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LaGrave Live
By Reverend Peter JonkerSociety & CultureReligion & SpiritualityChristianityHistoryPersonal Journals
LaGrave Live episodes
- LaGrave Live, July 5, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Morning Worship Service 07-05-2026The Way of Wisdom: A Teachable SpiritAbout The Service:We will continue our summer sermon series called The Way of Wisdom. Pastor Manion will be focusing on Proverbs that show us the value of learning and receiving feedback from others. Her sermon is entitled "A Teachable Spirit."Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-7-5-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdfAbout the Church:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCLearning to Love Correction: Wisdom, Humility, and the Teachable SpiritSummaryA Service Framed by Wisdom and GraceThe service at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church opens with worship, welcome, and a reminder that the God who raised Jesus from the dead is present with the congregation. The morning centers on wisdom, correction, humility, and the grace of being restored when one has wandered. The call to confession draws from Matthew 18 and James 5, emphasizing that correction is not meant for shame or exclusion but for reclaiming one another in love.Confession That Breaks Pride OpenThe confession acknowledges the ways people resist wise correction, ignore the community God provides, and cling to pride. The assurance of pardon from Ezekiel 11 promises a new heart and new spirit, replacing hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. The worship language presents repentance not as humiliation but as an opening to God's mercy and transforming work.Prayer for a Church and Nation in Need of HolinessThe pastoral prayer reflects on creation, sin, national life, and the need for God to purify and remake his people. The congregation prays for those recovering from surgery, those receiving treatment, those in nursing care, and families grieving recent deaths. The prayer also recognizes the nation's anniversary while placing ultimate trust not in earthly governments but in God's sovereignty.A Children's Lesson from the Recipe for a Sweet LifeThe children's message uses cake ingredients as a picture of instruction. Some ingredients taste sweet by themselves, while others are bitter, yet all can work together in a recipe. In the same way, children are told that parental guidance can feel pleasant or unpleasant, but loving instruction helps shape a good life that honors God and blesses others.The Sermon: Receiving Correction Without FearThe sermon explores Proverbs on rebuke, discipline, and teachability. It contrasts wounded responses to correction with a wiser posture that sees every Christian as a lifelong learner. The preacher names the damage caused when abuse is mislabeled as discipline, while also challenging the opposite tendency to resist apology, accountability, and change.Three Pathways Toward a Teachable SpiritThe sermon offers three pathways: see yourself first as a learner, seek trustworthy people who can offer wise feedback, and receive God's correction as an expected expression of divine love. Correction is compared to gold when it comes from a wise and loving source. The message closes by grounding human change not in self-improvement or shame but in Jesus, who loves people enough to redeem and transform them.1 hr 26 min
- LaGrave Live, June 28, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Evening Worship Service - Powers, Principalities, and the Promises of GodAbout The Service:Pastor Jonker will preach on Ephesians 6:10-20.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload...About Us:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi...The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCStand Firm in the Armor: Faith, Children, and the Promise That Christ Already ReignsWorship Rooted in God’s Sovereign GraceThis LaGrave Live church service from LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church opens with a call to worship from Psalm 145, praising God’s greatness and the way one generation commends His works to another. Reverend Peter Jonker then frames the evening around the book of Ephesians, beginning with readings from the opening chapter. He highlights three major proclamations: that believers are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that God’s plan is to unite all things in heaven and earth under Christ, and that Christ already possesses power above every rule, authority, power, and dominion.Prayer for Children, the Vulnerable, and the CongregationThe service includes a congregational reading from Our World Belongs to God, followed by an evening prayer centered especially on children and young people. Reverend Jonker thanks God for the gift of life and prays for children living in poverty, hunger, war, conflict, neglect, and abuse. He also prays for the church’s own children’s ministries, including Kids Hope and youth ministry leadership, asking that LaGrave’s children feel known, loved, and formed within God’s love. The prayer also lifts up members of the congregation who are sick, in hospice, grieving, or otherwise in need of comfort.The Armor of God and the Reality of Spiritual StruggleThe sermon is based on Ephesians 6:10–20, where Paul tells believers to be strong in the Lord, put on the full armor of God, and stand against the devil’s schemes. Reverend Jonker describes Paul’s picture of spiritual warfare as vivid and serious: on one side are the powers of darkness, spiritual forces of evil, and flaming arrows; on the other side are ordinary believers wearing the armor of God. He emphasizes that this struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual forces that work against God’s people.Passing Faith to the Next GenerationTo bring the passage into ordinary life, Reverend Jonker focuses on the struggle to pass Christian faith to the next generation. He cites demographic concerns about the growing number of religiously unaffiliated people, often called “nones,” noting the rise from small percentages in previous decades to much larger numbers today, especially among younger generations. He mentions research from Ryan Burge and describes the concern many churches feel as they wonder how to help children, grandchildren, and young adults remain connected to faith, worship, Scripture, and the Christian community.Principalities, Powers, and