Mattawan
Michigan
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Calvary Reformed Church
CHURCH HISTORY
Calvary started in 1942 as the Bethany Mission. Until the official organization of Calvary in 1954, the Mission was served by various speakers, mainly Seminarians. In 1954 with the help of Kalamazoo Classis, the Mission was organized as Calvary Reformed Church. The congregation had outgrown the renovated school house on 6th and “RS” Ave. and with the help of Faith Reformed Church of Portage, Faith’s old church building was moved to West Crooked Lake Drive.
In March of 1955 Calvary called its first full-time call to Rev. Wayne Tripp. Youth were a focus of both Rev. Tripp’s and Rev. Donald Lam’s tenure through 1977. In 1978 the Rev. Vern Hettinga began a 14 year pastorate which culminated with the building of the first section of the sanctuary at 7829 S. 5th Street. Rev. Jonathan Brownson pastored from 1993 to 1997. During this time, the educational wings were added. At present Calvary is served by the Rev. Greg Van Heukelom who was installed on March 15, 1999.
The Reformed Church in America, which includes some of the best-known congregations in North America, was established on this continent l50 years before the Revolutionary War.
The word Reformed comes from the Protestant Reformation which swept across Europe in the 1500s under the leadership of such men as Martin Luther and John Calvin. Calvin's reformation at Geneva spread to many countries, including, Scotland (where it became the Presbyterian Church) and the Netherlands (where it became our ancestor, the Dutch Reformed Church).
Our history is a long and colorful one which you may enjoy learning more about later. The Dutch Reformed Church established its first congregation in New Amsterdam in 1628. Although Dutch in origin, the Reformed church in America has for decades included peoples of many different races and nationalities in its congregations. The denomination currently has about 960 churches in the United States and Canada, with 201,000 active confirmed members.
Calvary started in 1942 as the Bethany Mission. Until the official organization of Calvary in 1954, the Mission was served by various speakers, mainly Seminarians. In 1954 with the help of Kalamazoo Classis, the Mission was organized as Calvary Reformed Church. The congregation had outgrown the renovated school house on 6th and “RS” Ave. and with the help of Faith Reformed Church of Portage, Faith’s old church building was moved to West Crooked Lake Drive.
In March of 1955 Calvary called its first full-time call to Rev. Wayne Tripp. Youth were a focus of both Rev. Tripp’s and Rev. Donald Lam’s tenure through 1977. In 1978 the Rev. Vern Hettinga began a 14 year pastorate which culminated with the building of the first section of the sanctuary at 7829 S. 5th Street. Rev. Jonathan Brownson pastored from 1993 to 1997. During this time, the educational wings were added. At present Calvary is served by the Rev. Greg Van Heukelom who was installed on March 15, 1999.
The Reformed Church in America, which includes some of the best-known congregations in North America, was established on this continent l50 years before the Revolutionary War.
The word Reformed comes from the Protestant Reformation which swept across Europe in the 1500s under the leadership of such men as Martin Luther and John Calvin. Calvin's reformation at Geneva spread to many countries, including, Scotland (where it became the Presbyterian Church) and the Netherlands (where it became our ancestor, the Dutch Reformed Church).
Our history is a long and colorful one which you may enjoy learning more about later. The Dutch Reformed Church established its first congregation in New Amsterdam in 1628. Although Dutch in origin, the Reformed church in America has for decades included peoples of many different races and nationalities in its congregations. The denomination currently has about 960 churches in the United States and Canada, with 201,000 active confirmed members.