LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church
107 LaGrave Ave.SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-454-7204
LaGrave Ave strives to be a church in mission
LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church’s members seek to worship and serve God in all of life, to transform God’s world, and to be transformed to reflect the character of Christ.
This large church provides dozens of Bible study and fellowship opportunities for every age to both foster small-group connections and encourage spiritual growth in each individual. Yet that growth is not for its own sake, but to equip them to put their faith into action. And they do.
They may draw worshippers from all over West Michigan, but they are firmly planted in and committed to their downtown neighborhood. Many downtown ministries benefit from LaGrave’s support, both financial and personal. The high school youth group volunteers monthly at Degage. Members regularly serve meals at God’s Kitchen. They mentor men at Guiding Light Mission. They not only visit prisoners, but worship with them at Bellamy Creek Prison.
The glue that holds all this activity together is Sunday worship. Whether through classical organ passages, soaring choir numbers, or timeless liturgical readings, their services seek to inspire reverence and awe in the Lord, to celebrate God’s goodness, and to experience the warmth of his love.
Stephen Ministries
In this one-on-one ministry, members come alongside another member in crisis to provide pastoral care, whether that consists of meals, rides, prayer, or merely visiting. This ministry doesn’t just ensure that people with needs don’t fall through the cracks, it also draws the congregation closer together as they not only show, but receive loving care
Youth Ministries
Young people at LaGrave look forward to Sundays. Whether they participate in the service through youth choir, ensemble, or handbell choir, or they volunteer to work with younger children, or they love their church school class – they know Sunday is the day they gather with their youth group. Early Teens and CREW (for high schoolers) draw kids from 40 different schools for the mix of communal worship celebrations, small group Bible studies, fun outings, and mission activities and service projects. CREW spends an evening every month at Degage Ministries. They send kids on summer service projects through Youth Unlimited, and they’ve been a host site for kids on SERVE projects for over 20 years. Their goal is to bring young people into a deeper relationship with Jesus, which, in turn, fuels lives of service.
Outreach
LaGrave members volunteer with Kids Hope and commit to one hour a week of one-on-one mentoring with kids at Congress Elementary School. The church has also partnered with several other churches to support the Celebration Fellowship Church, a church plant within Bellamy Creek Prison in Ionia. Members attend Bible study and worship with Celebration Fellowship once a month. There is also a prison after care team that will support prisoners after they are released.
