I visited Mariners Church in Detroit Michigan, to prepare for the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 2025. My mission was to understand why, after fifty years, the tragedy continues to resonate deeply in the hearts and minds of Great Lakes residents. And learn about the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald service. Here’s what I found:
Summary
In this story, you’ll learn more about:
- Mariners Church in Detroit and its relationship to the Edmund Fitzgerald and other maritime tragedies,
- The history of Mariners Church Detroit, the city’s oldest stone church,
- Why the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald still haunts us after five decades,
- What to expect at the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald commemoration service to be held at Mariners Church of Detroit in 2025 and
- My interview with Rev. Todd Meyer of Detroit Mariners Church.
“Hardly a week goes by when someone on an Edmund Fitzgerald pilgrimage isn’t knocking on the church door,” says Reverend Todd Meyer of Mariners Church of Detroit. Seekers have a longing to visit the church that played a role in the tragedy and was immortalized by the Gordon Lightfoot song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
The oldest stone church in Detroit is only 151 feet / 46 meters from the US-Canada border crossing at the Detroit-Winsor Tunnel, passing under the Detroit River.
Discover how Great Lakes shipwreck historian Thom Holden traces the events that turned the Edmund Fitzgerald’s loss into legend.
Brief history of Detroit’s oldest stone church
The Mariners Church in Detroit was founded in 1842 as a non-denominational “House of Prayer for All People.” Julia Ann Anderson—the widow of Fort Detroit commander Colonel John Anderson—left money in her will to build the church to serve the under-served of the time, sailors and their families. Her husband, Colonel Anderson, had commanded the artillery defense of Detroit during the War of 1812 and the next 21 years.
During its early decades, Mariners Church in Detroit was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The lower level served as one of the final hiding places for escaped slaves coming from the south, who would stay at the church and then cross the Detroit River for Canada.
When construction workers moved the church in 1955 to make room for a new civic center, they discovered a subterranean tunnel that was part of the Underground Railroad.
“Today, we’re serving the needs of the community that has expanded to the automotive industry—that wasn’t even on Julia Ann Anderson’s radar back in the 1800s,” Rev. Todd describes. Henry Ford didn’t roll out the first car produced on the assembly line, the Model T, until December 1913, seven decades after her death.
“It doesn’t happen as much anymore, but if something happens, we’re making calls to comfort families,” Rev. Todd reports. He believes they’re not seeing as many shipping tragedies because of improvements in engineering and shipbuilding over the years.
“Not that tragedies can’t happen — like the collapsing of the Baltimore bridge after it was struck by a container ship,” he adds.
How is Mariners Church in Detroit related to the Edmund Fitzgerald tragedy?
Spiritual outreach to sailors was revived in the 1970s under Rev. Richard Ingalls Sr., who broadcast radio shows that sailors on Great Lakes shipping vessels tuned into. It was Rev. Ingalls, upon learning of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking, rang the bell of Mariners Church in Detroit. His actions were recorded by Lightfoot’s lyrics: “The church bell chimed ’til it rang twenty-nine times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
“Rev. Ingalls was in here praying when he got word that the Edmund Fitzgerald went down,” says Rev. Todd, showing me around the soaring sanctuary, whose beamed ceilings mimic the ribs of a wooden sailing vessel.
“He walked down this outside aisle, went into the bell tower, and rang the bell,” recounts Rev. Todd, walking down the same north aisle. Rev. Ingalls tolled the bell 29 times, once for each sailor lost in the night’s disaster.
“Rev. Ingalls was much better than I at ringing the belltower bell,” smiles Rev. Todd, describing how you must yank the rope about three times to get the heavy bell to start swinging enough for the clapper to hit the bell ring.
In the previous line of the song, Lightfoot refers to the Mariners Church of Detroit when he writes ‘maritime sailors cathedral.’
“In a rustic old hall in Detroit, they prayed
In the maritime sailors cathedral…”
So, if you’re searching for a Maritime Sailors Cathedral –you’ll find none—it is actually the Mariners Church of Detroit.
See how writer Clay Silveness reflects on Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting ballad that helped the Edmund Fitzgerald story live on in hearts across the Great Lakes.
RELATED: You’ll Love These 7 Things to See Near the Mariners Church of Detroit
Why the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald echoes through five decades
Rev. Todd believes the fifty-year-old Edmund Fitzgerald story resonates with people today because of Lightfoot’s massively popular song. “The power of the Gordon Lightfoot song is the heart connection that people have with the tragedy,” the Reverend says.
Indeed, American Songwriter Magazine reports, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald holds up as one of the great story songs of all time.”
“There was a four-year-old visitor who had all the words to the song memorized,” Rev. Todd says, as one example of witnessing contemporaries captivated by Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad and the legacy of Edmund Fitzgerald.
That’s no small feat since the song recording was six minutes long, with seven eight-line stanzas and no chorus repetitions.
Read why the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald still resonates with Great Lakes residents 50 years later.
