DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN

What DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN does

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan is a regional administrative unit of the Episcopal Church (and by extension the Anglican Communion) that served Episcopal congregations across Eastern Michigan from its offices at 124 N. Fayette Street, Saginaw. Its functional role is canonical and formational rather than commercial: it provides ecclesiastical governance, ordains and supports clergy, oversees a Lay Licensing Program covering seven canonical ministries with a five-year renewal cycle, and runs the Coppage-Gordon School for Ministry together with the Academy for Vocational Leadership — a three-year tri-diocesan formation program developed through the Iona Collaborative with the Seminary of the Southwest for those pursuing Holy Orders.

Operational services include a Supply Clergy Network covering Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Digital Community Grants of up to $1,000 per congregation for digital ministry infrastructure, a Communications & Evangelism resource suite, and the #MIFAITHSTORY member-storytelling campaign. The diocese also coordinates programmatic ministries including Creation Care, Dismantling Racism, Flint Water Relief, Good News Gardens, Recovery Ministry, and Children, Youth, and Young Adult ministries.

The organization is a private nonprofit funded entirely through voluntary tithes, offerings, and donations; it has no commercial pricing, no disclosed revenue, and a 12-person central staff. In October 2024, the legacy dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan entered juncture to form the new Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes, with the eastmich.org domain retained as an archive.

Name

DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN

Legal name

Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan

Website

https://eastmich.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan is a private religious nonprofit of the Episcopal Church that provided governance, clergy formation, and lay licensing to congregations across Eastern Michigan before merging with Western Michigan in October 2024 to form the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Ministry Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Diocesan ministry services
• Clergy formation programs
• Lay ministry licensing
• Congregational development
• Religious education

Headquarters

HQ city

Saginaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Eastern Michigan is a regional diocese of The Episcopal Church that provides governance, pastoral support, and ministry formation for Episcopal congregations across Eastern Michigan. Its core offerings include canonical lay licensing for roles such as Pastoral Leader, Worship Leader, Preacher, Eucharistic Minister, Catechist, and Evangelist; theological education through the Coppage-Gordon School for Ministry and the Academy for Vocational Leadership (a three-year diaconate formation program via the Iona Collaborative with Seminary of the Southwest); congregational development resources; Digital Community Grants; Supply Clergy coordination; and justice/advocacy programs including Creation Care, Dismantling Racism, and Flint Water Relief. In October 2024 the diocese entered juncture with the Diocese of Western Michigan to form the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes.

Product overview

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan offers a suite of ministry support services centered around its Lay Licensing Program, which provides canonical licenses for various lay ministries. The Coppage-Gordon School for Ministry and its Academy for Vocational Leadership component deliver theological education and formation for lay leaders and those preparing for ordination to the diaconate or priesthood. Additional services include Digital Community Grants supporting digital ministry initiatives, Communications & Evangelism resources including the #MIFAITHSTORY campaign, and a Supply Clergy Network for congregations needing temporary pastoral coverage. Note: In October 2024, the legacy dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan entered juncture to become the new Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lay Licensing Program A canonical program issuing licenses for lay ministries including Pastoral Leader, Worship Leader, Preacher, Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Catechist, and Evangelist; licenses are valid for five years with renewal at Advent 2026. Intended for lay persons seeking to serve in licensed ministries within Episcopal congregations.
• Coppage-Gordon School for Ministry A diocesan school offering classes on theology, preaching, worship leading, and ministry formation for lay people and those preparing for ordination. Delivered by the Diocese of Eastern Michigan.
• Academy for Vocational Leadership A three-year local formation program for the diaconate, delivered collaboratively with the Dioceses of Western Michigan and Michigan through the Iona Collaborative using the Seminary of the Southwest curriculum for training individuals for Holy Orders.
• Supply Clergy Network A network of temporary clergy available to fill in for congregations when priests are unavailable, serving dioceses across Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Camp ChickagamiminorOthersEpiscopal retreat center located in Presque Isle, MI offering space for individual and programmed retreats
• All Saints, Saugatuck Retreat HouseminorOthersEpiscopal retreat house in Saugatuck, MI providing space for spiritual retreats
• Emmaus MonasteryminorOthersMonastery located at 10154 N Pine Grove Rd, Vestaburg, MI (989-268-5494)
• St. Gregory's AbbeyminorOthersEpiscopal abbey in Three Rivers, MI offering retreat facilities
• Plainsong FarmminorOthersFarm retreat center in Rockford, MI for spiritual renewal and retreat experiences
• Emrich Retreat CenterminorOthersRetreat center in Brighton, MI affiliated with the Episcopal diocese
• St. Francis Retreat & Conference CenterminorOthersEcumenical retreat center in DeWitt, MI
• Colombiere Conference & Retreat CenterminorOthersEcumenical retreat and conference center in Clarkston, MI
• The Episcopal ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent denominational body providing liturgical resources, lectionary, and church-wide initiatives including Safe Church trainings and Sermon resources
• Diocese of Western MichiganflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner diocese that merged with Eastern Michigan in October 2024 to form the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. Collaborated on formation programs, supply clergy, and digital community grants.
• Academy for Vocational LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year local formation program collaboration between Dioceses of Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Michigan. Part of Iona Collaborative using Seminary of the Southwest curriculum for training individuals for Holy Orders.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw: The Catholic diocese headquartered in the same city as the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan. Comparable as a regional Christian ecclesiastical governance body operating across the same Eastern Michigan geography, but serving a different (Catholic) denomination.
• Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church: The United Methodist regional body serving Michigan. Comparable as a mainline Protestant regional governance structure serving the same geography with parallel formation, clergy deployment, and congregational development programs, though in a different denomination.

Direct peers

• Diocese of Western Michigan: The Episcopal diocese that merged with Eastern Michigan in October 2024. Comparable as a same-denomination, similar-sized regional governance body that served Western Michigan with parallel formation, licensing, and congregational development programs.
• Episcopal Diocese of Ohio: An Episcopal diocese with a similar mix of urban and small-town congregations facing Rust Belt demographic pressures. Comparable because it operates the same denominational structure, lay licensing, and clergy formation model in a similarly challenged industrial-region context.
• Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania: A small Episcopal diocese serving a similarly rural and small-town region in the Great Lakes / Rust Belt area. Comparable because it faces the same demographic and mainline-denomination decline dynamics and operates a comparable regional formation and licensing ministry.
• Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac: A small Episcopal diocese serving a similar rural and small-town region across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Comparable because it operates the same denomination, governance structure, formation programs, and lay licensing model in a demographically similar region.
• Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes: The successor entity formed by the October 2024 juncture of the Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan. Directly comparable because it is the combined governance body for the same congregations and ministry programs that the Diocese of Eastern Michigan previously operated.
• Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis: A small-to-mid-sized Midwestern Episcopal diocese. Comparable because it operates the same denominational governance, formation, and lay licensing structure in a region with similar urban-suburban-rural congregation mix and Mainline Protestant demographic trends.
• Episcopal Diocese of Michigan: A neighboring Episcopal diocese that co-runs the Academy for Vocational Leadership with the Diocese of Eastern Michigan. Directly comparable because it serves the Michigan region with the same denominational structure, governance, formation programs, and lay licensing model.
• Episcopal Diocese of Chicago: A mid-sized Episcopal diocese serving a Great Lakes region with similar formation, licensing, and congregational development programs. Comparable because it operates the same denominational governance structure across urban and suburban congregations in the same broader region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-eastern-michigan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN