Who We Are

We are a community of imperfect people. We have been redeemed by God through Jesus. His Spirit is equipping us to be a light in this world. Get to know us by attending a worship service or social event, or by browsing our website.

Our Mission
“Called by the Father, led by the Holy Spirit, and united in Christ, LaGrave is a family of disciples. Loving God and our neighbor, we serve God in all areas of life, witnessing through word and deed to the transforming power of Christ.”
Our Beliefs
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to the world by his loving Father in order to save it. He saved it by living a faithful life, by dying for our sins, and by being raised to life in his resurrection. In his life, death, and resurrection Jesus defeated the power of sin and death. Now, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we share his hope and we build his kingdom through our words and actions.
Learn More
Our Worship
We worship God together every Sunday in our beautiful sanctuary. Our worship is joyful, vibrant and traditional. We sing hymns accompanied by the organ. We have a strong choral tradition supported by choirs for all ages. From September through May, we have three worship services each Sunday at 8:40 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. During Summer months we worship at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Upcoming Services
Our Preaching
Every Sunday, God speaks to us through sermons based on his Word, the Bible. These sermons remind us of God’s grace to us in Jesus, they remind us of his presence in our daily life, and they help us to follow him in the middle of life’s challenges. LaGrave has alway put a high priority on good, Biblical preaching.
Sermon Archive

Our Music

At LaGrave, music plays an essential role in shaping meaningful worship. Multiple member choirs, handbell ensembles, and a world class pipe organ work together to create a beautiful worship experience. We are so grateful to have such talented members and staff using their gifts in worship.

Our pipe organ has a rich tradition at LaGrave. It has served as the primary instrument for leading our congregation in weekly worship throughout the church’s history. Supported by two full-time staff members, LaGrave’s music ministry continues to bless young and old alike.

Our History

LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church was founded in 1887 by Dutch immigrants as the first English language Christian Reformed Church in the United States. Having grown up in churches who worshiped in Dutch, a new generation of English speakers wanted a worship service that spoke the language of their new country and addressed the concerns of their city. Since that time, LaGrave has flourished in the heart of Grand Rapids. Our church has always been a warm family of believers who care for one another. We’ve also been a congregation eager to bless our community.

Over the years, LaGrave members have played instrumental roles in establishing several charitable organizations, additional churches, mission organizations, and Christian schools. In the late 1950s, our original church building was condemned. With the neighborhood changing, and many other churches moving to the booming suburbs, LaGrave considered whether or not to stay in the city. Ultimately we decided to remain at the corner of LaGrave and Cherry and serve our neighbors. Today, God continues to bless us with new members, new challenges and new life. We believe God intends to keep us busy here for a long time to come.