the Culture That Shapes Young PeopleReverend Jonker explains that the spiritual battle is not primarily against individual neighbors, critics, or young people who reject religion. Instead, he says the battle is against deeper powers and systems that shape culture. Drawing on Christian Smith’s Lost in Transition, he names several forces affecting younger generations: moral relativism, rampant consumerism, intoxication or escapist experience, sexual confusion, and radical individualism. He describes these not merely as isolated choices, but as cultural forces that sweep people along and make it harder for young people to receive and live within the Christian faith.Warning Without FearAlthough Reverend Jonker takes the struggle seriously, he warns against panic. He places Ephesians 6 in the larger context of Ephesians, where Paul confidently proclaims that believers are chosen by God, that Christ reigns above every power, and that God’s plan to bring all things under Christ cannot be stopped. He cites C.S. Lewis’s warning that people can give the devil either too little credit or too much credit. For Jonker, the church must be vigilant without becoming fearful, protective without becoming overly sheltered, and confident that children ultimately belong to the Lord.Standing Through Prayer, Truth, Love, and PresenceThe sermon closes by returning to the armor of God as a practical pattern for faithful living. Reverend Jonker describes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit as ordinary but powerful practices: teaching the faith, telling the truth, doing justice, bringing peace, praying, worshiping, and staying present with the next generation. He recalls research from the Fuller Youth Institute suggesting that one of the strongest predictors of faith continuing in a child’s life is having several caring adults in the congregation who know, love, and pray for that child. The message ends with encouragement: keep praying, keep loving, put on the armor, and stand.1 hr 5 min
- LaGrave Live, June 28, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Morning Worship Service 06-28-2026The Way of WisdomAbout The Service:We will continue our summer sermon series called The Way of Wisdom. Pastor Jonker will preach and he will look at various Proverbs that offer us wisdom for how we speak to one another, which is a significant theme in the book.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-6-28-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdfAbout the Church:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCLife-Giving Words and the Wisdom of the TongueThe Weight and Wonder of WordsThe service centers on the spiritual importance of words, beginning with a children's message that introduces the Bible as God's Word. The pastor explains that Scripture contains words that guide, comfort, strengthen, and reveal God's love through Jesus Christ. A story about a childhood friend in the Netherlands during wartime illustrates how a single line from Psalm 57 brought peace during danger and fear.A Wisdom Series Turns Toward SpeechThe sermon continues the summer series on wisdom literature, focusing on selected passages from Proverbs. The pastor explains that while Proverbs addresses many areas of life, one of its largest and most striking concerns is speech. The sermon organizes the selected proverbs around three themes: the power of words, the character of words, and the heart behind words.Words Can Wound, Heal, and CreateThe first major sermon theme is the power of speech. The pastor contrasts the familiar phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones” with the biblical claim that the tongue has the power of life and death. Through personal reflection and examples of both hurtful and loving words, the sermon emphasizes that speech can wound deeply, heal relationships, encourage faith, and help people flourish.Gentleness Against the Culture of OutrageThe sermon then turns to the character of speech, especially gentleness, kindness, timing, and restraint. The pastor contrasts Proverbs' wisdom with the way social media often rewards outrage, alarm, accusation, and harshness. He argues that biblical wisdom calls people not only to speak truth but to consider the tone, tempo, and timing of how that truth is spoken.Timely Words in Human RelationshipsThe pastor applies the wisdom of timely speech to friendships, marriages, families, and conflict. Using the example of a conflict-averse person and a person who wants to fix problems immediately, he explains that wise speech pays attention to the needs of the other person. The sermon emphasizes that there are times to speak and times to wait, and that words can be truthful but still unwise if spoken at the wrong time.Speech Rooted in the Heart and in ChristThe final theme is that wise speech comes from the heart. Drawing from Proverbs and Jesus' teaching that the mouth speaks from the heart, the pastor says that anger, bitterness, fear, gentleness, patience, and love eventually reveal themselves in words. The sermon closes by calling listeners to be rooted in Jesus Christ, the Word of life, so that their speech may become life-giving, joyful, faithful, and loving.1 hr 28 min
- LaGrave Live, June 21, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Evening Worship Service - Amos and AmaziahAbout The Service:Pastor Jonker will preach on Amos 7.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload...About Us:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi...The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCAmos, Amaziah, and the Holy Affliction of God’s JusticeEvening Worship at LaGrave ChurchThis live evening worship service from LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church is led by Reverend Peter Jonker and centers on the encounter between the prophet Amos, the priest Amaziah, and King Jeroboam II. The service opens with Scripture, worship, and a reflection on Psalm 146, emphasizing that believers should not put ultimate trust in princes or human rulers, but in the Lord who upholds the oppressed, feeds the hungry, frees prisoners, watches over foreigners, and sustains the fatherless and widow. Reverend Jonker frames the evening as a meditation on how church and state interact in Scripture, especially when God’s justice confronts political and religious power.Prayer for the World’s Large and Small HistoriesThe pastoral prayer names God as King of kings, Lord of lords, and