The charter members of our church were affiliated with the Spring Street Church, and in the summer of the year 1886, the consistory of the First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, to fill a long felt need, built a fram edifice to serve as a "hulp-kerk" on Fifth Avenue between Grandville and Oakland Avenues. Our people met here regularly and were seved by students and ministers. The enterprise was so successful that in the early part of 1887, thirty-nine families applied for the organization of a congregation at a meeting of Classis. The request was granted and on March 8, 1887, Reverend J. H. Vos, of Spring Street, and the Reverend L. J. Hulst, of Coldbrook, effected the organization of the Fifth Avenue Holland Christian Reformed Church, which was the fifth of our denomination in the city.

Those who signed the Articles of Association were -

Walter Ten Haaf, Berend Schrikkema, Sibbel Froentjes,

Dirk Spyker, Gerrit Van Eyck, Epp. Wiers,

William Olthuis, Harm H. Plesscher, A. C. Tuinstra,

John W. Ten Haaf, Hero Til, Andrew Dekker,

Roelof Gust, J. Broersma, T. Gutter,

S. Van Dyk, Jan Sjerda, S. Olthuis,

J. Ballast, Albert Venema, Martin Hoekstra,

Sietse Bos, G. J. Kossink, Jacob Groendyk,

A. Fryling, J. Verhey, Jan Jansen,

A. Miedema, Klaas Dood, Pieter Wiersma,

H. Van Ham, Abel Boerema, Euwke Spoelstra,

S. Zandstra, C. Beusekamp, Pieter Pietersen,

Willem Van Houw, John Spyker, Martin Jelsema,

Some of the first consistory members were -

Elders - J. W. Ten Haaf, Willem Van Houw, Sietse Bos, and Harm Plesscher

Deacons - Hero Til, Wm. Olthouse, Roelof Gus,t and Jacob Groendyk.

Other early members include Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Vander Bie.

One of our faithful members was Miss Martha Ten Haaf who taught Sunday School Class on the very first morning service held in our church and continued to do so for over 50 years. She led the Girls' Society for 18 years and was president of the English Ladies' Aid for 14 years.

At the time of organization, Hall Street was the southern limit of the city. Grandville Avenue had a horse car line to Hall Street. The streets were not graded or paved. Across the street from Franklin Street south, lay the Rumsey farm, chiefly a pasture for cattle. Here and there houses had been erected. South of Hall Street the territory was thinly populated and the writer remembers in 1892 in company with his grandfather, wading through mud and pools to the home of a relative who lived in the neighborhood of Vries Street.

Soon after organization attempts were made to procure a pastor to shepherd the flock. The first call was extended to Rev. R. Drukker of Passaic, by a congregational meeting held May 30, 1887. The salary was $700.00. Mr. Tangenberg was engaged as janitor at $50.00 per year.

After many fruitless attempts, the Rev. W. R. Smidt accepted the call to become our minister on December 23, 1888.  The congregation had been continually growing and within six months of Rev. Smidt's arrival, the congregation accepted a proposal by the consistory to build a 40' by 60' addition to the church making the seating capacity 700. An organ was purchased in August, 1891 for $250.00. By 1896, it was decided to purchase a second-hand organ for not more than $600.00. There were some problems in finding a place for the newly purchased organ.

The first years of congregational life were not very peaceful.  Matters that to our mind were mere trifles, caused friction and much trouble. Mistakes in conduct and errors in judgment were made to appear as great crimes. Despite this, the congregation grew and large numbers made confession of faith.

Rev. Smidt remains as pastor for nearly 14 years. In May, 1903, Rev. W. D. Vander Werp became pastor. Strife and contention ceased. Due to his leadership, good will and peace reigned. Rev. Vander Werp accepted a call to Zeeland I and left October 7, 1906.

Rev. L. Veltkamp succeeded Rev. Vander Werp in November, 1906 as our third minister and remained eleven and one-half years. A new organ was purchased shortly after his arrival.

The first parsonage was built in 1887. In May, 1913, the congregation decided to sell this building and build a new brick parsonage on the site which was to cost no more than $5,000. Mr. William Korlaar erected the new building at a cost of $4,657.75.

In 1918, Rev. Veltkamp accepted a call to Coldbrook (now Beckwith Hills CRC) and was replaced in the summer of 1918 by Rev. A. W. DeJonge.

1918 was a difficult time. Our young men were serving in the war and the flu epidemic brought grief to many families. Soon after the was, the strong current of Americanization caused many members to clamor for an English service. Many families left to join churches which had not language problem and left a distinct loss to Franklin Street.

The Mission Church on Grant Street was erected during this time.

Rev. A. W. De Jonge left our church and denomination in April, 1921.

On Saturday, July 9, 1921, the church edifice burned to the ground.

People were discouraged and there was no minister to lead us. Rev. Veltkamp, a former pastor, led the meeting in which it was decided to erect a new building. The new building cost about $40,000 of which $9,000 was recovered from the insurance company.

Shortly before the fire, a call had been extended to Candidate Benjamin Essenburg, and in the fall of 1921, he became our minister.

The church debt was paid, services were well attended and by the time Rev. Essenburg accepted a call to Drenthe, the congregation reached its climas in numbers with 240 families.

The Rev. H. Baker, our sixth pastor, came from Second Roseland Christian Reformed Church in January, 1926. Rev. Baker's daughter, Antoinette, was called home by the Lord in August, 1933. During the depression years, the offerings were considerably lessened, resulting in sacrifices by the poor as well as a reduction in the pastor's salary.

Rev. Baker left in 1937 to become Home Missionary at Large.

The Rev. John Gritter became our seventh pastor coming to us from Rock Valley, Iowa in 1938. He remained with us for ten years and in October, 1948 acceptedd the appointment as missionary to the Immigrants in Canada. He was presented with a new automobile and sizeable purse at his farewell.

The first ten years of mission activity was carried on in temporary quarters by volunteer workers under the leadership of John Bult. In 1922 the Grant Strret Mission Chapel was built. Our first mission worked was Miss Katie Scheepstra (Mrs. J. DeBoer) whose ministry ended in 1928. Miss Gertrude Holkeboer succeeded her in the fall of 1928.

Subsequent evangelists have been Miss Lillian Bode and Miner Tanis. In 1946 the need for a new location was evident. A new edifice was built on Coit Hills, now known as Hillcrest Chapel and was ready for use in 1949. After Mr. Tanis left, Robert Holwerda was the evangelist until 1960 and Henry Vander Bilt is our present mission worker.

On July 3, 1949, Rev. John Piersma came to us from Oostburg, Wisconsin. The organ was modernized, new pipes and a set of chimes were added, and new choir pews, pulpit and pulpit chairs were purchased.

Rev. Piersma accepted a call to Oakdale Christian Reformed Church and preached his farewell on March 15, 1953.

Rev. Raymond Haan arrived a few months later. Due to the excessive noise in the area, it was decided to build a new parsonage on Pontiac Road SE. The old parsonage was converted into a rest home. During Rev. Haan's ministry, many families moved to suburban areas and affiliated with churches in their vicinity. He was an able pastor. In March, 1959, he accepted a call to the congregation in Bundy, Minnesota.

Our tenth pastor, Rev. Harold Sonnema, arrived in September, 1959 from Lake Worth, Florida. His arrival brought new life to the congregation and there has been some increase in numbers as well.

This information is through the first 75 years of Franklin Street Christian Reformed Church. In the 1960's, it became apparent that the church could not survive due to the decrease in membership, and the members joined with the newly formed Rogers Heights Christian Reformed Church which is located on Michael Street one block south of 28th Street.