(photo on right missing)
Georgetown Community Church (a.k.a. Georgetown Bible Church)
Georgetown Community Church, although it has one of the smaller memberships in the area, has the distinction of being one of the first congregations to organize. During the 40 years after one of the first settlers, Lorenzo French, came to Georgetown Township, religion did not play as important a part here as in some of the other communities. In 1875, the First Christian Reformed Church of Jenison was built, to be followed five years later by what is now known as the Georgetown Community Church. When work first began on the church, the congregation worked for a year to raise less than $300. Among its charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Piebe Ulberg, parents of the last living member of the old church, Mrs. Clara Lowing, Bauer Road. Other charter members were Mr. and Mrs. James Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Boss, Mr. and Mrs. Martin DeVree, Mr. and Mrs. Covert Rosegrant, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Skinner, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sweet, Mr. and Mrs. John Riddell, Mr. and Mrs. Charles McEwan and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Taylor. Holden Lowing donated cherry lumber for the seats in the early church. John Blevins donated the communion set and Jerry Boynton contributed the lumber. For some time before 1936 work at the church languished, bats and sparrows inhabited the building; windows were broken; plastered walls crumbled. Then Mr. and Mrs. Luman Starkens, with the assistance of Mrs. Lowing, initiated reorganization of the church, and the congregation held a rededication service, 4 December 1938. Necessary repairs, and refurbishings were made, many with donated labor. The Rev. Marvin Hiddema, present pastor of the church has served as pastor for over 21 years. He is also the principal of Wyoming Park Junior High School. |
Transcriber: ES
Created: 21 November 2010