ruler over both the “big history” of nations and the smaller histories of ordinary lives. Reverend Jonker prays for places marked by war, suffering, and violence, including Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel. He also prays against the bitterness that violence plants across generations and asks God to make His people peacemakers. The prayer then turns close to home, lifting up LaGrave’s neighbors, people struggling with addiction, trauma, and mental illness, and members of the congregation facing illness, surgery, recovery, hospice, and personal burdens.Amos 7 - A Prophet Confronts PowerThe central Scripture reading is Amos 7:10–17, where Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, reports Amos to King Jeroboam and accuses him of raising a conspiracy in Israel. Amaziah tells Amos to leave, return to Judah, and stop prophesying at Bethel because it is “the king’s sanctuary” and “the temple of the kingdom.” Amos responds that he was not a professional prophet or the son of a prophet, but a shepherd and dresser of sycamore fig trees whom the Lord called to prophesy to Israel. Reverend Jonker notes that Amos is a difficult figure, blunt and unsettling, more committed to God’s righteousness and justice than to popularity or social comfort.Prosperity, Injustice, and the Unwanted WordReverend Jonker explains that Amos prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, a time of outward prosperity, national stability, and economic success for Israel. By conventional standards, Jeroboam looked like a successful ruler: the borders expanded, enemies were defeated, the economy was strong, and the nation appeared secure. But the biblical assessment was different: Jeroboam did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Into that prosperous world, Amos spoke against injustice, warning that the wealthy lounged in comfort while trampling the poor and ignoring the needy. Jonker stresses that Amos’s words were not pleasant, but they were necessary because God’s measure of a nation is not merely prosperity, but justice and righteousness.The Holy Affliction of the ProphetA key phrase in the sermon is “holy affliction.” Reverend Jonker says Amos was not simply an angry man; he was someone unsettled by the Spirit of God. Even Amos himself seems disturbed by the severity of the visions and prophecies he receives, pleading for mercy because Israel is small. Yet he cannot go back to ordinary life because God has given him eyes to see injustice and a heart that cannot ignore it. Jonker describes this kind of prophetic restlessness as a gift of the Holy Spirit, though not always a comfortable one. It is the burden that prevents God’s people from becoming merely a social club or a “going to heaven club.”Francis, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Prophetic StreamReverend Jonker connects Amos to later figures in Christian history who carried a similar holy affliction. He names St. Francis of Assisi, whose compassion for the poor disrupted the expectations of his wealthy family; Dorothy Day, whose Christian faith led her away from literary celebrity into advocacy for the poor and the Catholic Worker Movement; and Martin Luther King Jr., who refused to remain silent in the face of racial injustice and echoed Amos’s cry that justice should roll down like waters. These examples show how the Spirit continues to raise up people who disturb complacency, confront injustice, and remind the church that God is transforming creation, not merely saving isolated souls.A Prayer for Holy AgitationThe sermon closes by turning the message back toward the congregation. Reverend Jonker prays that LaGrave will always have a few “ornery prophets” and a few people like Amos, but also that every believer will receive at least a little of that holy affliction. He asks that the suffering of neighbors, the plight of the poor, and the injustices of the world would continue to pierce the church’s heart rather than become background noise. He connects this prophetic agitation to Jesus, who came to preach good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. The service ends with prayer that God would unsettle whatever needs unsettling, uproot what needs uprooting, and send the congregation out under the Lord’s blessing and peace.1 hr 4 min
- LaGrave Live, June 21, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Morning Worship Service 06-21-2026Small Things with Great LoveAbout The Service:June 21 is SERVE Sunday! Pastor Jonker will be leading us in worship, and his sermon will be based on Job 5:9.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-6-21-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdfAbout the Church:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCFaith, Service, and the Hidden Strength of LoveA Service Shaped by Surprise and SurrenderThe service opens with a welcome to LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church and a special greeting to the Serve Week participants from Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan. The worship leader introduces the theme "Surprised by God," inviting the congregation to consider whether God's unexpected leading brings joy, anxiety, or both. The opening reflection calls worshipers to confess the ways they rely on their own understanding instead of listening to the Spirit's guidance.Confession, Grace, and the Spirit's GuidanceThe congregation joins in a prayer of confession, acknowledging sin in thought, word, and deed and asking God to correct their lives. The assurance of pardon is drawn from Ephesians 2, emphasizing grace as God's gift and reminding the congregation that they are created in Christ Jesus for good works. The pastoral prayer continues this theme by asking God to consecrate the congregation's lives, hands, and wills for service.Prayers for Service, Healing, and TrustThe prayer section lifts up the Serve team as young people and leaders prepare to serve the local community. It also remembers missionaries Daniel and Priscilla Cummings and prays for health-care work in Angola. Several members and loved ones are named in prayer for recovery, surgery, deep brain stimulation treatment, and strength for a premature baby named Oliver in the NICU, with the worship leader framing these concerns as acts of trust placed into God's hands.Encouragement for Children and Serve ParticipantsMs. Rachel leads the children's message by explaining encouragement as saying or doing something