From the Post-Tribune (Sun Times): Historic St. Michael looks toward Cedar Lake

CEDAR LAKE — One of Northwest Indiana’s oldest churches is moving south.

St. Michael the Archangel National Catholic Church is looking to erect its first new building since the church opened in East Chicago in 1903. The parish is on tonight’s [July 16, 2008] Plan Commission agenda seeking preliminary approval to build a 16,000 square foot church complex at 6729 W. 133rd Ave.

If approved, the new church could be open by 2010.

Plans include a 150-seat church, a school of Christian living Sunday School and a 150-seat hall with five classrooms and offices, said Rev. John Kowalczyk Jr., who’s been pastor for the last eight years.

The church sold its former building in February after officials decided to move to south Lake County.

“Our congregation was moving further and further south,” Kowalczyk Jr. said. “We looked at the growth patterns of the county and all indications pointed here.”

Church officials consulted county and state Web sites checking out residential building permits.

“We looked at school systems and a whole bunch of categories,” he said.

The proposed new location is about 17 miles from the East Chicago site. Several of the church’s approximately 100 members still drive from East Chicago to services at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday at the After Four Club in Cedar Lake, where they’ve worshiped since December.

The parish is a member of the Polish National Catholic Church but the congregation voted to drop the word “Polish” several years ago since the church is comprised of many ethnic groups.

“We’re open to everyone,” Kowalczyk said. “We don’t want people to think you have to be Polish to join.”

The Polish National Catholic Church is not under the direction of the pope, but under same basic structure, Kowalczyk said. The church’s See is in Scranton, Pa., under the direction of Prime Bishop Most Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich.