About St. Joseph · Belding, Michigan
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish in the village of Belding, Michigan, part of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Established in 1891 as a mission of St. Mary and elevated to full parish status in 1913, the parish has served the Belding community for over 130 years. In 2012, under the diocese's 'Our Faith, Our Future Plan,' St. Joseph merged with nearby St. Mary to form St. Joseph–St. Mary Parish, clustered with St. Charles Borromeo in Greenville. Today the parish community worships at the 1922 church building on South Bridge Street and is pastored by Rev. Andrew M. Ayers alongside Deacon Jene Baughman and a dedicated lay staff.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew M. Ayers
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids (East Deanery, Ionia County)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a welcoming, small-town Catholic community rooted in Belding since 1891, with accessible weekly Masses, Saturday confession, Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration, and a full faith-formation program for children and youth. The parish is part of a vibrant three-church Catholic community that shares clergy, music programs, OCIA for adults, and outreach such as the St. Joseph Thursday Suppers, Fish Fry dinners, and Habitat for Humanity projects. With both the historic 1922 church and the St. Joseph-St. Mary Cemetery, it remains a meaningful spiritual home for Catholics in Ionia County.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. at St. Joseph (temporary arrangement before the 4:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:30 p.m. at St. Joseph (Adoration with Exposition 7:00–8:00 p.m.)
Parish History of St. Joseph, Belding
St. Joseph Catholic Church was established in 1891 in the village of Belding as a mission of St. Mary. The original church was built in 1894 on the corner of Bridge Street and M-44. In 1913, St. Joseph was elevated to full parish status with Father John Zindler appointed as the first resident pastor (he had been serving as pastor of St. Mary). The present church building, at the corner of Liberty and Bridge Street, was dedicated in 1922 under Father Joseph Maier and remains the parish's worship site today. A long, formative chapter began in the summer of 1946 when Father Charles Steves was appointed pastor of both St. Joseph and St. Mary; he served both parishes for 25 years. Under his tenure, St. Joseph Catholic School opened in August 1957 and served the community for 49 years before closing in 2006.
2012 Merger: St. Joseph–St. Mary Parish
In 2012, as part of the Diocese of Grand Rapids' 'Our Faith, Our Future Plan,' St. Joseph in Belding merged with St. Mary (located south of Belding in the community of Miriam) to create the new parish of St. Joseph–St. Mary. This new parish was clustered with St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Greenville, forming today's 'Our Catholic Community – St. Charles & St. Joseph – St. Mary.'
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Joseph – St. Mary Parish is led by its pastor and supported by a deacon, business manager, music director, faith-formation staff, and maintenance personnel who serve the three clustered worship sites.
- Rev. Andrew M. Ayers – Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Jene Baughman ([email protected])
- Tessa Hoffman – Religious Education and Youth Ministry Coordinator
- Karin Kwiet-Darvill – Business Manager & Assistant Music Director
- Jennifer Hudson – Bulletin Editor
- Elijah Jeffers – O.C.I.A. and Returning Catholics Coordinator
- Kathleen Lally – Director of Music (as of Aug. 1)
- Dan Evans – Maintenance, St. Charles
- Dan Feuerstein – Maintenance, St. Mary
- Mark Emmons – Custodian, St. Joseph
- Dani Cross – Custodian, St. Charles
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's faith formation and youth ministry are coordinated by Tessa Hoffman across the cluster. Programs include religious education for school-age children, the high-school YM3 youth program, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults seeking to become Catholic, and a Returning Catholics ministry coordinated by Elijah Jeffers. The parish also subscribes to FORMED, providing parishioners with online Catholic video, audio, and reading content.
- Religious Education (K–8)
- Youth Ministry / YM3 high school program
- OCIA – Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Returning Catholics program
- FORMED digital faith platform
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners are called to serve the liturgy through a variety of roles at the weekend and holy day Masses. Liturgical ministry coordinator Rosemary Klackle ([email protected]) helps connect parishioners with training and service opportunities.
- Altar Servers
- Ushers / Ministers of Hospitality
- Sacristans
- Cantors, Choir Members, Instrumentalists
- Rosary Leaders (first Sundays and every Sunday in May/October)
Music Ministry
The parish music program, directed by Director of Music Kathleen Lally and Assistant Music Director Karin Kwiet-Darvill, includes adult and student choirs, a chime choir, and instrumentalists serving at Masses across the three worship sites.
- Adult Choir
- Student Choir
- Chime Choir
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists / substitute musicians
Parish Life, Outreach & Fellowship
The parish offers several fellowship and outreach opportunities to build community and serve those in need. The Welcome & Information Hub, staffed by parishioners after weekend Masses, helps newcomers connect with ministries and parish life. The St. Joseph Thursday Suppers and the St. Joseph Fish Fry Dinners are parish traditions that combine fellowship with feeding the hungry.
- Welcome & Information Hub (after weekend Masses)
- St. Joseph Thursday Suppers
- St. Joseph Fish Fry Dinners
- Habitat for Humanity projects
- Funeral Lunch Coordination
Stewardship & Parish Councils
The cluster operates under a stewardship model that invites parishioners to share their time, talent, and treasure. Several councils and committees provide lay leadership and oversight.
- Pastoral Council of St. Charles & St. Joseph-St. Mary
- St. Joseph-St. Mary Finance Council
- Buildings & Grounds
- Liturgy / Worship Committee
- St. Joseph-St. Mary Cemeteries Committee
Sacraments
Preparation is offered for all the sacraments of initiation and marriage, and the parish supports the sick and homebound through regular nursing-home Masses and visits.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation & First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick / Nursing Home Masses
- Funeral Liturgy
Cemeteries
The parish maintains the St. Joseph–St. Mary Cemeteries, overseen by a Cemeteries Committee within the cluster's stewardship structure.
Visit & Contact
St. Joseph Church is located at 409 S. Bridge St., Belding, MI 48809, and is handicapped accessible. The St. Joseph–St. Mary parish office is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can be reached at (616) 794-2145. The business mailing address for the cluster is 505 S. Lafayette St., Greenville, MI 48838.
- Address: 409 S. Bridge St., Belding, MI 48809
- Phone: (616) 794-2145
- Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Business Address: 505 S. Lafayette St., Greenville, MI 48838
- Handicap accessible (church and school building)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Zindler1913
Appointed first resident pastor when St. Joseph was elevated to full parish status; previously serving as pastor of St. Mary.
- Father Joseph Maier1922
Under his pastorate, the current church building at Liberty and Bridge Street was dedicated.
- Father Charles Steves1946 – c.1971
Served as pastor of both St. Joseph and St. Mary for 25 years; opened St. Joseph Catholic School in August 1957.
- Father Troy Nevins1990s–2000s
Previously served as pastor of St. Joseph in Belding and St. Mary in Miriam before becoming the 13th pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Rev. Andrew M. Ayerscurrent
Ordained June 1, 2019; current pastor of the St. Joseph – St. Mary cluster.