resurrection of the Lord Parish gives Catholics in Arenac County two welcoming places to worship — Resurrection of the Lord Church in Standish and St. Joseph Church in Alger — with daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confession, Eucharonic Adoration, and a Friday Rosary devotion. A small but committed staff runs faith formation for youth, OCIA for adults inquiring into the Catholic faith, baptismal preparation, music ministry, and parish council life, so a newcomer can easily plug into liturgical, catechetical, or service roles close to home.
Mass times at Resurrection of the Lord Parish - St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Joseph Church (Alger): available before Mass
- Resurrection of the Lord Church (Standish): Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- Resurrection of the Lord Church (Standish): Saturday Vigil 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Parish Identity & Two-Church Family
Resurrection of the Lord Parish is a two-site Catholic parish of the Diocese of Saginaw. Resurrection of the Lord Church in Standish is the parish church, and St. Joseph Church in Alger is an additional-use worship site. Together they form one parish family served by one pastor and shared staff.
- Resurrection of the Lord Church — 423 West Cedar St. (M-61), Standish, MI 48658 (parish church)
- St. Joseph Church — 7842 Newberry St., Alger, MI 48610 (additional-use church)
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 306, Standish, MI 48658-0306
- Diocese of Saginaw, Vicariate 4
History of St. Joseph, Alger
St. Joseph Church in Alger was founded in 1913 to serve Polish Catholic farming families in the Moffatt Township area of Arenac County. The community was later reorganized into the broader Resurrection of the Lord Parish through diocesan mergers in 1980.
- St. Joseph Catholic Church founded 1913 in Alger
- Predecessor parishes: St. John the Baptist (1901) and St. Florian (1911)
- Resurrection of the Lord Church instituted by the Bishop of Saginaw in 1980
- Resurrection of the Lord Cemetery in Lincoln Township has graves dating to the 1880s
Devotions & Prayer Opportunities
Friday Rosary is a long-standing devotion of the parish, prayed on Fridays after the morning Mass at Resurrection of the Lord Church in Standish.
- Friday Rosary at 1:00 p.m. — Resurrection of the Lord Church, Standish
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Fr. Thomas Held with a small staff that handles faith formation, music, finance, and maintenance. Council chairs oversee pastoral and finance councils.
- Rev. Thomas Held — Pastor
- Mary Fitzgerald — Bookkeeper / Office Professional
- Kelly McCrady — Faith Formation
- Yvette Chisholm — Music Ministry
- Joe McCrady — Maintenance
- John Baumgart — Maintenance
- Dan Goick — Finance Council Chair
- Jim Allen — Pastoral Council Chair
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith Formation for school-age children is coordinated by Kelly McCrady. Adults inquiring about the Catholic faith are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), and baptism preparation is available through the parish office.
- Youth Faith Formation (Religious Education)
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
- Baptism preparation — contact (989) 846-9565
Music Ministry
Liturgical music is coordinated by Yvette Chisholm, supporting sung worship at both Mass sites.
- Yvette Chisholm, Music Ministry — [email protected]
Contact, Office Hours & Parish App
The parish office in Standish serves both worship sites Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A dedicated parish app is available for iPhone and Android, and online giving is offered through the website.
- Parish Office: 423 Cedar St., P.O. Box 306, Standish, MI 48658-0306
- Phone: (989) 846-9565 | Fax: (989) 846-9566
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Parish app available for iPhone and Android
- Online giving via www.arenaccatholic.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Ronald F. Wagnerthrough 2024 directory
Listed as pastor in the 2024 Diocese of Saginaw directory before current pastor.
- Rev. Thomas Held2025/2026 directory onward
Current pastor per the 2026 Diocese of Saginaw directory and parish website.