101 Year History Of The Wyoming Seventh-day Adventist Church
(Special Thanks to Mrs. Van Duinen for most of the historical facts presented here)
Back in 1923, the Wyoming church started forming when Mr. F. Hawthorne and Mr. Collins colportered (sold church literature) in the Wyoming-Beverly area. They came across Mrs. Vanderwoude, a fellow Sabbath-keeper, and she invited them inside her home as she was preparing for the Sabbath. Their small group grew as they met with Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Blackford, Mrs. Mellor, and others.
Soon they began a Sabbath School and met in the Hawthorne home in Wyoming Park. All through this time the group was growing and moved to the Red School House on the southeast corner of Porter Street and Byron Center Road.
The evening of May 18, 1927, They spoke with Mr. White (he had recently come back from the missionary field) and laid plans for organizing a church. Those present were asked to get letters of transfer from their home churches, and they appointed a committee to chose church officers.
Less than two months later, on July 2nd, services were moved to the Wyoming High School and they faced a prospect of having no minister for at least a year. The church became officially organized with 25 members and officers were elected.
In October they started planning for a church home. The members of Wyoming Park Christian Reformed Church at Byron Center Road and 28th Street wanted to build a new church. So, our church purchased their old building ($500) and moved it ($500) to a lot ($700) at Byron Center Road and Lee Street.
The building was moved the half-mile with a team of horses across the lots of property owners to get to it's destination. The church was then put up on blocks and members used tools and horses to dig out a basement. Mr. Minisee came with a wagon and horses from Byron Center and other people came from Grand Rapids and Bauer.
Mr. & Mrs. DeWind were the first couple married in this new church home. (Picture courtesy of Wyoming Historical Commission)
Beginning in September of 1928, and for several years thereafter, the church building also housed the church school.
A decision was made in October 1939 to have Sabbath School meet at 1:45pm, and not until July 5, 1945, was it changed by a vote from afternoons to mornings.
Members come and go as in any church, but in September 1945 consideration was given to closing the church. In January of 1946, they redecorated and held a series of meetings with Mr. C. E. Felton to gain more members. However in September of 1947, the proposal of closing came up again (remaining members could join Grand Rapids Central Church). The vote was 13 to 8 to keep our doors open.
In January of 1948 some thought was given to changing Sabbath morning meetings to afternoons, but it did not get changed.
On November 27, 1948: A meeting to discuss closing and merging with Grand Rapids, but voted a week later to try one more year.
Membership was down to 28 in 1950, but rose to 32 members in 1951, 42 members seventeen months later, and 53 members in April of 1955. Desire for a new church home was growing stronger. Room was needed for Sabbath School Divisions. Cradle Roll/Kindergarten had taken over the Dorcas room more than 10 years before, and the young adults were meeting in the room behind the pulpit, with the Primary through Earliteens in the large room downstairs.
Several locations were checked out before agreement on this 4 acre wooded parcel on 44th Street. Purchase was completed on March 6, 1970, and on March 11 the previous building was sold, although members met there until April 7,1973.
Even then, there were second thoughts because of future plans for 44th Street to become a four-lane highway. A "For Sale" sign was placed on the property. Our members continued adding to the building fund, feeling that if no one purchased the property by the time we had funds to build, then this is where God wants us to be.
With a decision to build the new church, several families from Central Church joined with our church, and before leaving the church on Byron Center Road, classes had to be held in the downstairs hall and in the furnace room.
Through the years, several "Sunday" Congregations had rented the old church building for services. Among these was Olivet Reformed Church of Grandville for 25 years. In the 19 months before the new building was finished, they made available to us their sanctuary and the class rooms for Sabbath School. God was still watching over our church.
Ground was broken in the fall of 1973, and construction of a new house of worship was underway.
The first service in our new building was on November 23, 1974 - with ceremony, local dignitaries, a ribbon cutting, and an evangelistic series.
On January 11, 1978 the final payment was made on our loan.
On September 16, 1978, with a membership of 175, a dedication service was held for the Wyoming Seventh-day Adventist Church.
During the 10 year Anniversary of the completion of our church building, our membership stood at 236 members.
This church building is still being used today, and we only have made slight improvements in the years since (Multimedia projector screen, landscaping, a new sign, carpeting, and new pews).
Our prayer for this website is to help spread the Gospel more effectively to the Wyoming, Michigan area and beyond.
If you're interested worshiping with us and studying the Bible together, service begins at 9:30am every Sabbath.