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​The White Lake area is made up of 2 neighboring cities of Whitehall & Montague, located on beautiful White Lake!​

Mission Statement
Producing world-class chamber music concerts, promoting and supporting classical music learning opportunities for all ages, and creating awareness of the value and significance of fine music. ​We believe that live music should be accessible to all as it expands creativity, enhances intelligence, ​and enriches the spirit.

Current Programs:
The White Lake Chamber Music Festival
The White Lake Chamber Music Festival runs annually during the first two weeks of August, showcasing exceptional talent and great music in the White Lake area. The Festival is known for excellent programming, exceptional talent, and inspiring classical music performances. A musical experience mostly found only in metropolitan cities is now an annual opportunity for White Lake area residents and visitors, bringing big-city experiences to the White Lake area, making the fine arts more accessible.

West Michigan Junior Strings
Since 2009, the West Michigan Junior Strings has offered violin and cello instruction to students ages 4 to 18, using a creative blend of the Suzuki Method and traditional string pedagogy. Our highly-skilled and committed faculty are dedicated to fostering Suzuki’s vision that “every child can.” Dr. Suzuki's philosophy embraces the idea that all children are born with musical ability which can be nurtured at an early age.

White Lake Music Instruction
Private instruction is now available for students of all ages for flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, low brass, percussion, ukulele, mandolin, guitar, violin, viola, cello, bass guitar, piano, and voice. We desire to support and strengthen existing school music programs and provide opportunities for students to expand their appreciation and knowledge of music.

The Young Artist Solo Competition
Accomplished music students from many of Michigan’s universities and colleges compete in a preliminary round, held in March. The top 10 are chosen to compete live in April in Montague. Monetary awards are given.
 
White Lake Winter Lecture Series
The White Lake Music Society’s Winter Lecture Series features engaging and stimulating presentations. A wide variety of expertise and talent are showcased from January – March.

The Swan Series
The Swan Series features Robert Swan who shares many of his insights, experiences, and expertise gleaned from 34 years of performing in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In-School Clinics and Concerts
Starting this year, we are going into the White Lake area schools to present concerts to at least 1000 elementary age students, plus presenting hands on practical help and instruction to middle school and high school bands. We are working on a collaboration with France Dance Studio and Montague schools to present the Nutcracker in December to at least 1000 students from both Montague and Whitehall.

White Lake Music Society Board Members
Accessibility Statement
Strategic Planning
​Non discrimination Policy

Based on previous year’s data, we estimate that your gift will impact over 1500 adults, with at least 62 events through the year, plus approximately 1325 young people will be directly engaged through learning opportunities in 2020!

​Some of our Festival Venues​

Ferry Memorial Church

​Ferry Memorial
8637 Old Channel Trail
​Montague
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The oldest church edifice in the White Lake area is our brick sanctuary, now known as Heritage Hall, erected in 1874 in memory of Major Noah H. Ferry, who died in the Civil War battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 3, 1863. 

Noah H. Ferry, the son of Rev. William Montague and Amanda Ferry, was born on Mackinac Island, April 30, 1831. The family moved to Grand Haven in 1834, and in 1854, Noah and his brother Edward took over the family's lumber mill in White River Township. They prospered and gave much to the community, including building the first schoolhouse in the area in 1856. 

When the Civil War broke out, Noah became the captain of a 102 men company known as the "White River Guard." In early 1863, he became a Major. He was killed in battle against Robert E. Lee's forces at Gettysburg.

When Noah died, his property reverted to his father. In March 1866, Rev. Ferry built the Red Lumber Mill on his son's property. At the same time, Rev. Ferry loaned money to Mr. E. R. Burrows to erect a two-story building at the corner of Dowling and Ferry Streets, with the stipulation that the second story be used for church services rent-free. 

Thus began the First Presbyterian Church of Montague in 1868. Unfortunately, Burrow's Hall burned down in 1871. 

At that time, Edward Ferry, Noah's brother, told church officials that his mother, who died in 1870, had left a bequest of $1500 toward the construction of a church in Montague, to be supervised by Edward and Mr. George Dowling. Edward then offered to pay for the entire construction of the church building, as a memorial to his deceased brother Noah. The building (which cost $12,000 to finish) and a parsonage were constructed on two lots donated by Edward. The buildings were finished in 1874, but finally dedicated on January 9, 1877. 

For many years a thriving church, membership plunged in the 1930's, and the church dissolved by 1942. A number of Reformed Church in America people had regularly attended Ferry Presbyterian Church while summering in the area. Thus, when the Presbyterian Church closed, a group of Reformed folk decided to form a new congregation in the area. The Presbyterians gladly leased the building to them for five years, with an understanding that if the congregation thrived, the property would be deeded to them for $1. 