Annual bell ringing ceremony at Mariners Church Detroit
To honor the memory of the 29 Edmund Fitzgerald officers and crew members lost at sea, a brass bell in the sanctuary is rung during an annual ceremony that takes part on the Sunday that falls closest to November 10, the date the massive ship went missing.
Rev. Todd describes the traditional bell-ringing ceremony that takes place during the memorial service: “We have uniformed shipmasters who line up to ring the bell. The bell is loud and quite stunning—it’s a sobering moment in the ceremony. A horn musician plays taps from the balcony. It’s a powerful service.”
In 1999, the memorial service honoring the 29 was changed to include the previous year’s Great Lakes deaths and the passing of former shipmasters.
Mariners Church of Detroit invites members of ISMA, Coast Guard, Navy League, Sea Cadets, Public Safety Officers, Army Corp of Engineers and all Military branches to wear their uniforms and join the honor guard.
Mariners Church of Detroit Blessing of the Fleet Service
Besides the annual November memorial, the Mariners Church of Detroit also facilitates a Blessing of the Fleet in the spring, held for over 60 consecutive years to pray for sailors’ safety and protection during the upcoming shipping season.
In the past, the blessing service was done on the water from a boat, but attendance grew so much that it is now conducted in the church, which can seat approximately 300 people.
The Great Lakes are often frozen from the end of November through mid-March, so shipping companies retire their freighters during winter. The church also reaches out to comfort the families of those lost in the Great Lakes or other maritime disasters, such as the recent imploding of the OceanGate submersible during a descent to the Titanic wreck.
What to expect at the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald at Mariners Church of Detroit
Mariners Church of Detroit will hold the 50th memorial service on Sunday, November 9, 2025. If it is anything like the 25th commemoration in 2000, expect a full house.
“At the 25th memorial ceremony, it was standing room only,” Rev. Todd reports, showing me photos of the event.
In view of that, I recommend that you arrive at least an hour and a half early to park and find a place in the sanctuary pews at Mariners Church in Detroit.
Parking for the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald service
Park at Ford Underground Garage, 30 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit. The underground garage entrance is in the median strip of Jefferson Avenue. Take a parking ticket and park near the staircase. The entrance to Mariners Church Detroit is outside the first stairwell door. Get a parking voucher from the ushers.
RELATED: You’ll Love These 7 Things to See Near the Mariners Church of Detroit
Best hotels in and near Detroit
Are you still looking for a hotel in or near Detroit, Michigan? Then you are in luck, because in Detroit you have a wide choice of top-notch hotels. We recommend the following unique or good hotels:
- Shinola Hotel: Travel+Leisure named them one of the 500 Best Hotels in the World! Gorgeous and trendy, it deserves the high ratings it gets across the board. I ate at one of its acclaimed restaurants, San Morello
- Element Detroit at the Metropolitan: I walked to the Mariner’s Cathedral from this classy, revamped historic hotel. Enjoy the terrace, bar and breakfast. I did!
- Atheneum Suite Hotel: an all-suite hotel that offers free area shuttle service if you don’t like to walk, like I do.
When you use one of these links to book your room— any room —I get a small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support of this website.
Inside Detroit Mariners Church
Arriving early lets you quiet your mind, settle your spirit and reflect before the service starts. Take time to look for the symbols in the stained glass and woodwork that evoke the sea and sailors’ lives.
You’ll find Biblical references to the sea, such as Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Once the service begins, follow the Order of Service in the printed bulletins that ushers hand out to attendees.
You’ll start with the prayer in the stained glass above the altar, which is taken from the hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save. The congregation will sing all six verses of the hymn at the memorial service.
During the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald service, uniformed shipmasters will line up to ring the brass bell in the sanctuary. Once the resounding bell has been rung the appropriate number of times, a hornist plays taps from the balcony.
Arriving early lets you quiet your mind, settle your spirit and reflect before the service starts. Take time to look for the symbols in the stained glass and woodwork that evoke the sea and sailors’ lives.
You’ll find Biblical references to the sea, such as Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Once the service begins, follow the Order of Service in the printed bulletins that ushers hand out to attendees.
You’ll start with the prayer in the stained glass above the altar, which is taken from the hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save. The congregation will sing all six verses of the hymn at the memorial service.
During the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald service, uniformed shipmasters will line up to ring the brass bell in the sanctuary. Once the resounding bell has been rung the appropriate number of times, a hornist plays taps from the balcony.
Suggestions for meditations at the Mariners Church of Detroit
You don’t need to visit Mariners Church of Detroit during one of the annual ceremonies to take in the ambiance and spirituality of the sacred space. Sunday services are at 8:30 and 10 am. Call the church office to confirm open times.
Pray the words in the stained glass above the altar
Once you’ve found a place to sit in the sanctuary, start by praying the words in the stained glass above the altar. They come from the hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save. Rev. Todd reveals that every service begins with the congregation singing this prayer in unison.
Eternal Father strong to save,
Whose arm has bound the restless wave,
Here us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea.
Contemplate other words found in the stained glass at ‘ maritime sailors cathedral ’
Next, you could contemplate the words in the stained glass above the prayer: “Peace – Be Still.” This comes from the scripture found at Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
Repetition prayer
One way to meditate on the words ‘peace—be still’ is to say them aloud or to yourself over and over. As you repeat the word, a distracting thought may come into your head. Acknowledge the thought, but let it slide by.
