Spring Lake Christian Reformed Church, 1882-1982

Oldest Spring Lake Christian Reformed Church Building   History Highlights   Pastors   Elders   Deacons   History Highlights 1882 – Organization of church. Building started. Parsonage purchased. Catechism classes begun. 1883 – Candiate P. Ekster becomes our first pastor. 1887 – Rev. J. Post becomes our second pastor. "Cstorie kamer" built onto rear of church. 1888 – Church debt is paid by borrowing from various church funds. 1890 – Rev. W. H. Frieling becomes our third pastor. 1894 – Sullivan Church formed from our church. 1895 – Candidate M. DeBoer becomes our fourth pastor. 1897 – Corner lot to the north of the church purchased. 1899 – Candidate E. VanKorlaar becomes our fifth pastor. 1902 – Rev. J. L. VanTielen becomes our sixth pastor. First organ purchased. 1903 – First services in English. 1904 – Coal furnace installed under the church. 1905 – Sunday School begins. 1907 – Rev. P. Bloem becomes our seventh pastor. R. Kamstra completes twenty-five years of continuous service as deacon. 1909 – Rev. J. Post begins his second pastorate in our church. 1910 – Present parsonage built. First Sunday School picnic. 1911 – Gas lights replace oil lamps in church. 1914 – Consistory decides not to baptize babies of parents who have not made profession of faith. The Rev. B. Zwaagman becomes the ninth pastor. 1915 – Women’s Society organized at Ferrysburg. 1917 – Candidate J. H. Monsma becomes our tenth pastor. Two English services per month. Mission Sunday School at Ferrysburg revitalized. Budge system introduced. 1919 – Church wired for electricity and electric lights installed. 1920 – New organ acquired. Entrance of church remodeled. 1922 – Candidate E. Boeve becomes our eleventh pastor. English services every Sunday morning. 1924 – Consistory no longer stands during congregational prayer. Alternate "Feestdag" services in English. Girls’ Society, later called Christian Reformed Circle, organized. Remained active until 1949. 1925 – Basement built under church, providing new consistory room, kitchen and Sunday School rooms. 1927 – Candidate C. VanTil becomes our twelfth pastor. 1928 – Firs group of our children attend the Grand Haven Christian School. 1929 – Rev. J. P. DeVries becomes our thirteenth pastor. Two English and one Dutch service each Sunday. Spire changed to low tower. 1930 – First consistory minutes written in English. 1932 – Plans to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary cancelled due to the death of our minister’s wife. 1936 – Printed bulletins used in place of verbal announcements. 1937 – Name changed to Spring Lake Christian Reformed Church. Individual communion cups first used at communion service. 1942 – Organ rebuilt and electrified. 1947 – Gleaners’ Missionary Society organized. Partial support of Miss Nell Lam undertaken (until 1954). Lot to the south of the church purchased for parking. Seminarian John S. DeVries begins the mission work at Ferrysburg. 1948 – Rev. C. DeHaan becomes our fourteenth pastor. Last regular service in Dutch. 1949 – Spring Lake Christian School Society merges with Grand Haven’s. 1951 – Partial support of Miss Ann Bosch undertaken (until 1953). 1953 – Ferrysburg Church organized out of our membership. Candidate E. H. Palmer becomes our fifteenth pastor. 1956 – Full support of the Rev. C. Persenaire undertaken as missionary to Nigeria. Property on Lake Avenue and Fall Street acquired as building site for new church. 1957 – Miss Carolyn Wezeman employed part-time for home mission work. Seventy-fifth anniversary celebration. Rev. C. William Flietstra became our 16th pastor. 1958 – Congregation approved minimum cost of new church building to be $110,000.00. 1959 – Calvinist Cadet Corp program was started. 1960 – Plans for new church building were accepted and financing approved. Miss Dorothy Palma was hired as home mission worker. Hattie Dykema property was sold for $8,000.00. 1961 – Ground was broken for new church building. 1962 – Rev. Marvin VanderWerp became our 17th pastor. Support for Cornelius Korhorn to Nigeria was undertaken. Support for Miss Marilyn Wezeman in Ogden, Utah was given for one year. Alvin Huisman was engaged as a part time worker. Farewell to old church and dedication of new sanctuary. Mr. and Mrs. Stuart VanderLee loaned the use of their organ until our new organ was installed. 1964 – Lot next to parsonage lot was purchased. Witness of the CRC was extended through a telephone service and ads in the daily newspaper. Our church received $3,500.00 from the estate of Miss Carrie DeVries. The parking lot was blacktopped. Mr. John Plutschouw was appointed our first church historian. A hearing aid system for the pews was purchased at a cost of $116.00. Our new Schantz Pipe Organ was dedicated by Mr. John Hamersma, S.M.D. 1965 – Junior Cadet Club was organized. 1967 – Rev. and Mrs. VanderWerp were honored upon his retirement from active ministry. Ruth DeBoer volunteered a year’s service in the Christian Service Corp of the CRC. 1968 – The old parsonage was sold for $16,000. 1969 – Rev. E. J. Persma became our 18th pastor. A junior choir was organized by Mrs. Fred Peterson. 1970 – The property of Mrs. Gertrude Bolthouse was deeded to the church. 1973 – The newly acquired parking lot was blacktopped. Miss Betty Hendricks left work in Zuni and was replaced by Miss Lynn Veenstra. Lights were installed in the parking lot. Amendment to our Articles of Incorporation were accepted. The parsonage basement was paneled by our young people. 1974 – Rev. Andrew Zylstra became our 19th pastor. Time of evening worship was changed to 6 o’clock. 1975 – A sprinkling system was installed on church property. 1976 – Elders were to sit with their families at the morning worship service. Coffee Break Neighborhood Evangelism was started. Miss Lynn Veenstra resigned her work in Zuni and was replaced by Jeff Kamps. Bi-monthly mission programs, sponsored by the Gleaners, began to be held after the evening service, preceded by a coffee time fellowship. 1977 – The building fund indebtedness was paid from the special gifts fund. We had a special service for the burning of the mortgage. Our first newsletter was published. First Maundy Thursday service replaced Good Friday service. Mr. Scott VanderMolen replaced Jeff Kamps as missionary in Zuni. Grape juice replaced wine at Communion. All confessing members, men and women, would be allowed to vote at Congregational meetings. 1978 – Mr. Jack Dik was installed as Director of Church Education. Faith Promise method of support for our missionaries was introduced. Bethel Bible series to be studied. Children’s church for three and four year olds to be held during the morning service. 1981 – Lavan Tinklenberg replaced Cloe Ann Danford as missionary in Haiti. 1982 – Centennial Celebration.