that helps someone feel supported, joyful, or happy. She connects encouragement to the Serve participants, who will be pulling weeds, building, cleaning, and serving food during the week. The children practice encouragement by waving and saying, "You can do it," and the congregation reminds the children that they are loved by Jesus.Naaman, the Servant Girl, and Two Kinds of PowerThe sermon centers on 2 Kings 5:1-6, focusing not on Naaman's public power but on the unnamed Israelite servant girl who points him toward the prophet in Samaria. The speaker describes Naaman as a man of military influence, wealth, and status, then contrasts him with a young captive girl who has endured trauma, displacement, and servitude. Despite her suffering, she holds onto faith and speaks with compassion toward the very household connected to her pain.Small Acts of Love as the Strongest GiftThe sermon argues that the servant girl's faith and love reveal a deeper power than status, money, or military strength. Her words lead Naaman toward healing and a changed heart, showing that small acts done in love can carry the power of God's kingdom. The message closes by applying this lesson to the Serve participants and the broader congregation, urging everyone to serve with hope, love, and the strength of the risen Lord.1 hr 30 min
- LaGrave Live, June 14, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Evening Worship Service - Questions and Answers 6-14-26About The Service:LaGrave member, Rev. Laurie TenHave-Chapman, will preach from Acts 8:26-40, a passage that reminds us that there are many who are looking for Jesus as the answer to their deepest questions. We will also celebrate the Lord's Supper together.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload...About Us:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi...The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCWho Will Teach Me About Jesus? Questions, Witness, and the Spirit’s Unexpected AppointmentsA Service Framed by Mission and WorshipThis live evening worship service at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church opens with worship language drawn from Psalm 96, calling the congregation to sing to the Lord, declare His glory among the nations, and worship in the splendor of His holiness. The service includes a welcome to those gathered in the sanctuary and online, and a warm introduction of Reverend Lori TeneHape Chapman, a LaGrave member, as the evening preacher. Because this is a worship-service transcript, the music portions appear heavily distorted by transcription and should be treated only as musical segments rather than reliable lyrical text.A Confession of Faith and a Prayer for MissionariesBefore the sermon, the congregation reads from the contemporary testimony “Our World Belongs to God,” focusing on the church’s mission to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, care for the sick, and free the prisoner. The pastoral prayer then expands that mission focus globally. The congregation prays for missionaries and ministries in North America, Haiti, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Africa, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India, Peru, and other regions. The prayer asks God to bless those serving students, children, families, churches, special-needs communities, and unreached or difficult mission fields.Philip, the Ethiopian, and the Question That Opens the DoorThe Scripture reading comes from Acts 8:26–40, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. The passage tells how an angel directs Philip to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he encounters an Ethiopian official reading from Isaiah. When Philip asks whether the man understands what he is reading, the Ethiopian responds, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” Philip then begins with that passage and tells him the good news about Jesus. When they come to water, the Ethiopian asks what prevents him from being baptized, and Philip baptizes him.Searching for Truth in a Confusing CultureReverend Chapman begins the sermon with a memory of seeing a billboard for a cannabis company using religious language: “church,” “cannabis,” and “baptism by fire.” She reflects on how jarring those words felt together and uses the example to raise a larger question about how Christians engage a pleasure-seeking culture filled with confusing messages. She connects this to Pilate’s question to Jesus, “What is truth?” and reminds listeners that Jesus is the one who called Himself the way, the truth, and the life.Ordinary Time and the Growth of the ChurchThe sermon then places the congregation in the church season of Ordinary Time, represented by the color green and associated with growth. Reverend Chapman explains that after Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the Holy Spirit, the disciples spread out like seeds, preaching, teaching, and planting churches. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian becomes a picture of that Spirit-led growth: not only through large crowds, but through one unexpected person in one unexpected moment.The Ethiopian as an Unlikely but Prepared SeekerReverend Chapman describes the Ethiopian official as educated, wealthy, powerful, and spiritually curious. He had traveled a great distance to Jerusalem to worship, had access to Scripture, and was reading aloud from Isaiah. Yet he did not understand the passage about the suffering servant. Philip, freshly coming from fruitful ministry in Samaria, is sent not to another crowd but to one individual. The sermon emphasizes that Philip obeys, runs alongside the chariot, listens, and becomes available to explain Jesus.The Interruptions Are the MinistryA central theme of the sermon is that ministry often comes through interruptions. Philip does not treat the Ethiopian’s race, nationality, rank, or difference as a barrier. Instead, he recognizes that the Spirit has called him to be present. Reverend Chapman suggests that, just as Jesus often showed, the interruptions are the ministry. Philip’s readiness allows the Ethiopian to hear the gospel, understand Isaiah in light of Jesus, and receive baptism with joy.Jesus, Questions, and the Art of Opening HeartsReverend Chapman reflects on the many questions Jesus asked during His ministry. She notes that Jesus often answered questions with questions, not to be evasive, but to open people to deeper understanding. Good questions, she says, can challenge, comfort, confront, and reveal love. The sermon quotes T.S. Eliot’s line about being prepared for the stranger who knows how to ask questions, connecting it to the Christian calling to ask questions that help people examine their lives, their assumptions, and their need for Christ.