Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI, 1886-1957

History

Fifth Reformed was organized in 1886 as a daughter of Second Reformed. It relocated from its original location on Church Place at Pleasant Street (just west of Grandville Avenue) in 1957. The church facilities occupy an entire city block bounded by Griggs, Englewood, Elliot, and Hutchinson, half of that space dedicated to parking. This is one block north of Burton Street, and the church building is invisible from that main thoroughfare.

• Go to the Fifth Reformed Church website.
• History of Fifth Reformed on church website

Historical Details

Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI, 1886-1957

Locations

1. 535 Church Place near Pleasant SW, 1886-1957 (later Pleasant Hill Reformed)
2. 2012 Griggs Street SE, 1957-present

Pastors

1. Rense Henry Joldersma, 1886-89
2. Ale Buursma, 1889-1901
3. Benjamin Hoffman, 1902-12
4. Siebe C. Nettinga, 1912-18
5. Abraham De Young, 1918-28
6. Abraham Rynbrandt, 1928-36
7. Louis H. Benes, 1936-44
8. Charles B. Wissink, 1945-53
9. Chester J. Droog, 1953-65
10. Raymond H. Rewarts, 1965-78
11. Edward D. Seely, education, 1967-78
12. Charles B. Wissink, visitation, 1973
13. Theodore A. Lindman, assistant, 1976-78
14. Luther E. Ratmeyer, 1979-82
15. Jay R. Weener, 1984-89
16. Dick A. Doeden, associate, 1985-
17. Jack D. Cooper, associate, 1988-
18. David M. Bast, senior, 1989-

Daughter Churches

1. Eighth Reformed, 1891
2. Grace Reformed, 1897

Membership Overview

Note the increase in membership following relocation in 1957.

Membership data, Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI

Membership Data

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.

Membership ratios, Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI

Membership Ratios

Red line (middle) shows nonprofessing members as a percentage of total membership (inactive members exluded); green (lower), inactive members as percentage of total membership; and blue (higher) average worship attendance of total membership.

Five year growth rate, Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI

Five Year Growth Rate

Red line shows five year growth rate. A five year growth rate between 10% and -10% is considered stable; greater than 10% indicates a growing congregation; one below -10% indicates a church in decline. This makes no allowance for daughter churches.

Data 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.