Historical Profile: Corinth Reformed Church

Byron Center, Michigan

Drawings of the 1893 and 1988 facilities.

Corinth Reformed began as an extension of the Dorr Congregational Church. The First Congregational Church of Corinth was organized and erected its first building in 1893. The church had 23 members. Over time, and in great part because the railroad passed well to the south of Corinth, the town disappeared. It also became difficult to find Congregational pastors to serve the church.

On Jan. 9, 1919, the congregation voted to leave the denomination. Thanks to an influx of Dutch into the area, on Dec. 1, 1919, the church applied to join the Reformed Church in America. This was approved by the Classis of Michigan on Jan. 15, 1920, and the congregation became the Community Corinth Reformed Church.

Over the coming years, the Corinth church would be well supplied by seminarians and faculty from Western Theological Seminary in Holland. Student pastors included Ralph Kortling (1921), J. R. Mulder (1922), Abraham Rynbrandt (1923), Bert Pennings (1924), George Laug (1925-26), Aaron Ungersema (1927), Marion Pennings (1928), Harry Brouwer (1929), Johan Mulder (1930), and Leonard Greenway (1931).

By the end of World War II, the church concluded that it had outgrown its facilities. Construction began next to the old building, which was demolished when the new one was completed. During 1949 the church worshiped in the new basement. The cornerstone was laid in 1950, the year the new sanctuary was completed. At this time the church renamed itself the Corinth Reformed Church.

In June 1952, Warren Burgess became the first son of Corinth ordained to the Christian ministry; today he serves the congregation as pastor of visitation.

As the church continued its growth, even the new facilities were insufficient. An education wing was added in 1959. When the congregation outgrew this, it purchased a new site in 1981. The old site and facilities were sold to Friendship CRC in 1987; for a year, the two congregations shared facilities. The new building was dedicated on Nov. 6, 1988.

Names

First Congregational, 1893-1920

Community Reformed, 1920-50

Corinth Reformed, 1950-present

Locations

58 100th Street SW, Byron Center, MI 49315 (1950-88, now Friendship CRC)

129 100th St. SE, Byron Center, MI 49315 (built 1988)

Visit the Corinth Reformed Church website.

Pastors, Congregational

H. Appleton, 1893-95
P. H. Robinson, 1895-97
Adam D. Whaley, 1897-1900
C. A. Reiley, 1900-01
John Gordon, 1901-04
__ York, 1904-05
E. E. Harring, 1905-06
A. E. Cragg, 1908-08
G. W. Brownback, 1908-09
F. E. Laslette, 1910-12
Robert Gordon, 1912-18

Pastors, RCA

Thomas G. Van den Bosch, missionary, 1930-31
John G. Van Zommeren, 1931-34
Alva J. Ebbers, 1935-39
Raymond R. Van Heukelom, 1940-47
John E. Hibma, 1949-52
Peter J. Breen, 1952-57
Arie R. Brouwer, 1959-63
Levi W. Akker, 1963-67
John E. Hibma, 1969-76
James T. Goldschmeding, 1977-82
John Schaal, shut-ins, 1982-present
Carl M. Balk, 1983-92
Dr. Kevin Harney, preaching & evangelism, 1993-present
Don Porter, spiritual formation & congregational life, 1996-present
Warren Burgess, visitation, 1996-present

Calvin, Cutlerville (begun 1963, organized 1967)
Peace, Middleville (begun 1965)

Membership chart

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

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

View map showing original and current locations.

Visit the Corinth home page.

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