The Christian Reformed Church in North America was formed in 1857and has undergone five name changes.

Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk or Dutch Reformed Church.

Hollandsche Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk or Dutch Christian Reformed Church.

3) Ware Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk or True Dutch Reformed Church.

4) The Christian Reformed Church - after merger with the True Reformed Protestant Church in the East.

5) The Christian Reformed Church in North America

The Reformed Church in America began in New Amsterdam (New York). It did not exclude masons and members of similar organizations and was weak in the matter of Christian education. The True Reformed Protestant Dutch Church established in New Jersey, left the Reformed Church. This church was the one LaGrave Avenue Church would recruit their first pastor from, John Y. DeBaun. It was a small group and finally they joined the Christian Reformed Church as Classis Hackensack. A meeting was held on the 16th of September, 1886 at the residence of Mr. John Scheffer, 407 S. Lafayette to discuss whether to have a new English speaking church as the children were not able to understand the

Dutch preaching and were leaving the denomination.

Those present at

that meeting were -

John Benjamin

John Scheffer

B. DeGraaf, St.

Cornelius Borrendamme

W. H. Doran

L. Schuitema

L. Drukker

G. Zeilstra

C. Koetsier

Jacob Wierenga

A committee was formed to address the four Christian Reformed Churches congregations as to their opinion in the matter and they were invited to come to a general meeting on September 30, 1866. Rev. DeBaun preached the first two sermons beginning January 9, 1887. Rev. John C. Voorhis of Englewood, NJ preached for two weeks and the Rev. J. A. Westervelt of New York City preached for five weeks. The classis held a stormy debate for 3 and 1/2 hours after which a vote favoring the petition was passed 16 to 9. The church was called the Fourth Holland Christian Reformed Church.

The explanation for this is as follows - The Spring St. Christian Reformed (now known as First or Bates St.)was the mother church and those formed from this church in order were -

Kelloggsville CRC formed in 1875.

First Jenison CRC formed in 1875.

Second Christian Reformed (now Eastern Avenue CRC) formed in 1879.)

Third Christian Reformed (now Alpine Avenue CRC) formed in 1881.

LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed formed in 1887.

Franklin St. Christian Reformed formed in 1887.

Coldbrook Christian Reformed Church (now Beckwith Hills) was organized in 1873 as the Fourth Reformed Church and joined the Christian Reformed denomination December 12, 1882. On Thursday evening, February 24, 1887, the organization took place in Luce Hall (a meeting place erected in 1856 containing a stage and used for various cultural events, now a parking lot) at the southwest corner of Monroe and Ottawa Sts. A committee consisting of Mrs. J. Gezon, B. DeGraaf, Jr. and A. Sledright was formed to find a hall and Luce Hall was chosen and rented for $300 per year. Seventeen members in full communion and nineteen members by baptism signed the Articles of Incorporation. Mr. B. DeGraaf, Sr and Mr. A. J. Welmers were chosen as elders and Mr. J. C. VanHeulen and Mr. L. Drukker as deacons. Mr. R. VanderWerp volunteered to find an organ and a big Bible to put on a pulpit. Mr. B. DeGraaf, Sr. said he would make a pulpit. Mr. Gerhard Zeilstra was commissioned to invite the Classical Advisory Council to help organize them in proper ecclesiastical fashion. LaGrave Church was an unwanted child of Bates St. Church. The spirit of separatism of 1834 was still alive and the people viewed the language breakthrough with alarm as LaGrave was the first English speaking church. Between the September 30 meeting and the birth of LaGrave Church over 13 gatherings took place. The first pastor, Rev. John Yeury DeBaun of Hackensack, NJ delivered his first sermon on January 9, 1887 in the Metropolitan Hall (no longer in existence) on Pearl Street with 200 in attendance. He was installed as pastor May 15, 1887 at a salary of $800. Rev. P. Ekster presided at the installation and attempted his first sermon in English. Rev. DeBaun remained until 1892 when he received a call from the Christian Reformed Church of Leonia, NJ. During his pastorate many thing happened. Spring St. church lodged a protest at Classis claiming the organization of the English-speaking congregation was illegal and would not transfer memberships to the new church. In 1890, the True Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New Jersey united with the Michigan churches. Rev. DeBaun's wife died during this period. A Sunday School was organized on March 20, 1887. Catechism classes were organized in May. The Central Ladies Aid was begun March 14, 1988 at the home of Mrs. Quartell. A Sewing Circle was begun in 1889. In 1888 a piece of property was acquired on LaGrave Street at a cost of $7,800. The cost for a worship edifice and parsonage was estimated at an additional $12,200. Money was subscribed. Mr. S. J. Osgood, an architect, was engaged to draw the plans (his sixty-sixth since becoming a resident of Grand Rapids). The new sanctuary was dedicated on June 17, 1988. Sunday School officers for the Christmas Program of Monday, December, 1887 were -

