Churches of Grand Rapids 
and Surrounding Areas
A Brief Historical Outline

Grand Rapids and Kent County has long been considered a very religious community. As such, the Churches have played a large part in the area and should be of special interests to the genealogist. This being the case, here is an outline about the churches of Grand Rapids from the earliest settlements. This information was garnered from the following book which is available from the Grand Rapids Library.   Gathered at the River: Grand Rapids, Michigan and its People of Faith by James D. Bratt and Christopher H. Meehan for the Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Copyright © 1993  Prehistory to 1836: CONGREGATIONS: The Odawa and their religion Baptist mission of Isaac McCoy and Leonard Slater Roman Catholic mission of Frederic Baraga and Andreas Viszoczky 1835-1875: CONGREGATIONS: First (Park) Congregational Organized 1836 as First Presbyterian; 1837-38: Rev. A. D. McCoy 1839-47: Rev. James Ballard 1863-83: Rev. J. Morgan Smith 1916-33: Rev. Dr. Charles W. Merriam 1933-52: Rev. Dr. Edward Archibald Thompson 1962-71: Rev. Dr. Ned Burr McKenney 1972-90: Rev. Dr. William F. Allinder 1992-: Rev. Dale C. Nelson First Methodist Organized in 1835 as the Grand River Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church 1835-36: Rev. Osbond Monnett 1935-57: Rev. Dr. Lester A Kilpatrick Rev. Gary Haller; Rev. Laurie Haller St. Andrew's Roman Catholic (St. Andrew Cathedral) Organized in 1833 as St. Mary's Mission at the Grand River Rapids 1833-35: Rev. Frederic Baraga 1835-53: Rev. Andrew Viszoczky 1893-1917: Rev. John A Schmitt 1917-51: Msgr. Dennis E. Malone 1956-68: Msgr. Charles W. Popell 1975-80: Msgr. Hugh M. Beahan 1984-: Msgr. Gaspar F. Ancona St. Mark's Episcopal Church Organized in 1836.  It is still in the original location and church at 134 N. Division. Other churches of this time period: Baptist: 1837-42: ??; 1837: Rev. S. D. Wooster Baptist Mission Organized in 1822 as Thomas Station 1826-27: Rev. Isaac McCoy 1827-36: Rev. Leonard Slater 1836 moved with the Odawa to Gull Prairie/Prairieville, Barry County Beckwith Hills Christian Reformed Organized 1875 as Fourth Reformed 1880-1963 as Coldbrook Christian Reformed Bethlehem Lutheran Organized 1873 as Swedish Evangelical Lutheran 1874-80: Rev. N.A. Yongberg Fairview Wesleyan Organized 1867 as First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Walker 1867-70: Rev. L.J. Francisco 1985 merged with Emmanuel Wesleyan to become First Wesleyan First Christian Reformed Organized in 1857 as True Protestant Dutch Reformed 1857-: Rev. Hendrik G. Klyn 1873-76: Rev. Gerrit E. Boer Fountain Street Church: Organized in 1842 as First Baptist; 1869-77 Baptist Church of the City of Grand Rapids; 1877-1965 Fountain Street Baptist; now known as an Independent Liberal Zion Tabernacle Established 1849; Swedenborgian. These are but a sampling of the early churches of Grand Rapids. In the years following 1875, many more churches were to rise up in Grand Rapids. For a full accounting of the churches of Grand Rapids as well as pictures of the early churches and detailed histories of them, this book is a must have. Details show the involvements of the churches in politics, labor and social issues of their day in addition to information about the many ministers. I do believe nearly every church in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area are listed with their current addresses as well.