When doing this exercise, I pretend I’m on an inner tube, floating along a slow-moving river. The distracting thoughts float by me, some faster, some slower than the speed I’m traveling. I let them bump off my inner tube. My thoughts are for another time and place. We WILL meet again. But now is the time to ignore these distractions and deny them entry into my mind.*
Pray the scripture
Another way to pray this powerful scripture is to whisper it as a repetition prayer. But with each repetition, drop off the last word. Like this:
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know that I.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Then, you can start again with “Be.” Add one word back to each repetition.
Be.
Be still.
Be still and know.
Be still and know that I.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know that I am God.
I love this prayer so much that I will do the reps many times until my head clears its worldly thoughts and my heart opens to what the Lord might have in store for me during my meditation time.
Keep your eyes open to maritime symbols and icons in the architectural features of this sacred place—the more you look, the more you’ll see.
These symbols at Mariners Church in Detroit remind us that even when God’s presence seems hidden amid life’s storms, we can see that we are sheltered under God’s protective wings in moments of calm and prayerful reflection.
*These instructions first appeared in my book Spiritual and Walking Guide: León to Santiago on El Camino
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey rings the Detroit Mariners Church bell
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey rings the same bell that Rev. Ingalls rang after that fateful night when the Edmund Fitzgerald slipped out of sight.
2023 Great Lakes Memorial Service at Mariners Church in Detroit
The tolling of the bell for all hands was lost in 2023, with an additional bell for songwriter and singer Gordon Lightfoot, who died on May 1, 2023.
RELATED: You’ll Love These 7 Things to See Near the Mariners Church of Detroit
MAP YOUR STAY
Q&A:
I spent 3 days in Detroit, and it wasn’t nearly enough. I recommend at least 5 days so you can fit in Greenfield Village and ride on the riverboat.
The best month to go to Detroit for walking and seeing the sites is June – September. But the best month to go to be part of the Edmund Fitzgerald Commemoration Service at Mariners Church in Detroit would be November. Just beware of the gales!
The best way to see Detroit is to walk and ride free public transportation.
The Detroit People Mover is a free public transportation option in Detroit, Michigan. The elevated, automated light-rail system has 13 stations and makes a clockwise loop around downtown Detroit every 15–16 minutes.
The People Mover connects to hotels, offices, theaters, the sports district, and the Rosa Parks Transit Center.
I also used Uber, which was very easy.
You should stay right downtown for your first time visit to Detroit. There are plenty of hotels in every category and price range.
We enjoyed our stay at Element Detroit at the Metropolitan.
Mariners Church of Detroit Details
Mariners’ Church of Detroit
170 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48226
Office Hours: M-F 10 am-4 pm
313-259-2206
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✈️ UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel Series
⚓ More from the Edmund Fitzgerald 50th Anniversary Series
- Why the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Still Resonates with Great Lakes Residents—50 Years Later
- Reflections on the Edmund Fitzgerald Story and Gordon Lightfoot’s Haunting Ballad
- How the Edmund Fitzgerald Became a Great Lakes Shipwreck Legend
- 50 Years On, Mariners Church in Detroit Still Tolls for the Edmund Fitzgerald Tragedy
Table of Contents
Hi, I’m Stacey
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel is a travel blog focused on immersive travel that highlights food, wine and the spirituality of place. You can count on me for accurate reports and insightful analysis as your trusted travel writer since 2008.
As the author of several spiritual and walking guides, I occasionally write about life as a Camino de Santiago pilgrim. See my Amazon author page here. You may review my credentials as a professional travel writer on LinkedIn.
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6 thoughts on “50 Years on, Mariners Church in Detroit Still Tolls for Edmund Fitzgerald Tragedy”
So glad this worked out for you, Stacey! Fascinating history.
Thanks for your comments, Mary! It was a fascinating interview about Mariners Church in Detroit
It’s inspiring to see how the church’s history, from its early days on the Underground Railroad to its modern-day outreach, has continuously served as a beacon of hope and remembrance. This story truly captures the spirit of resilience and community surrounding the Great Lakes. Well done!
Thanks so much, Anna! Yes, the history is quite incredible. I hope many people will be celebrating Christmas at Mariners Church Detroit this year!
Do you know what time the services start? Thank you & see y’all in Detroit on 11/10.
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, a memorial service follows the conclusion of the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, a 17-stage, 411-mile relay swim from the wreck site of the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior to Detroit. The 2025 Mariners Commemoration service at Mariners’ Church of Detroit commemorates the 50th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. The date of the leg of this race is subject to change. Stay tuned here: https://www.edmundfitzgeraldswim.org/stage-17
Mariners’ Church hosts the Great Lakes Memorial Service annually to honor all those who served on the Great Lakes, including those who lost their lives at sea. In 2025, this service will most probably be held on Sunday, November 9, at 11:00 AM.
Both services are open to the public and take place at Mariners’ Church, located at 170 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.