History :

St. Michael's Church is located about four miles northwest of Coopersville, Michigan. This rural farming area was once part of Dennison, an early settlement that developed mainly because of logging activity beginning in the 1850's. Only traces of Dennison remain today.

Early families of St. Michael's were primarily Irish, along with some Germans and people of other nationalities. These families were served by occasional visits by mission priests who traveled, at first, on horseback. Services were held in the homes of families until the first structure, a wood frame church building came into use. It was constructed in 1879. The church was formally dedicated in 1888. It was named for the patron saint of the mission priest then overseeing the congregation, Father Michael Dalton.

St. Michael's was first a mission of the church in Grand Haven and then, in 1924, of St. Mary's in Marne. The mission obtained the status of parish in 1950.

In 1962 St. Michael's completed an expansive building project consisting of a new convent and a school with a large all-purpose addition that functioned during the following years as a church. This construction was accomplished under the parish's first pastor, who served until 1962. That same year he was ordained bishop and was shortly thereafter appointed to the Marquette Diocese. In 1977 he became Archbishop Charles A. Salatka of the Oklahoma City Archdiocese.

In 1988 a large new church structure was completed under the pastorship of Father William Langlois. Later, additional space was added to the school and the all-purpose area became a family center. The convent, built to house the Sisters of St. Francis who were the first to staff the school, has been converted into an administration building.

St. Michael's Parish is involved in Grand Valley State University's Campus Ministry. Father Anthony M. Pelak is pastor.