“Who Will Teach Me About Jesus?”The sermon then shifts into a personal story from Reverend Chapman’s chaplaincy work in a locked unit. After a man angrily left a spiritual-growth group, she followed him to apologize. Instead, he apologized and then asked, “Who will teach me about Jesus?” She learned that he had struggled with mental illness, addiction, the loss of his marriage and custody of his children, and a painful upbringing in which he was often blamed. Yet he also described moments when he believed God had rescued him and said he had sensed a prompting to “learn about Jesus.”Being Ready When the Spirit Has Already Been WorkingReverend Chapman compares that man to the Ethiopian seeker. In both cases, the Holy Spirit was already at work before the teacher arrived. Her role, like Philip’s, was to listen, understand the person’s story, and explain Jesus in a way that could be received. She reminds the congregation that not everyone will say out loud, “Who will teach me about Jesus?” but many people are searching silently. Christians must be ready to listen well, ask honest questions, and speak clearly about the hope within them.Communion, Benediction, and the Assurance That Jesus Is EnoughThe service continues with prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ’s body given and blood shed. The transcript’s music sections after communion are again heavily garbled, but the service clearly includes responsive words from Psalm 103 and Revelation 5, praising the Lord who forgives, heals, redeems, and crowns His people with love and compassion. The final blessing sends the congregation out with confidence in the God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. The central message of the service is that Jesus is the answer to the deepest questions, and the Spirit continues to place believers alongside those who are ready to hear.1 hr 17 min
- LaGrave Live, June 14, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Morning Worship Service 06-14-2026In the Hands of the Living GodAbout The Service:We welcome Pastor Shawn England to our pulpit. Shawn is a commissioned pastor at Celebration Fellowship CRC and a regular LaGrave attender. He will preach on Hebrews 10:26-31 with the message "In the Hands of the Living God."Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-6-14-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdfAbout the Church:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCWhen God Is Good but Not Safe: Grace, Judgment, and the Call to Faithful LivingA Worship Service Rooted in Grace and ConfessionThe service opens with music, welcome, and a call to worship at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church. The worship leader welcomes members, visitors, and delegates attending the Christian Reformed Church Synod, while also introducing Pastor Sean England as the morning preacher. The early portion of the service emphasizes God's grace, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the congregation's need for confession and forgiveness.New Members Welcomed into the Church FamilyThe congregation welcomes new members Mark and Judy Mulan and Isaac Kerr. Mark and Judy are described as having discovered LaGrave through the livestream during COVID and as having a background in ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Isaac is introduced as a Calvin student who spent much of his life in Korea and is seeking to grow in faith and understand Christian life in the United States.Prayer for Healing, Grief, Renewal, and the WorldThe congregational prayer draws on Psalm 145 and repeatedly returns to the theme that the Lord is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. The prayer includes concerns for members facing surgery, recovery, grief, cancer treatment, and spiritual wandering. It also widens to include war, unrest, Christians in Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, Cuba, aid organizations, local ministries, missionaries, and the Christian Reformed Church Synod.A Children's Message on Sin and ForgivenessThe children's message uses pencils with worn-down or missing erasers to explain sin, confession, and God's forgiveness. The worship leader contrasts ordinary erasers, which eventually wear out, with God's mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness, which never run out. The congregation then joins the children in singing "Jesus Loves Me" as a reminder that believers are weak but Christ is strong.A Hard Scripture from HebrewsThe sermon begins with Hebrews 10:26-31, a difficult passage about deliberate sin, judgment, and falling into the hands of the living God. Pastor Sean England frames the passage through C. S. Lewis's image of Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia: not safe, but good. The sermon explains that Hebrews was written to early Jewish Christians tempted to return to a safer, more familiar religious life under pressure from the Roman world.The Living God Who Changes His PeopleThe sermon argues that faith in Christ cannot be reduced to comfort, safety, or cultural accommodation. The preacher warns against ignoring the Spirit, looking away from injustice, and choosing convenience over faithfulness. Yet the message does not end in despair; it emphasizes the great cloud of witnesses, the sustaining church community, Christ's once-for-all sacrifice, and the promise that God changes His people into who they were meant to be.1 hr 12 min
