Robbins United Methodist Church sits on Bunker Road about three miles northeast of Eaton Rapids, Michigan, just east of the Waverly Road intersection. The country church draws worshipers from Eaton Rapids, Mason, Holt, and the rural corners of Eaton and Ingham counties for a relaxed 9:30 a.m. Sunday service that aims to put the focus squarely on a relationship with Jesus. Robbins is a small congregation with a long reach, sending thousands of dollars each year to mission partners around the world while also hosting community sales, a children's ministry, adult Bible studies, and the occasional block party in its own parking lot.
Meet Pastor Jeff and Nancy Swainston
The pastor's chair at Robbins belongs to Reverend Jeff Swainston, who was appointed by the United Methodist Church on July 1, 2025 to serve both Robbins UMC and Brookfield Eaton UMC. He and his wife Nancy are both originally from Byron Center, Michigan, and graduates of Byron Center High School. They met while standing up together in a wedding - Jeff for his best friend, Nancy for her cousin - dated for just over a year, and were married on June 17, 1989. The couple has two daughters.
In his newsletter column "Jeff's Jottings," Pastor Jeff writes with the easy enthusiasm of someone still new to the role. After the August block party he called it "by far the biggest community outreach project since my days at Robbins" and said he was still riding the high of the event. He closes each column with 1 Corinthians 8:3: "But whoever loves God is known by God." He and Nancy are shepherding the two churches under the United Methodist Church's renewed vision statement, which calls members to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.
Sunday Mornings at Robbins
Sunday morning in Robbins follows a simple rhythm. Worship gathers at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary and runs about an hour. The service is built around a message from the pastor, a children's moment, prayer, and song. After worship there is a break for coffee and fellowship, and then a round of Christian education classes kicks off around 10:30 a.m. (the events calendar lists the adult class in the Glascow Lounge at 11:00 a.m. to noon). Robbins is an explicitly come-as-you-are church, and the dress runs from casual to jeans and t-shirts. Visitors are not singled out; newcomers may remain as anonymous as they like, and a host or hostess program is available for anyone who wants a friendly guide when they arrive.
The atmosphere in worship is relaxed and the music carries both traditional and contemporary flavors. The church's own statement of purpose puts the four-fold path plainly: love God, connect with people, grow in Christ, and serve where God calls.
Children and Youth at Every Age
Robbins takes its children's ministry seriously enough to write it down. Every adult volunteer who works with children has been trained and screened under the church's Child, Youth, and Vulnerable Adult Care and Protection Policy, and youth volunteers go through their own training before serving as assistants. A copy of the policy and its supporting forms is available on the church's resources page.
During the 9:30 a.m. worship service there is a Nursery available for children from birth through age three. Ushers can direct families to it. Elementary-age children are invited to a Kids Worship time partway through the service; they are dismissed for their own lesson and return at the end. Parents who prefer to keep their kids with them are welcome to do so.
After worship, Sunday Morning Christian Education classes run September through May. The current lineup includes:
- 1st through 5th grade - Room 110, using the Friends and Heroes curriculum, taught by Rose Tropp with Carol Huntington assisting.
- Junior High (grades 6-8) - Room 108. Day and time are arranged through the church office.
- Senior High (grades 9-12) - Room 106. Contact the office for current schedule.
Families with very young children or with members who need a quieter setting can use the Comfort Room, which has a live view and sound feed from the sanctuary and is described as especially helpful for special needs situations.
Adults Growing in Faith
The Adult Sunday School class meets in the Glascow Lounge under the leadership of Judy Herriff and other teachers. Starting in late September 2026, the class is working through a six-week study called "Questions Jesus Asked" by Magrey R. DeVega, walking through questions Jesus posed in the gospels. Classes are free; books are available for purchase but not required. Herriff is the point of contact for anyone wanting more information about the current study or joining mid-series.
Robbins frames Christian formation as a lifelong journey. Beyond Sunday mornings, the Growth page points worshipers to small groups and the youth and adult education tracks as the three main avenues for that growth.
Small Groups that Build Real Relationships
Small groups are a deliberate part of Robbins' strategy for connecting newcomers and long-timers alike. The current calendar lists two ongoing weekly groups:
- Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. - A small group studying the Book of Nehemiah, which Robbins describes as "a book of new beginnings." Call the church office for the current location.
- Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. - A men's Bible study working through Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. The group is on hold at the moment, with plans to resume in the future.
Anyone interested in joining a small group or starting a new one is encouraged to call the church office at 517-663-5226.
A Heart for Missions and Outreach
If a visitor asked Robbins what the church is best known for, the answer would quickly turn to missions and outreach. The Missions page quotes both John Wesley ("Do all the good you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can") and Jesus ("As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it unto me") as the twin convictions behind everything the church does beyond its own walls. Robbins sends thousands of dollars each year to mission partners, but members also travel to serve, putting on gloves and wielding hammers in places like the hills of eastern Kentucky and the mountains of Guatemala.
