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Membership

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Historical Profile: Eastern Avenue CRC

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Eastern Ave. CRC was begun by members of First CRC in 1876 and organized in 1879. Eastern Ave. was the second Christian Reformed congregation in Grand Rapids.

The 1880 U.S. Census counted 32,016 residents, nearly twice the population of a decade earlier - and the Dutch-born population had grown at an even faster rate. This census counted 7,110 Dutch-born, 2.4 times as many as in 1870. Not counting their American-born offspring, this represented 22% of the Grand Rapids population, the highest level in any census.

The great majority of the congregation left the CRC in 1924 when Rev. Herman Hoeksema was deposed, eventually assuming the name First Protestant Reformed Church.

As with many churches near the old Calvin College campus, membership declined during the 1966-73 period as the college slowly relocated.

Eastern Ave CRC website

Names

Second
East Street
Eastern Avenue

Location

506 Eastern Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (built 1887, remodeled 1916, addition circa 1980, later addition 2002)

Interactive Google map showing church location.

Pastors

J. Post, 1881-87
S. B. Sevensma, 1887-1900
Johannes Groen, 1900-19
Herman Hoeksema, 1920-24, deposed, founded Protestant Reformed Churches
William P. Van Wyk, 1925-41
C. Huissen, 1941-52
W. Haverkamp, 1955-60
Melvin D. Hugen, 1967-67
James R. Kok, 1967-72
Peter J. Niewiek, 1972-75
Nelson Vanderzee, 1972-76
Gordon D. Negen, 1976-86
Vernon F. Geurkink, 1977-82
Leonard J. Vander Zee, 1983-90
R. A. Berkenbosch, 1992-95
Rolf T. Bouma, 1987-96
Mary S. Antonides, 1996-??
Thea N. Leunk, 2006-

Oakdale Park, 1890
Dennis Ave. (now Mayfair), 1893
Sherman Street, 1907
Baxter Street Mission, 1935-37

Membership

Green (lower) line shows membership in families; blue (middle), professing members; red (top), total members; and magenta (thin), non-professing members. Note discontinuity in 1924 following departure of majority of congregation to form First Protestant Refomred Church after Rev. Hoeksema was deposed.

For more membership data, click here. View a map showing Eastern Avenue's location.

Send email to Rev. Antonides.

Go to Grand Rapids geographic index or chronological index.

Any comments? Please email .