- LaGrave Live, June 7, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Evening Worship Service - Follow MeAbout The Service:Rev. Manion will preach from Matthew 9.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload...About Us:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi...The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCFollow Me: Reverend Kristy Manion on Mercy, Discipleship, and Jesus’ Call to MatthewLaGrave Live Opens with WorshipThis LaGrave Live worship service, titled “Follow Me,” begins with music, a call to worship, and a greeting of grace and peace. The congregation is invited to worship God as light, salvation, and the stronghold of life. The service frames worship as a time to seek God’s ways, gather in community, and listen for the Lord’s guidance. Reverend Kristy Manion welcomes those gathered in person and those joining by livestream, noting the gift of worshiping together in the warmth of the evening.Deuteronomy 30 and the Choice of LifeThe first Scripture reading comes from Deuteronomy 30:11–20, where Moses speaks to Israel before they enter the promised land. The passage presents God’s command as near, not unreachable, and sets before the people life and prosperity, death and destruction, blessings and curses. The reading emphasizes that a good life is found in loving the Lord, listening to His voice, holding fast to Him, and walking in obedience. This theme prepares the congregation for the sermon’s later question: what does it mean to follow Jesus into a life shaped by mercy?Confession and Prayer for the Church and WorldThe congregation then joins in a confession that salvation comes by God’s grace through Christ, while good works flow from gratitude, renewal, assurance of faith, and witness to neighbors. Reverend Manion leads a pastoral prayer thanking God for creation, community, and worship, while also confessing fear, impatience, self-centeredness, and the tendency to focus on what is wrong. The prayer includes intercession for people suffering from war, displacement, illness, grief, hospice care, surgery recovery, new babies, baptisms, church leaders, and the upcoming Christian Reformed Church Synod.Matthew’s Call and Jesus’ Table FellowshipThe sermon Scripture comes from Matthew 9:9–13, with additional verses from Matthew 9:35–10:4. Jesus sees Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth and says, “Follow me.” Matthew gets up and follows Him. Jesus then eats at Matthew’s house with tax collectors and sinners, which leads the Pharisees to question why He would share a table with such people. Jesus answers that the sick, not the healthy, need a doctor, and quotes the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”Why Matthew’s Profession MattersReverend Manion highlights that Matthew stands out among the disciples because he is identified by his day job: Matthew the tax collector. She explains that tax collectors were despised because they often made money by overcharging others and were associated with corruption, dishonesty, and exploitation. Matthew may have had money, but his profession also meant loneliness, social rejection, and moral suspicion. Naming him as a tax collector shows the kind of person Jesus deliberately called and welcomed.The Pharisees’ Concern and the Tension of Jesus’ MinistryThe sermon carefully explores the Pharisees’ question. Their concern was not random; Scripture warns against walking with the wicked or sitting with sinners, and parents often give similar advice to children about choosing good companions. Reverend Manion acknowledges that this tension is real. The question becomes how faithful people discern when Jesus is calling them toward “Matthew’s house,” into complicated spaces where wisdom, mercy, and holiness must all be held together.Piety, Doctrine, and TransformationReverend Manion introduces three Reformed emphases for engaging the world: the pietist, doctrinalist, and transformationalist accents. The pietist emphasis focuses on the heart’s devotion to God through prayer, worship, reflection, and service. The doctrinalist emphasis focuses on right understanding, Scripture, and truth. The transformationalist emphasis focuses on participating in Christ’s redeeming work in creation and culture. She explains that healthy Christian faith needs all three: heart, head, and hands working together as believers follow Jesus into the world.Mercy, Not SacrificeAt the center of the sermon is Jesus’ response: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Reverend Manion explains that Jesus sees Matthew not only as a sinner or social outcast, but as someone who could become different under the mercy of Christ. Jesus does not catch Matthew’s corruption; rather, Jesus becomes the cure. The sermon emphasizes that both Matthew and the Pharisees need mercy, though they may differ in how aware they are of that need. Jesus’ goodness spreads to sinners, and His call creates a new story for Matthew’s life.Darryl Davis and the Practice of Costly MercyTo illustrate this kind of mercy, Reverend Manion tells the story of jazz pianist Darryl Davis, an African American Christian musician who spent decades speaking with members of the Ku Klux Klan. His approach was kind, respectful, persistent, and often dangerous. He asked how people could hate him without knowing him and built relationships that eventually led many Klan members to give him their robes. Reverend Manion uses Davis’s story as an example of costly, person-to-person engagement that some might call foolish, but others might recognize as grace.Following Jesus with Wisdom and CourageThe sermon closes by calling the congregation to follow Jesus into the places and relationships God brings before them, with curiosity, respect, kindness, wisdom, and mercy. Reverend Manion reminds listeners that Jesus called Matthew just as surely as He called the more respectable disciples, and that if Jesus could use Matthew, He can use ordinary believers too. The service ends with prayer, blessing, and the reminder to go into the week under the Lord’s peace, ready to encounter the people God places in their path.1 hr 5 min
- LaGrave Live, June 7, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Morning Worship Service 06-07-2026The Way of Wisdom: The Way of Wisdom: Wisdom & CreationAbout The Service:We will continue our summer sermon series. Our sermon series is called The Way of Wisdom. We will look at the parts of the Bible that are considered Wisdom Literature. These are Bible books and Bible passages that address the practicalities of living in God's world. Pastor Jonker will continue the series with a sermon on Proverbs 3: 1-20.Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-6-7-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdfAbout the Church:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178The June special offering is for Pine Rest Patient Assistance Fund: Part of Pine Rest Foundation Fund offering financial assistance for individuals, families and children who need care.Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCFinding the Created Path: Wisdom, Boundaries, and Life in ChristOpening Worship and Congregational PrayerThe service begins with music, congregational singing, and prayer. Much of the opening musical portion is difficult to recover from the automated transcript, but the clearer prayer section asks God to care for Blake and Tim in military service, bless Matt Bonzo’s teaching ministry and travel in southern Africa, and support Thomas and Dana in their mission work in India. The prayer also lifts up people struggling financially, the denomination’s upcoming Synod meeting, government leaders, global conflicts, disease, and the church’s calling to be faithful kingdom agents.A Children’s Lesson About Wisdom and KindnessDuring the children’s message, the speaker tells a story about Queen Wilhelmina visiting Frisian farmers in Iowa. At a formal dinner, the farmers mistakenly drink from finger bowls because they do not understand the custom, and the other guests quietly laugh. Queen Wilhelmina wisely chooses to drink from her own finger bowl too, leading the rest of the guests to follow her example and saving the farmers from embarrassment. The lesson presents wisdom as kindness, social awareness, humility, and the ability to preserve another person’s dignity.Wisdom Speaks Through Proverbs 8The Scripture reading comes from Proverbs 8, where wisdom is personified as a voice calling out to people and inviting them to find life. The speaker explains that wisdom is not merely an abstract idea or a human invention. In the passage, wisdom is described as present with God from the beginning, before the mountains, seas, horizons, and foundations of the earth were set in place. This establishes the sermon’s central theme: wisdom is woven into creation itself.Creation, Boundaries, and the Path of FlourishingThe sermon connects Proverbs 8 to Genesis 1, emphasizing that God created the world with order, boundaries, patterns, and limits. These boundaries are not presented as restrictions meant to harm people, but as the structure through which life flourishes. The speaker explains that just as people recognize physical limits such as food, exercise, and sleep, they must also learn the created patterns that guide relationships, work, speech, emotions, family life, and moral decision-making.Technology, Friction, and Real RelationshipsThe sermon then applies the theme of wisdom to modern technology and relationships. Technology is described as useful when it serves God’s paths, but dangerous when it promises a frictionless life that avoids real human connection. The speaker uses examples such as texting instead of phone calls, AI-screened communication, and simulated life through screens to show how removing relational friction can also remove depth, growth, and love. Real relationships require boundaries, conflict, adjustment, and the patient work of learning another person.Jesus as Wisdom in the FleshThe sermon concludes by identifying Jesus as the embodiment of wisdom. The speaker connects Proverbs 8 and Ben Sirach’s appeal to wisdom with Jesus’ invitation in the New Testament: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Rather than leaving people to discover wisdom alone, God sends Jesus, who walks with them, fills them with the Holy Spirit, and guides them along the path of life. The closing prayer asks God to open the congregation’s eyes and hearts so they may discern his ways and live a flourishing life.1 hr 21 min
- LaGrave Live, May 31, 2026LaGrave LiveLIVE Evening Worship Service - Paul and the AgnosticsAbout The Service:Pastor Jonker will preach on Acts 17:16-34Order of Worship:https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload...About Us:We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)We'd love to hear from you:Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contactLet us pray for you:Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/Listen on the go:Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusicApple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQGoogle Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogleSoundcloud: / lagravecrcSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaTFollow us!Facebook: / lagravecrcInstagram: / lagravecrcWebsite: https://www.lagrave.org#LaGrave #LaGraveCRCThe Known God in an Age of Uncertainty: Paul, Athens, and the Truth Found in ChristReverend Peter Jonker Opens the Evening Worship ServiceIn this evening worship service from LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, the primary speaker, Reverend Peter Jonker, welcomes the congregation and begins with a brief correction to the bulletin regarding the opening hymn. The call to worship comes from Psalm 61, where the psalmist cries out to God for refuge, shelter, and stability when the heart grows faint. This sets the tone for the service: a worship gathering centered on finding spiritual shelter, clarity, and confidence in God amid uncertainty.Faith, Shelter, and Ancient Words of TruthAfter the opening worship, Reverend Jonker introduces the theme of truth and how Christians can find truth in a world filled with opinion and confusion. He reads from 1 Peter 1:3–9, describing the early church as an “exile church” surrounded by people who thought differently from them. He explains that Peter’s words helped anchor believers in living hope, resurrection, inheritance, faith, joy, and salvation even during trials. The congregation then recites the Nicene Creed, which Jonker frames as ancient words that have anchored Christian faith for more than 1,700 years.Prayer Beneath the Shadow of God’s WingsThe service includes a pastoral prayer built around the image of living and singing beneath the shadow of God’s wings. Reverend Jonker prays for shelter amid global conflicts, including wars in Sudan, Iran, and Ukraine, as well as conflict and cynicism within the nation. He asks God to help the congregation become people of faith, hope, love, and truth rather than fear, anger, and cynicism. The prayer also lifts up church members facing surgery, recovery, hospice care, cancer, mission work, and grief, including the sudden loss of Lori Vanderhardt.Paul in Athens and the Marketplace of IdeasThe sermon text is Acts 17:16–34, where Paul arrives in Athens and sees a city full of idols. Reverend Jonker imagines the Athenian marketplace as both a literal market and a “marketplace of ideas,” filled with philosophers debating, gesturing, criticizing, and chasing the latest intellectual trends. He describes Athens as the Cambridge, Oxford, or Harvard of its day, but also as a place marked by intellectual