The Mission Commission organizes the congregation's giving around a rotating slate of partners, with one focus per month. The 2025 line-up included:
- January - Water for Life, a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries Advance project in Liberia and Guinea that drills clean-water wells. Each well costs about $2,650.
- February - Mujila Falls Agriculture Center in northwestern Zambia, supporting a rural farming ministry.
- March - UMCOR's One Great Hour of Sharing, the denomination-wide relief offering.
- April - Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky, a community-development ministry in Appalachian Kentucky that is 89 percent dependent on contributions from churches like Robbins.
- May - Ingham County Rural Family Services, including Hearts and Hands in Eaton Rapids, supporting a network of small-town food banks that serves about 100 families a month.
- June - Reach the Forgotten, a Christ-centered, chaplain-led jail ministry providing hope and healing to incarcerated people and their families.
- July - Native American churches supported through United Methodist partnerships.
- August - Readers to Leaders, a literacy-focused nonprofit.
- September - Heifer USA, which works with small farmers in Appalachia and the Arkansas Delta.
- October - Grace Children's Hospital and Pediatric Clinic in Haiti.
- November - CCAG Groceries, a local ministry providing holiday food for financially challenged neighbors.
- December - Youth Haven Ranch in Rives Junction, Michigan, a residential ministry for at-risk youth that receives no state or federal funding and is supported by volunteers and donations.
Locally, the church welcomes Mission Commission volunteers to help match interests with needs.
Community Sales, Block Parties, and Open Doors
Robbins keeps its building and grounds open to the wider community. The church hosts a series of Community Sales on its campus each year, generally held on Friday and Saturday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The September and October sales are listed on the church's calendar; the proceeds support ongoing ministries.
In summer 2026 the church held a Block Party that Pastor Jeff later described as his biggest community outreach since his return to Robbins. The event featured hot dogs, live music, and family games and drew neighbors who might not otherwise set foot in the sanctuary.
The campus is also available for community use. Robbins welcomes outside groups to rent the building for events that align with the church's doctrine and policies, with a written Building Use Policy and reasonable fees posted on the church's Building and Grounds Use page. Approval takes into account the church calendar and existing commitments. The church is intentional about not competing with other local churches or the private event sector, framing the building as a tool and gift to be shared rather than a rental business.
What Robbins Believes
Robbins United Methodist Church teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, revealing His mercy and forgiveness and giving eternal life to those who believe and accept Jesus as Savior. The church points to John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" - as a reminder of the depth of God's love, and to Jesus' new commandment to love others as He has loved.
Worship is designed to help people experience the love of God and express their love for God in return. Robbins recognizes that people find purpose and joy when they give back out of their gifts and abilities, whether that means joining a church team, serving the local community, or going on a short-term mission trip.
The church belongs to Branch 9 of the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church, gathering with other area United Methodist congregations for annual Branch Church Conferences to vote on individual church business and celebrate shared ministry. Robbins' partner church in that branch is Brookfield Eaton, where Pastor Jeff also serves.
Where to Find Robbins
Robbins United Methodist Church is at 6419 Bunker Road, Eaton Rapids, MI 48827, just east of Waverly Road on Bunker Road.
- From Eaton Rapids: Take State Street east, which becomes Plains Hwy at the edge of town. Continue on Plains Hwy to Waverly Road, turn left (north), and proceed three miles to Bunker Road, then turn right (east).
- From Mason: Take Columbia Hwy west to Waverly Road and turn left (south), just before the river. Go south about 2 miles to Bunker Road and turn left (east).
- From Holt: Take Aurelius Road south to Columbia Hwy and turn right (west). Take Columbia Hwy west to Waverly Road and turn left (south), just before the river. Go south about 2 miles to Bunker Road and turn left (east).
The main entrance is on the side of the building away from the road. The mailing address, phone number (517-663-5226), and email (Robbins@robbinsumc.org) all route through the church office, and the office can direct visitors to current small-group locations, youth class schedules, and ways to get involved. Tithes and offerings can be given in person during worship, online through the church's secure Vanco giving portal, or through the Vanco mobile app. A "Plan Your Visit" registration form on the homepage lets first-time guests share their contact information so a host or hostess can be ready to greet them, suggest a parking spot, and introduce them to the ushers when they arrive.
Robbins publishes a bimonthly newsletter called the Herald, with current and past issues posted online, and keeps a regularly updated calendar of upcoming worship services, Christian education classes, community sales, small-group meetings, and administrative gatherings. The church's Facebook page is another way to keep up with weekly updates.
From its country setting northeast of Eaton Rapids, Robbins United Methodist Church continues to live out its four-fold rhythm of loving God, connecting with people, growing in Christ, and serving where God calls - whether that means gathering for 9:30 a.m. worship on a Sunday morning, drilling a well in Liberia, or grilling hot dogs for the neighbors at the annual block party.