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Historical Profile: Calvin CRC

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin CRC was begun as extension services at the Calvin College chapel sponsored by the Sherman Street, Neland Avenue, and Fuller Avenue churches. Services began on August 4, 1946. Because services were so well attended, a formal request to organize a new congregation was made to Classis Grand Rapids East on September 18. The new church was officially organized on October 18, had its first worship service on October 20, and its first consistory meeting on October 22, at which the name Calvin Christian Reformed Church was chosen.

The 50th anniversary book points out that Calvin was never a small church, starting out with 65 families and 260 total members. As the membership chart below indicates, Calvin grew very rapidly, as did Boston Square CRC (begun just four years earlier). The congregation continued to meet in the college chapel until 1955, when it moved into its new building.

The period 1966 to 1973 saw Calvin College slowly move from the old Franklin Campus (just blocks from Calvin CRC) to the current Knollcrest campus several miles away. The membership charts show that the relocation of Calvin College had an immediate impact on the church's membership. (This was true for many other Christian Reformed churches in the area, including Eastern Avenue, First, Fuller Avenue, and Sherman Street. Seeing a great opportunity to minister to the student body, Woodlawn CRC was organized in 1968 and has always met on the new campus.)

Locations

Calvin College, 1335 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 (1946-55)
700 Ethel Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 (built 1955)

Pastors

Clarence Boomsma, 1948-83
W. J. Boer, 1970-73
J. P. Heerema, 1974-80
J. R. Boot, 1984-92
Harvey Kiekover, 1985-90
E. J. Laarman, 1986-92
Scott E. Hoezee, 1993-present
Robert Koornneef, 1997-present

Membership

Green (lower) line shows membership in families; blue (middle), professing members; red (top), total members; and magenta (thin), non-professing members.

Source: Yearbooks of the Christian Reformed Church. Dates are year prior to publication date since data is gathered at the end of one year and published in the next.

For more membership data, click here. View map showing Calvin College or Ethel Avenue location, or page showing both maps.

Go to Grand Rapids geographic index or chronological index.

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