In the heart of Grand Rapids, Park Church is known for traditional Sunday worship expressed through a progressive Christian welcome. Founded in 1836, this independent United Church of Christ congregation worships in a sanctuary designated a National Historic Place, with Tiffany windows, organ and choral music, and ministries that begin with nursery care. Its identity joins stewardship of that historic space with service to people in the city.
Sunday Worship at 10:30
Every Sunday at 10:30, people are invited to in-person worship in the second-floor sanctuary. Traditional worship includes lectionary scripture, a Call to Worship, responsive readings, prayers, hymns and Communion once a month. Liturgists guide portions of the service, while ushers help visitors find seats, worship materials and accessible seating. The congregation's welcome extends to people at every stage of life and every level of faith.
- The Sunday worship livestream begins at 10:20 and is carried on the church's Park Church UCC YouTube channel. Past services and concert recordings are also available there.
- The parking lot is adjacent to the building, opens to the public on Sunday mornings and is free of charge.
On weekdays, church-related parking is also free. General parking costs $10 per day, payable in cash, with no change available. Inside, greeters extend hospitality while ushers oversee the sanctuary and assist with wayfinding.
Making the Sanctuary Accessible to All
Park Church's Accessible to All commitment reaches into the physical details of worship as well as the life of the congregation. The parking-lot entrance vestibule has automatic door openers and a route designed for someone who uses a mobility support device. Multiple accessible parking spaces are near the door, and an elevator inside the entrance reaches the second-floor sanctuary. The sanctuary also has sturdy stairs with a gentle rise, while the main-floor fellowship hall is fully accessible.
- Accessible seating is placed along the north and south aisles and at the back of the sanctuary, with ushers available to direct people to it.
- A Loop system and a T-coil system support people who use hearing aids.
- Large-print bulletins contain the scripture readings and hymns.
- Noise-muffling headphones are available in the narthex for children or adults with noise sensitivities.
- Everyone who wishes to receive Communion can participate in the monthly sacrament.
The weekly YouTube worship broadcast also gives people another way to take part in the congregation's life.
Nursery Care, Little Lambs and a Godly Play Center
Childcare is available every Sunday for infants through age 2. Professional, fully vaccinated caregivers staff the nursery on the first floor, down the hallway to the right when entering from the parking lot. Little Lambs welcomes preschool children into an adjoining program built around storytelling, response time and play.
Children using the Children's Worship Center gather with their families in the sanctuary at 10:30 for a blessing. Elementary-age children through fifth grade then go to the lower-level center, which follows the Godly Play curriculum. Its rhythm of music, storytelling, wondering, feast and response gives children ways to make meaning through story and play. The center also includes a walkable labyrinth and spaces for story sets, desert boxes and feasts.
Young people in grades 6 through 12 initially remain in the sanctuary until the Moment for the Young and Young at Heart. They then meet Peter Smith, Spiritual Formation and Education Minister, in the third-floor Youth Room for fellowship and faith exploration. On the first Sunday of each month, the youth stay for the entire service.
The Children's Music Program meets from 11:45 to 12:30 after Sunday worship. Designed as an experience rather than a performance, it welcomes children of all backgrounds and abilities and does not require previous music experience. Baptism is available from infancy through adulthood by advance arrangement. Youth confirmation classes, led by Pastor Darryl and Peter Smith, are generally offered once each year in ninth or tenth grade, based on interest.
Learning, Conversation and Small Gatherings
Adult learning follows a seasonal rhythm. Bible studies are offered one or twice a year in several-week Wednesday series from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pastor Darryl leads the sessions in the Spindler Dining Room, with a Zoom option and recordings available through the church's YouTube channel. A men's discussion group also meets in several-week Thursday sessions from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; the group chooses its topics and gathers in person at Park Church.
Park Church Women brings women together at intervals for fellowship, learning and fundraising. Its groups support the holiday bazaar, pie sales, ice cream socials, bread sales, receptions and celebrations connected to church life. Free chair yoga meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. as a drop-in program for all ages and abilities.
Pastor Darryl's recurring question-and-answer videos create space to discuss his pastoral journey, meaningful experiences and the work of ministry. Youth service projects, learning opportunities and social events are also planned through the year, giving young people chances to spend time together and serve the community.
Choirs, Handbells and Midday Concerts
Minister of Music Rev. Dr. Patrick Coyle leads a music program shaped by both skilled musicians and newcomers. The Chancel Choir, made up of accomplished and amateur adult singers, rehearses on Thursday nights and sings in every Sunday worship service from September through May. Its repertoire ranges from classical anthems and oratorio to spirituals, gospel and new compositions.
After Sunday worship, Melodia rehearses from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for singers whose voices fall in the soprano or alto range. Camerata, the tenor and bass chorus, also uses that rehearsal window but meets periodically during the season for special worship services. Both choruses welcome singers regardless of gender identity; the voice range is the only qualification. Jubiloso!, the handbell choir, rehearses every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and takes part in worship about once a month.
Principal Organist Steven B. Smith and Music Associate Phyllis Ann Miner also contribute to worship, weddings, funerals and other gatherings. Music at Midday is a free community concert series in downtown Grand Rapids at 12:15 on Tuesdays. The concerts last 30 to 40 minutes, and an optional $7 lunch is available before or after them in the fellowship hall. Lunch is boxed or individually wrapped, with a menu that varies by week.
A Progressive Welcome Within a Long History
Park Church began in 1836 as The First Presbyterian Church and joined the United Church of Christ in 1961. It is independently governed, with members elected or appointed to leadership roles on its governing boards. Trustees handle business and deacons support worship, ministries and programs. The congregation has also long made welcome a public part of its identity, becoming an Open and Affirming congregation of the UCC.
Its Progressive Christian outlook is enthusiastically Christian while making room for varied interpretations and applications of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. As a non-creedal church, Park Church does not set belief as a barrier to joining. It welcomes doubters, seekers, skeptics and people of firm faith, with respect as the guiding principle among differences and love of neighbor as the shared example. The Open and Affirming covenant extends full participation to people of every sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Park Church also names welcome across culture, ethnicity, immigration status, age, physical, intellectual or emotional ability, and economic circumstance, and it is a designated UCC Safe Church.
The sanctuary's twelve-window Tiffany cycle depicts scenes from the life of Jesus. Women supporters raised the funds window by window, completing the series in 1912; additional windows followed, including the 1927 Angels of Praise. The building was designated a National Historic Place in 1982, and the Tiffany collection remains one of Park Church's defining features.
Meals, Tutoring and Service in Grand Rapids
The Feeding American Food Truck arrives every fourth Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. for a primarily walk-up meal distribution in the parking lot, which also accommodates cars. Volunteers set up, distribute food and tear down; no experience is required. A Park Church group also cooks two meals each month in the church kitchen and serves them the following day at Dégagé through its food ministry.
At Palmer School in the Creston neighborhood, volunteers read, tutor, encourage and coach students. The Days for Girls team hosts kit-creation days at Park Church, welcoming participants to pin, cut, sew or serge. Another regular connection is the Carnation Callers, whose volunteers spend a few hours each month building relationship with another member of the church community.
The Christmas Offering is a December tradition in which the Mission Committee selects one or more organizations to receive funds. Gifts can be made by cash or check, through the offering envelope or QR code, or through online giving. The offering supports community and service organizations chosen by the committee.
Weddings, Meeting Space and a Welcoming Team
Park Church's facility use and rentals include weddings in the Gothic sanctuary and meeting rooms for small-group business and educational functions. The worship spaces are not air conditioned, and weddings are not hosted in July or August. Wedding dates are scheduled in coordination with the church calendar.
Hospitality is carried by regular volunteer teams. Greeters serve two or three times a year, ushers serve every other month, and liturgists participate in each service by reading the lectionary passage and sometimes leading the Call to Worship, a responsive reading or prayer. Nursery volunteers can join professional caregivers by rocking babies, reading stories, singing songs or playing with young children.
From its 10:30 Sunday gathering to its Tiffany-lit sanctuary, music and community work, Park Church continues to bring traditional worship and progressive welcome together at 10 East Park Place NE in Grand Rapids.