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Historical Profile: First Reformed Church

Grand Rapids, Michigan

1840-1918

First Reformed was organized in 1840, two years after the village of Grand Rapids was incorporated. The small village existed exclusively in the east bank of the Grand River, bounded by Hastings Street on the north, Ransom Street on the east, Fulton Street on the south, and Canal Street (now Monroe Avenue) or the Grand River on the west.

First was organized as an English-speaking Dutch Reformed congregation six years before Van Raalte would lead Dutch immigrants to found Holland, Michigan. Until 1886, it was the only English-language Reformed congregation in the city.

When immigrants from the Holland colony reached Grand Rapids, First welcomed them and shared its facilities as they established their own Dutch-language congregation, Second Reformed.

First merged with Second in 1918 to form Central Reformed.

Locations

Michigan and Ottawa NW, 1842-72 (burned)
West side of North Division between Pearl and Lyon, 1872-91
164 Fountain NE, 1891-1918

Interactive Google map showing all 3 locations.

Pastors

Hart E. Warring, missionary, 1840-43
Andrew B. Taylor, supply, 1843-48
John M. Ferris, 1862-65
H. Decker, 1865-67
Christian Van Der Veen, 1868-70
Jacob Van de Meulen, 1871-72
Peter Moerdyke, 1873-92
William H. Williamson, 1892-99
John M. Van der Meulen, 1899-1901
Gustavus A. Watermulder, 1903-05
John A. Brown, 1907-18

Second (merged with First to form Central), 1879-1918

Membership

Drop in membership in 1890s corresponds with formation of other English speaking Reformed congregations in Grand Rapids:

Bethany, 1893, about one mile east of First
Grace, 1897, about 2 miles south of First
Bethel, 1906, about 2-1/2 miles north of First

Other congregations either adding English-language services or switching completely to English may also be a factor.

Due to incomplete reporting, nonprofessing and total membership figures 1860-78, 1898-1908, and 1910-17 are estimated.

Green (lower) line shows membership in families; blue (middle), professing members; red (top), total members; and magenta (thin), non-professing members. Note: 1st and 2nd Reformed charts cover 1860-1980, not 1880-2000 as in other charts.

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.

For more membership information, click here. View maps showing Michigan and Ottawa, North Division, and Fountain Street locations or page showing all three maps.

Go to RCA geographic index or RCA chronological index.

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