Whiteford Wesleyan Church sits along Sylvania-Petersburg Road in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, where it has served rural Monroe County and the surrounding area for decades. The congregation's motto, "Creating More and Better Disciples," anchors its signage, and its three-word summary - LOVE. GROW. SERVE. - frames everything from Sunday worship to Wednesday night small groups. Senior Pastor Rick Deisler and his wife Bonita have pastored here since 1988; both are graduates of Indiana Wesleyan University.
Sundays at 9 and 10
The weekly rhythm is simple. Sunday School for all ages meets at 9:00 AM, followed by a 75-minute worship service at 10:00 AM. Visitors are encouraged to arrive a few minutes early to park, find a seat, and be greeted; a Welcome Center opens after the service with coffee and answers to questions.
The dress code is casual and relaxed - come as you are. Music is led by a praise band, with lyrics projected onto screens so anyone can sing along or simply engage quietly. After the music, one of the pastors shares an encouraging, hope-filled message about Jesus.
Children are woven into the morning rather than tucked away. Nursery care is offered during the 10:00 AM service for infants through age 2 and for toddlers ages 2 to 4. A Cry Room in the back right of the sanctuary lets parents tend to young children without missing the service. Children ages 5 through 5th grade are dismissed partway through the service for their own JR Church, where they sing, play games, and learn about God.
Sunday School for Every Age
The Sunday School hour is built around small groups, with a class for every stage of life:
- Nursery (ages 1-2) with Carol in the Nursery room
- Preschool (ages 3-5) with Bonita in the Education Wing
- Early Elementary (1st and 2nd grade) with Leslie in the Education Wing
- Pre-Teen (3rd-5th grade) with Pastor Rick in the Education Wing
- Students (6th-12th grade) in the Youth Room
- College and Young Adult with Nick Jacobs in the Library, currently working through the Overcomer Bible Study
Three adult classes round out the hour. Melinda Meeks leads a book study based on Andy Stanley in the West Small Group Room. Sonny and Gloria Steenburgh teach through 1 Corinthians in the Conference Room. Ron Shalda leads the Wesley Bible Quarterly Study - "God's Plan Always Prevails" - in the Family Life Center.
Wednesday Nights at 6:30
Wednesday evenings bring the church back together for small groups. Children, teens, and adults all have a place to plug in at 6:30 PM.
Children in 4-year-old through 5th grade are part of The 525th, a Wednesday night program designed to teach positive, biblical values in a way kids enjoy and remember. Teaching teams serve on both Sunday morning and Wednesday night so that the same children build relationships with the same adults over the week.
Student Ministry (6th-12th grade) meets Wednesday nights as well, with games, snacks, ping pong, and service projects. Students come early to hang out, then move into a teaching time built around biblical truths that connect to daily life. The same group meets Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM, where leaders commit to learning names, listening to stories, and creating a safe place for teens to ask hard questions. Throughout the year, students hit up sporting events, concerts, conferences, and the occasional high school musical, and they give back through community service and outreach.
Adults join their own Wednesday small groups as well, part of a broader small-group ministry that runs throughout the week.
Growing Tree Preschool
Operating out of the church building, Growing Tree Preschool serves three- and four-year-olds of the wider community. Two programs run during the week:
- Red Apples: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 to 11:25 AM
- Yellow Apples: Monday and Friday from 8:30 to 11:25 AM
Children must be three years old by September 1 of the enrolling school year, potty trained, and current on vaccinations. Yellow Apple registrants must be four years old and entering kindergarten in the fall. Required paperwork includes a Child Information Card, a green health appraisal form with doctor signature and immunization record, a placement contract, a licensing notebook form, a volunteer waiver, and a communication form.
Whiteford Women
Whiteford Wesleyan Women gathers women of all ages for Bible study, fellowship, service, and mentoring. The goal is to connect, nurture, and empower women to grow in faith, discover their calling, and give life to the world around them for Jesus Christ and the Wesleyan Church. Throughout the year, special times of fellowship are planned to encourage authentic, Christ-centered relationships, from craft nights and pizza-and-pajamas evenings to progressive Christmas dinners shared across several homes.
