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Membership

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Historical Profile: Third Reformed Church

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Third Reformed was organized in 1875 as a daughter church of Second.

In 1882, the lodge issue came to a head. The smaller Christian Reformed Church did not allow its members to belong to secret societies, and the fact that the Reformed Church allowed its members to do so. This went against the tradition in the Netherlands and widely impacted Dutch speaking churches. Many left for the CRC, including the majority of some congregations, and from that point forward the bulk of Dutch Reformed immigrants joined Christian Reformed congregations.

Third Reformed website

Locations

1009 Hermitage SE at Diamond, 1876-1968
2060 Michigan NE, 1969-present

Interactive Google map showing both locations.

Church Website

Pastors

Adrian Kriekard, 1876-1902
Albert W. De Jonge, 1903-05
Ablert Vanden Berg, 1906-18
Nicholas Boer, 1918-39
Harry A. Van't Kerkhoff, 1940-44
George C. Douma, 1944-46
Henry Zylstra, 1947-50
Anthony G. Van Zante, 1950-54
Jay R. Weener, 1955-60
H. A. Dykstra, 1960-66
Peter M. Paulsen, assistant, 1967-70
Stuart J. Blauw, 1968-74
Owen T. Bechtel, 1974-78
Richard Bates, 1979-83
Lawrence J. Doorn, 1984-90
Kent A. Fry, 1991-present

Sixth (later Oakdale Park), 1889-1974, merged with Everglade to form New Life
Bethany, 1893-1995?, merged with Fairview to form Orchard Hill
Immanuel, 1907, cosponsored with Bethany
Calvary, 1915, cosponsored with Bethany

Membership

Heavy lines: green (lower) shows membership in families; blue (middle), professing members; red (top), total members. Thin lines: magenta (middle), non-professing members; orange (lower), inactive members; black (top), average worship attendance.

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 data, click here.

Go to RCA geographic index or RCA chronological index.

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