Central has been a family-friendly, intergenerational, Christ-centered, mission-minded, urban ministry since 1840. We aspire to create a ministry of theological depth, inspiring worship, intentional spiritual formation, and Christian outreach. Not one of us is the church itself. Together, we make up one body, and there is a place for you and your family to learn, grow, and share your spiritual gifts here.

Our church is located on the corner of College Avenue and Fulton Street in the Heritage Hill neighborhood of Grand Rapids, MI. See map.

Service is held every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. You can join in person or worship with us through live stream on our website. Ours is a service of classic worship and runs for about one hour. Ministers and choir members wear robes. We sing hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs accompanied by the organ or piano. We begin our services with a procession, which includes our acolytes, crucifer (cross-bearer), choir members, and clergy.  Rooted as we are in the Reformed tradition, we love to explore the Bible and theology together. We seek for our sermons, based on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Greek New Testament, to inspire and challenge us on our spiritual journeys. We regularly confess our faith, such as in the words of the Apostles Creed, wherein we are joined with the church universally, and we recognize the power of prayer to unite us and transform us. We also observe the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, which we celebrate on the first Sunday of the month.

Children are not only welcomed but fully embraced as respected members of our church. Young members of our congregation will discover new and exciting things about the Christian faith and be empowered to use their spiritual gifts. We offer age-appropriate options for children to dive deeper into their faith. Please visit our Children’s & Youth Ministry page to learn more (the page is located under the CONNECT tab above).

We keep our mission the focus of everything we do: “Connecting all people to God and to one another through scripture, sacrament, song, and service.”  We measure our overall effectiveness by focusing on the following measures:

1. Giving testimony to salvation by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ
Eph. 2:8-9

2. Actively seeking spiritual growth and biblical wisdom
2 Tim. 3:16-17

3. Demonstrating love for God and life transformation with prayer and holy living
Rom. 12:1-2; Col. 4:2; 1 Pet. 1:13-16

4. Engaging purposefully as a church community, building each other up
Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:11-16

5. Regularly serving Christ by loving and serving others
John 13:5, 34-35; John 15:13

6. Intentionally leading others to Christ and developing stronger disciples
Mt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2

Our faith calls us to bring people together so we can connect with God and deepen our spiritual lives. We do this in a variety of ways, including worship, small groups, discipleship groups, retreats, and Bible studies. Together, we look to the Scriptures, seek to apply its truths to our lives, and have fun in the process. We also address environmental and social justice concerns, pray for the peace and welfare of others, and serve those in need.

Here, we welcome everyone in faith and love. We seek to honor the image of God revealed in Jesus Christ, in people young and old, all living creatures, and in the earth. When Jesus said to his disciples, “I have come that they may have life and more abundantly,” the offer was to each of us. Because of Jesus’ offer to all people, we intentionally create worship and learning opportunities so people may hear the call to live abundantly in Christ more clearly.

Central Reformed Church is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America (RCA), America’s oldest Protestant denomination with a continuous ministry since 1628. Central’s ministry to the city of Grand Rapids began in 1840, three short years after the state of Michigan was admitted to the Union. We are the oldest Reformed church operating in the state. To learn more about our denomination, please visit www.rca.org.

We trace our origins to the theological writings of Martin Luther (1483-1546), Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), and John Calvin (1509-1564), among others, who courageously sought to reform the church. They “protested,” or rebelled, against some of the doctrines, practices, and rituals of the Western Church, spurring the movement that would eventually become the Protestant branch of Christianity. Many Protestants migrated to other parts of Europe because of religious persecution and for other reasons. Some made it to Scotland and, under the leadership of John Knox, formed the Presbyterian Church. Others from the Netherlands formed what was known as The Dutch Reformed Church, in which The Reformed Church in America has its roots.

To this day, Reformed Christians submit themselves to Scripture, “sola Scriptura” (Scripture alone)—the belief that the Christian faith is based on the Word of God. We also insist that God alone does the reforming work in us and in the church and that God alone deserves the glory.

According to John Calvin, the sum of human wisdom is broken down into two parts: knowledge of God (through the study of the Scriptures) and of ourselves (i.e., by looking to Jesus Christ). In addition, Calvin taught that God is completely sovereign in salvation. In other words, God always takes the initiative to help people overcome their unbelief. Faith is a gift from God, and people come to faith by grace alone. The Holy Spirit, through the proclamation of the Word and through the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, nourishes and sustains the people of God as nothing else can.

The local governing body of our church is the Consistory. This body is made up of the minister(s), elders, and deacons. Elders are focused on the spiritual vitality of the church and in particular, caring for the spiritual well-being of its members. Deacons concern themselves with justice, pastoral care, and acts of mercy. Together, these servant leaders have oversight over the church’s property, personnel, policy, and finances.

The final authority in Reformed churches does not come from the voice of one person (as in the “episcopal” model) or the independent influence of the congregation (as in the “congregational” model). Instead, authority is vested in a series of representative groups set up much like our own governmental system. Using political terms, the late Dr. Herman J. Ridder has described it as such: “Our church is not a totalitarian state or a pure democracy, but a republic.” That is, in the Reformed church, as in a republic, the supreme power resides in the people who exercise their right to vote for officers and representatives who represent and are responsible to them.

We offer wedding ceremonies, both in our sanctuary and in Dykstra Chapel, for members of our congregation. In addition, all wedding ceremonies are officiated by a Central pastor. To learn more, you may contact our lead wedding coordinator, Jennifer Webb. She can further assist you. jknwebb@gmail.com