The Reverend Kenneth T. Michnay's Obituary
Pastor Michnay died peacefully at 5:00 p.m. on December 4th, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19.
Kenneth Michnay was born March 1, 1941 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a graduate of Wittenberg University, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1963 with an interdepartmental major in English, History, and Religion. He graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1966 with the degree of Master of Divinity. He was the son of John and Olga Michnay, and one of four siblings, predeceased by his elder brother Glenn, and was the middle sibling between two sisters, Alice, and Carolyn.
Pastor Michnay was ordained by the Slovak Zion Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on June 1, 1966. He served Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Stafford Springs, CT, and Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church in Muskegon, MI, where he served for twenty-five years from March 1976 to August 2001. After leaving active congregation ministry, Kenneth accepted a Call in 2001 from the ELCA's Division for Global Mission to serve as a missionary teaching English at the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, where he also served as an ecumenical liaison in the Foreign Relations Department within the office of the General Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia. He returned to the United States in 2005, retiring at the end of that year.
He remained a member of Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Muskegon and served in a variety of capacities, including as an interim pastor and supply pastor for various Lutheran and Episcopal congregations, especially, most recently, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Grand Haven, MI where he served as Priest Associate and was fondly regarded and from where he will also be sincerely missed.
In June of 2016, Pastor Michnay celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Ordination.
Kenneth sang in many choirs throughout the years. His baritone voice is one that is easily remembered by all who heard him sing in university and seminary choirs, as well as in the Camerata Singers, the Bratislava City Choir, and the Muskegon Chamber Choir. He also served as the Dean of the Muskegon-Lakeshore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
He is held in deep regard by the members of Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, by those whom he baptized, confirmed, and pastored through the years of his ministry and by the many friendships that were made. This is especially true for the seminarians he cherished, taught in Slovakia, and hosted as a pastor in Muskegon.
On January 16, 2021, at 2:00 pm, there will be a Requiem Mass at St. John's Episcopal Church in Grand Haven. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person attendance will not be possible. Instead, people may participate through the YouTube livestream at www.tinyurl.com/frkenneth. Those who participate online will be welcomed to come and receive communion from the liturgy in their car following the service from 3:00 pm - 3:30pm. Additionally, friends and loved ones of Kenneth are invited to join in the virtual choir which will be offering some of his favorite hymns and anthems. Contact the St. John's Director of Music at [email protected] for information on participating.
A memorial service and committal will be finalized at a future date in consideration of the constraints imposed by Covid-19. They will take place at Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church in Muskegon after which he will be interred in the columbarium at St. John's.
The family requests that memorial contributions may be made to either Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church-Muskegon, or Saint John's Episcopal Church-Grand Haven.
ARRANGEMENTS BY SHORELINE MEMORIAL SERVICES - MUSKEGON - (231)-722-5050
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