Rev. J. Y. DeBaun-Superintendent

Mr. J. Trompen-Asst. Superintendent

Mr. C. Borrendamme-Sec'y and Treasurer

C. A. Benjamin-Chairman of Program

G. J. Haan-Sec'y of Program

The committee consisted of the Misses Anna DeBaun, Jennie Johnson, Anna Pell, Mary DeBaun, Anna Benjamin, Anna Lubach, Cornelia Benjamin,Annie Johnson, and Anna Lanninga and the Messrs. Jas. VanHeulen, Jno. Scheffer, C. Borendamme, Frank VanHouten, John Benjamin and B. H. Boer. A Mr. Vos had been called to teach in the Theological School before this and Rev. DeBaun also taught some classes. Other pastors as this time were Rev. J. H. Vos (1881-1900) of Spring St., Rev. L. J. Hulst of Coldbrook and Rev. D. J. VanderWerp of Graafschap. By the time Rev. DeBaun left the church had grown to 100 families and 455 souls. He was the founder of "The Banner of Truth", a 16 page monthly newsletter paid for mostly by himself. In 1903 the publication was transferred to Grand Rapids where it became a weekly and in 1906 the title was change to "The Banner". Rev. Samuel I. VanderBeek, the second pastor, was installed May 8, 1892 and remained until 1898. He resided at 323 Cherry St. until the parsonage was completed in November at a cost of $3,000. Alderman Gezon on behalf of the building committee formally presented the building to the church and its pastor. Some of the early lay leaders were John L. Benjamin, clothier and very active in the consistory, choir director and etc.; B. DeGraaf, J. Gelock, C. Verberg, A. Oom, John Wierenga and M. Schram. Other societies of the time were the Central Ladies Aid, South End Ladies Aid, Young Misses Sewing Circle (later known as Young Ladies Missionary Society). A mission Sunday School was undertaken in the Seymour School House and in March, 1893, a monthly church paper names "Church Chronicle" was begun. It lasted only 12 issues due to the panic of 1893. LaGrave had its problems, the Sunday School Mission at Wealthy and Lake Avenue never materialized, and the Mission Sabbath School on Grandville Avenue, after some ups and downs merged with a church in the neighborhood. Some members of the consistory moved away and a few other resigned. The budget was not being met. Contributions dipped to about $.04 per person a week due to unemployment. At the congregational meeting of October 18, 1897, the pastor's salary was reduced. With this and a surge in collection the pew rent, it was felt the congregation could manage. In August of 1898, Rev. VanderBeek, placing the well-being of his church ahead of himself, handed in his resignation. His farewell sermon was on October 9, 1898. He served no church until he went to Leonia, NJ in 1906. It was a "dark period of trial". Indebtedness stood at $15,000.

On October 11, the church turned over the church to the mortgage holder, Mr. Samuel Jenks, provided he waive back interest and allow the use of the church for two years. The parsonage was offered for his immediate possession. From the beginning LaGrave church had a choir which was not considered proper. It was alright to have singing societies but not in worship service. The three individuals largely responsible for establishing a musical tradition were Rev. J. Y. DeBaun, John L. Benjamin, song leader, and Mrs. Anna M. Maris, organist. Mrs. Maris was possibly the only organist available when LaGrave was organized and served for more than six years. In 1891 the choir disbanded and was replaced by a quartet comprised of Misses Anna Johnson and Anna Quartel and Messrs. I. VanBree and E. H. Boer. In April, 1893, a new choir was organized and existed for 20 years with Mr. Benjamin as director. Mr. A. J. Englewood was the organist in 1893. The church procured a small portable pipe organ at this time. Rev. Henry Beets from Iowa, became the third pastor in 1899. His inaugural sermon was on June the 4th. He received a salary of $600 - half of which went for coal to heat the parsonage. This was a period of growth for the church and denomination between 1900 and 1915.
1900 – 102 families, 156 communicants, 455 souls
1915 - 150 families, 262 communicants, 648 souls

The debt was completely paid by 1912. Rev. Beets salary was raised in 1901 to $900 plus a $50 bonus. He visited the Netherlands for the synodical meetings in 1902 for which the church gave him a ten-week leave. He became synod clerk of the denomination when he returned and continued in this capacity for fortyyears. Rev. Beets was also functioning as the editor of The Banner.

CHARTER MEMBERS OF FOURTH HOLLAND CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

Berend DeBraaf, Sr.

Lucas Drukker

John Gezon, Jr.

John Quartel

Martin Gelock

John Scheffer

Cornelius Scherphorn

Cornelius Koetsier

Arend Jan Welmers

Jacob Haan

Hermanus Gezon

B. DeBraaf, Jr.

John Benjamin

Dennis Schram

J. Wierenga

Jacob Trompen

J. Benjamin

J. C. VanHeulen

F. C. Benjamin

L. Semeyn

G. Nyburg

Gerhard Zeilstra

J. VanOeveren

Louis Schuitema

-- VanSledright

W. H. Doren

D. Nyburg

C. Borrendamme

John Vis

N. Rosema

John D. VanWyck

L. Lamberts

C. Schram

C. Semeyn

R. Van der Werp

Henry Kievit

In 1909, twenty ministers and 50 lay members met at LaGrave Churchand founded Christian Psychopathic Hospital (Pine Rest Christian Hosp.). Dr. G. Stuart was the first director. In 1915, Henry Beets, accepted a call to the Burton Heights Church.

After five years at Burton, he laid aside his pastoral work and became denominational director of mission and editor of The Banner and came back to LaGrave as a member.

PASTORS

1887-1892 Rev. John Yeury DeBaun

1892-1898 Rev. Samuel I. Vander Beek

1899-1915 Henry Beets

1915-1925 Rev. William Stuart

1925-1929 Rev. R. B. Kuiper

1925-1930 Bastian Kruithof, seminarian

1932-1939 Rev. Herman Bel

1940-1944 Dr. Edward Masselink

1945-1952 Dr. George Goris

1954-1987 Rev. Jacob Eppinga