Thus, Ferry Memorial Reformed Church was organized on October 28, 1942 with 15 families. The church grew and on October 1, 1947, the property was deeded to the Reformed Church. 

In the late 1970's, the church faced difficult decisions regarding its future. Particularly the church debated whether to build a new sanctuary, and if built, what should the sanctuary look like. A sanctuary was built and on November 1, 1981, the new sanctuary was dedicated. 

Someone observing the upward rise of the old sanctuary steeple, contrasted with the new sanctuary roof lines sloping down toward the earth, remarked: "It looks like Ferry Memorial is reaching up to God; and reaching out to people." That became our church's vision statement. 

The stained glass windows, depicting Old and New Testament scenes, were dedicated July 20, 1997.
In late 1999, major sanctuary renovations added new seating, a new stained-glass window cross, a new sound system, new carpet, and a new ventilation system. 

A stainless steel full-size anchor was handcrafted by Mr. Wayne Vogel in memory of his friend, Rev. Lloyd Arnoldink. It was dedicated on September 1, 2002 during worship. "The Anchor Holds" became the church's theme for the year, emphasizing that in the sometimes smooth, sometimes turbulent seas of life, Christ is our steady security and hope. 
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On September 21, 2008 we gathered to celebrated 138 years as a church on this site, 70 of those years as a Reformed Church in America congregation. praise God for his many blessings and share stories of the founding of Ferry Church. 

Lebanon Lutheran Church

United Methodist Church, Montague

Lebanon Lutheran Church
1101 S. Mears Ave
Whitehall

A strong faith in God sustained the Swedish immigrants who brought from Sweden their Lutheran church background. In Sweden the state directed the clergy to teach their congregant's children to read well enough to memorize Luther’s little catechism. Religion was a deeply felt need among the immigrants and one of their first concerns after settling was to organize a church congregation.

​In 1868 the Scandinavian Lutheran Church was organized in Whitehall. Family records show that Anders Johansson (Ryd) was confirmed in Whitehall in 1870. In 1872 Swedish members formed the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Lebanon Church of Whitehall. A gothic style church was built using lumber cut from the surrounding woods and milled in a local sawmill. Services were conducted in Swedish until the early 1930’s. Today the neighborhood around the church is still known as Swedentown.

In 1877, Carl and Johanna Johnson, grandparents of Chuck Svensson and Eleanor Carlson, donated land on which the church is built.

The WELCA Windows – 1988
The windows were given in memory of Russell and Dorothy Johnson. Created by local artist Sharon Brown of Montague, the windows honor all of the women of Lebanon Lutheran who have served, or will serve sometime in the future, the needs of this congregation and the community at large.

United Methodist Church
8555 Cook St
Montague

The Montague Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist congregation in Muskegon county. It traces its birth to Abner Bennett, an African-American  lay preacher, who organized Methodist Sunday School classes at the Mouth of White Lake in the late 1840s. Sanctioned by the Methodist conference in 1853, the original class had nine members. 

From his farm near the Old Channel of White Lake, Bennett  was an itinerant minister who spread the gospel throughout the pioneer settlements of western Michigan and created the White River Circuit, in 1855, which included small congregations from as far north as Little Point Sable, as far south as Muskegon, and possibly as far east as Newaygo.

For the first dozen years or so the center of the White River Circuit remained at the Mouth. The first ordained minister was the Rev. Lorin M. Bennett (no relation to Abner) who built the first parsonage at the Mouth in 1855. After the Civil War, population shifted to the twin villages of Montague and Whitehall at the head of White Lake. Whitehall became the new center of the circuit, which included preaching locations in Montague and several other places further north.

In 1880, Whitehall became a one-point charge and the head of the circuit was transferred to Montague, with Claybanks being a secondary preaching location. The Montague-Claybanks circuit continued as a two-point charge until 1926 when an overall decrease in membership and difficult economic times prompted the West Michigan Conference to return the Whitehall church to the circuit, with Montague as the principal church.  

Over the years the Montague congregation has worshiped in four different buildings. The congregation originally worshiped in the parsonage at the mouth of White Lake. The second structure was a two-story wooden church built at the corner of Church and Meade streets in Montague, where the Montague Museum is now located. After that church burned down in 1898, the congregation built a brick structure on the same location. When the congregation outgrew that building in the early 1960s, they built a modern-looking new church at the corner of Cook and Hancock streets, where services have been held since the building’s first service in 1969.  The hexagon shaped sanctuary has a beautiful high-sweeping roof, described by some as a graceful bird in flight and by others as a ski ramp. The sanctuary was designed to seat between 300 and 350 people. The original educational wing contained offices for church personnel, a kitchen, seven class rooms, two bathrooms, a choir room, and a multi-purpose room. It is connected to the sanctuary by a narthex. A building program in 1988 added four more classrooms, additional bathrooms, and a small kitchen for the youth program.