Wesleyan Men and the Seasoned Saints
Wesleyan Men offers a challenging discipleship program, outings, missions projects, Father/Son outings, Bible studies, and men's prayer time. A subgroup called the Seasoned Saints meets as a Sunday school class and is active with fellowships throughout the year. The monthly Men's Bible & Breakfast takes place on the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 AM. Open to all men, members and non-members, it provides a great meal and time for fellowship.
A "Glo-cal" Church
Whiteford Wesleyan calls itself a "glo-cal" church - equally committed to local and global outreach. Each year the congregation supports seven missionaries on an annual basis, with partners serving in Nepal, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, and Zambia.
Locally, the church partners with area pastors providing food for needy families, supports Whiteford Schools as needs arise, and works with the Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission, the Pregnancy Center of Toledo, the Oaks of Righteousness homeless shelter in Monroe, MI, and "Keep Watch Toledo." The church also steps in for community needs as they arise.
Local and global missions are funded through Faith-Promise giving - a personal, prayer-based commitment between the individual and God, separate from tithes and offerings, with annual commitment cards collected each September. The church describes a Faith-Promise as a "vertical commitment" solely between the giver and God; no bills, no follow-up visits. The model is drawn from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, and the projected total helps forecast mission support for the year ahead.
What Wesleyans Believe
The Wesleyan Church is an evangelical, Protestant denomination with world headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, and roughly 400,000 constituents across about 5,000 churches and missions in 80 countries. The denomination formed in 1968 from the merger of several like-minded groups, with roots reaching back to 1843 and to John Wesley's Methodism.
Wesleyans affirm one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and the good news that faith in Jesus Christ makes possible a personal relationship with God, a holy life empowered by the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of eternal life in heaven. The Bible is the highest source of written authority for faith and practice. Those who receive new life in Christ are called to holy living, possible only by being filled with the Spirit.
Six values shape the denomination's life: Biblical Authority, Christlikeness, Disciple-Making, Local Church Centered, Servant Leadership, and Unity in Diversity. Whiteford Wesleyan lives into these through its mission statement, its emphasis on practical Bible teaching, uplifting worship, and small-group ministry.
Baptism and Membership
Baptism is described as a public confession of faith to family, friends, the church, and the world - an outward, physical testimony of what Christ is doing in the heart. It is not a shortcut to heaven, nor does it promise salvation. Baptisms are usually conducted one to two times per year, and a meeting with the pastor is required beforehand.
Membership is framed as a path of discipleship in three movements: Believe, Belong, and Become. The church invites baptized believers who fully agree with the Wesleyan Articles of Religion to join and participate as members.
Serving and Giving
Members are encouraged to find a place to serve. Eight ministry teams - Connection, Small Group, Missions, Prayer, Stewardship, Children's, Student, and Facilities - cover everything from greeting and nursery work to sound and video, drama, debt retirement, and yard work. Worship ministries include the praise team, praise band, special music, sound, PowerPoint, lighting, and video and photography. Those interested in serving fill out a contact form to get plugged in.
Giving is available in three ways: online or through the Tithely mobile app, in person via the white boxes at the entrance of the sanctuary, or by mail to the church address. Online giving allows donors to create a Tithely account, track their giving, and set up recurring gifts.
Sermons and a Weekly Series
Sermons are posted each week to the church's YouTube channel. A current teaching series titled "Signs from the Bible" explores biblical images - One Way, Yield, Stop, Speed Limit, Men at Work, Merge, and Welcome - as a roadmap for faithful living, calling listeners to ask, "Lord, give me a sign..."
Plan a Visit
For anyone considering a first visit, the experience is straightforward. Sunday morning begins with Sunday School at 9:00 AM and worship at 10:00 AM. Dress is casual; coffee is available after the service. Children from birth through 5th grade are cared for in age-appropriate rooms, and a Cry Room is open to parents of young children. Wednesday nights offer small groups for children, teens, and adults at 6:30 PM. Anyone with a child who has special needs is invited to reach out ahead of time so the church can best serve the family.