boredom and weariness. The people were always looking for something new, not necessarily because they were open-hearted, but because they were tired of hearing the same old arguments.Epicureans, Stoics, and Modern EchoesReverend Jonker explains that Paul encountered Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. He describes the Epicureans as materialists who believed the gods had created the world but no longer cared much about it, leaving people to pursue modest happiness and avoid excess. Jonker compares this to many modern Americans who may vaguely believe in God but mostly seek comfort, amusement, and personal happiness. He describes the Stoics as more pantheistic, believing in a divine life force within and urging people to go inward to find truth and stability. He connects this to modern self-focused spiritual language such as “live your truth” or “follow your dreams.”The Altar to the Unknown GodA central image in the sermon is the Athenian altar “to an unknown God,” or agnosto theo, from which Jonker notes we get the word agnostic. He considers several possible meanings: perhaps the Athenians sensed their gods were insufficient, perhaps the altar was a kind of religious insurance policy, or perhaps it represented an altar to unknowability itself. Jonker leans toward the third possibility, describing the altar as a philosophical shoulder shrug from educated people who had heard every argument and no longer knew what to believe.Modern Idols to AgnosticismJonker then connects Athens to the present day, arguing that modern people still build idols to agnosticism. He points to the rise of the religious “nones,” the influence of postmodernism, and the belief that truth is unknowable or merely a power game. He also uses popular culture examples, including Seinfeld as a “show about nothing” and the song “Some Nights” by the band Fun, whose lyrics ask, “What do I stand for?” For Jonker, these examples reveal a culture that often shrugs at truth, meaning, and conviction.Paul Proclaims the Known GodInto this weary and cynical environment, Paul announces that the God they call unknown can be made known. Reverend Jonker explains that Paul’s speech is brilliant because it speaks to both Epicureans and Stoics. Paul agrees that God does not live in temples made by human hands and does not need human service, which would appeal to Epicureans. But Paul also says God is not far from anyone, and that in Him “we live and move and have our being,” which would resonate with Stoic thought. Yet Paul ultimately moves beyond both systems by proclaiming repentance, judgment, resurrection, and the man God raised from the dead: Jesus Christ.Truth Is Not Merely an Idea, but a PersonThe heart of the sermon is Jonker’s claim that Paul does not simply offer the Athenians another teaching or philosophy. Instead, he points them to a person. Jonker connects this with John 1, explaining that the Greek word logos had meaning within Stoic philosophy as an organizing principle of the universe, but John declares that the Logos became flesh and dwelt among us. Truth, Jonker says, is ultimately found not in winning arguments, mastering systems, or collecting ideas, but in Jesus Christ, the living Lord who calls people into relationship.Three Responses to the GospelJonker notes that Acts 17 records three responses to Paul’s message. Some people sneer and dismiss him as a babbler. Others say they would like to hear more, though Jonker wonders whether they still want to keep the conversation at the level of ideas rather than surrender to Christ. A few believe, including Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and Damaris, along with others. Jonker presents this as the choice before hearers today as well: cynicism, endless debate, or faith in the risen Christ.Closing Prayer and BlessingThe sermon closes with Reverend Jonker acknowledging that believers will always face gaps in understanding, disagreement, uncertainty, and fog because human beings are fallen and limited. Yet when he feels overwhelmed by uncertainty, he says he turns not first to ideas, but to the person of Jesus Christ, the one who shelters him and knows his name. He closes in prayer, thanking Christ for the shelter of His wings and asking that believers become truth-seeking people who point others to relationship with Him. The service ends with a blessing: that the Lord would bless, keep, shine upon, be gracious to, and fill His people with peace.1 hr 1 min
About LaGrave Live
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If you’re looking for a warm church that commits to an intensely pertinent Gospel in the Reformed tradition of the Christian faith, we invite you to worship with us. Our 1,800 members come from across…
West Michigan and gather weekly in our sanctuary for relevant Biblical preaching, beautiful music, and inspiring worship. We expand our worship through intentional outreach in our community and world, attentive care for our members, and plenty of spiritual enrichment and social opportunities for everyone. We focus on a living Savior who provides genuine solutions to the deep needs of a hurting world. We are committed to need-meeting ministry in His name, and we are committed to being real people who enjoy real life and who cry real tears. Because we are a fairly large and diverse group in terms of age, occupation, marital status, lifestyle, and physical ability; our members create many accessible opportunities for community service, Bible study, and small social groups. We worship God, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, and we enjoy expressing our vision of His holiness through traditional music and formal liturgy. Music plays an integral part of our weekly worship gatherings. Congregational singing—of both traditional hymns and newer ones—is typically supported by our pipe organ. Vocal choirs, handbell choirs, small ensembles, instrumentalists, and vocal soloists provide additional music offerings. Led by the Holy Spirit, we seek to worship and serve God in all of life, transforming His world and being transformed to reflect the character of Christ. Founded by 36 Dutch immigrants on February 24, 1887, LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church has always been deeply committed to both this local community and worldwide missions. God has seen fit to guide and bless these commitments with sustained growth, spiritual gifting, and a continual stream of new work for our members.