History
History of Classis Grand Rapids East

The Christian Reformed Church was formed as a turbulent separatist movement in the
mid 1800s. It was built on the foundation of commitment to truth and “precise doctrine”
(Bratt and Meehan, 1993; Snapper, 1980). As its name suggests, First Christian Reformed
Church was the first congregation of the CRC in Grand Rapids. Initially called Spring
Street Christian Reformed, First was located on (what is now) Commerce Avenue south of
Fulton and was formed by members that seceded from Second Reformed Church (Bratt
and Meehan, 1993). After thirty years several other Christian Reformed churches had
formed including Eastern Avenue and Oakdale Park in southeast Grand Rapids. The
dates of organization and parent churches of classis congregations are shown here.
  
Most classis congregations had over 1000 members in the mid 1900s. The membership
of Classis Grand Rapids East peaked at 11,200 in about 1970 and has dipped now to
about 9,000 members.  clink on the links to the right to read profiles and see
membership trends of each congregation.

Dan Knight describes the evolution of the classes in the greater Grand Rapids area:
":Classis Grand Rapids was divided into Grand Rapids East and Grand Rapids West in
1898, roughly along Madison Ave. In 1938 Grand Rapids South was created from Grand
Rapids West churches south of Fulton Street. (In 1971 Grand Rapids West was renamed
Grand Rapids North to reflect this change.) Classis Grandville was formed west of Clyde
Park from Grand Rapids South in 1958. The newest classis in metropolitan Grand
Rapids, Thornapple Valley, dividing Grand Rapids East south of 28th Street and east of
the East Beltline, was established in 1980."