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Historical Profile: Bethany Reformed Church

Grand Rapids, Michigan

1893-1994

Bethany Reformed was organized in 1893 as an English-language daughter church of Third when the council of Third Church refused to add English services. Bethany was the second English-speaking RCA congregation in Grand Rapids.

Bethany merged with Fairview in 1994 to create Orchard Hill.

Locations

739 Baldwin SE, 1894-1924
834 Lake Drive SE, 1924-94

Pastors

John Lamar, 1893-98
James Ossewaarde, 1898-1902
Nicholas Boer, 1903-07
James Wayer, 1907-19
Abraham Kierk, 1920-27
Henry D. Ter Keurst, 1927-30
John S. Ter Louw, 1932-35
Clarence P. Dame, 1936-43
Henry Bast, 1944-56
Gordon L. Van Oostenburg, 1956-62
Wendell P. Karsen, assistant, 1963-65
Henry Bast, 1963-72
Ralph H. Pronk, evangelism, 1965-68
Howard D. Schipper, associate, 1969-72, senior, 1972-78
Rodney Kamrath, student, 1974-79
J. R. Steegstra, assistant, 1977-84
Jerome B. De Jong, 1979-85
Frederic C. Dolfin, interim, 1985-86
Curry M. Pikkaart, 1986-94 (to Orchard Hill)
Thomas L. Bos, associate, 1988-94 (to Orchard Hill)

Immanuel, 1907, cosponsored with Third
Calvary, 1915, cosponsored with Third

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. View a map showing Baldwin and Lake Drive locations.

Go to RCA geographic index or RCA chronological index.

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