On the Corner of Fuller and Hall
Fuller Avenue Church stands at the intersection of Fuller Avenue and Hall Street SE on the southeast side of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the congregation treats that corner as central to its identity. The brick building has anchored this block since 1927, and for a hundred years the people who worship here have aimed their ministry at the neighborhoods immediately around them. Fuller describes itself as a church with a heart for the city, and the work that grows from that conviction, including a Tuesday food pantry, Neighborhood Nights in the church yard, birthday parties for residents of a nearby apartment complex, and after-school tutoring at a local charter school, has become a defining part of who Fuller is.
A Century on Fuller Avenue
Fuller Avenue Christian Reformed Church was established on July 17, 1925, by 39 families and 15 single people from Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church, joined by two families from Sherman Street CRC. The new congregation first met in the gymnasium of Oakdale Christian School while arrangements were made for a permanent home. Within a year the members had purchased land at Fuller Avenue and Noble Street. The cornerstone was laid on July 7, 1926, and the first service in the new building was held on March 7, 1927. The sanctuary at 1239 Fuller Ave SE remains the church's only location.
The year 2025 marked Fuller's centenary, and the congregation celebrated with a series of history presentations, anniversary booklets dating back to the 25th anniversary, and a Centennial History Booklet that traces each decade of the church's life. Plaster Creek Stewards, an initiative of Calvin University, helped design native plantings on the west side of the parking lot, and the result, the Fuller Community Centennial Gardens, includes the long-running Green Sprawl community vegetable garden that neighbors have planted and harvested together for years.
Sunday Worship at Ten
Fuller gathers for worship every Sunday morning at 10 AM, and the service runs until about 11:30 AM. The service is offered in person and online via a YouTube livestream, with previous services archived on Vimeo for later viewing.
The worship itself is a deliberate blend. The congregation sings traditional hymns alongside contemporary praise songs, and a team of musicians leads each week. The aim, the staff says, is to make the service God-centered while remaining accessible to anyone walking in for the first time. Nate DeJong-McCarron, Lead Pastor since January 2014, preaches and works to keep the focus on scripture and the good news of the gospel. After the service many attendees stay for Congregational Education, a Sunday morning program for all ages that runs from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM and has featured guest speakers, videos, book studies, and in-depth looks at Scripture.
Music: A Blend of Hymns and Praise
Martin Spence serves as Director of Worship, leading a group of instrumentalists and singers who guide the congregation each Sunday. The music ministry welcomes new singers and instrumentalists who want to join the team. Fuller sings a variety of traditional and contemporary songs, deliberately mixing the two so that long-time members and visitors find something familiar and something new in any given service.
Children and the Tree House Nursery
Fuller places a strong emphasis on children and families. Kids' Ministries for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade meet in small groups on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 9:45 AM, before the main service. Infants and toddlers are cared for in a nursery the church calls the Tree House during the worship hour, staffed by qualified caregivers. Signs in the building direct families to the nursery area. The church also maintains a written safe church policy to protect vulnerable members of the community, including children. Children are welcome in the worship service as well, and the church encourages families to worship together when they wish.
Women's and Men's Bible Studies
Two women's Bible study groups meet at Fuller. One gathers on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the church fellowship room, with study materials provided. The other meets in the evenings by way of a Zoom call. The men's Bible study meets weekly for about an hour, working through scripture together and considering how to take a next step in relationship with Jesus Christ. Both groups are open to newcomers, and the church welcomes inquiries through the office.
The Fuller Food Pantry
The Fuller Food Pantry offers free food to anyone in need, operating every Tuesday from 2:30 to 5:30 PM out of the building on the west side of the church property. The pantry is coordinated by Roxanne Fiddler and supported by donations from the congregation and the wider community. All are welcome to come for food, and volunteers who want to help are encouraged to reach out to the church office.
Neighborhood Nights and Adams Park Apartments
Neighborhood Nights is Fuller's signature block-party-style outreach. Multi-week sessions run in the fall, winter, and summer for all ages, with childcare provided for children four and under. The sessions bring church members and their neighbors together for food, games, and conversation, with the goal of building relationships right where the church sits.
Fuller also collaborates with Boston Square Church and Oakdale Park Church on outreach at Adams Park Apartments, hosting monthly birthday and game nights in the apartment community room. The churches share ice cream and cake, recognize residents with birthdays that month, and give away personal care items collected from the congregations as door prizes.
Tutoring at River City Scholars
Fuller partners with River City Scholars Elementary School, a charter school in the neighborhood, to provide after-school tutoring. Volunteers from the church work with students not only on academics but on building relationships so that each child knows he or she matters. The tutoring is one of the clearest examples of the church's desire to invest in the families who live near Fuller and Hall.
Beliefs in the Reformed Tradition
Fuller Avenue Church identifies as Christian in the Reformed tradition. The congregation takes the Bible as the place where God is revealed and the message of rescue and hope is made known, and understands itself to be called into the neighborhood as the hands, feet, and face of Jesus to the people it meets. Alongside the scriptures the church affirms the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dordt, and the contemporary testimony Our World Belongs to God. Three ecumenical creeds, the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, summarize the church's core convictions about God, the Trinity, and the incarnation.
Missionaries and Global Outreach
Through its Global Outreach Committee, Fuller supports individuals, couples, and families serving in many places, many with personal ties to members of the congregation. Some serve within the United States, including two church planters in Washington State, a teacher in New Mexico, a translator working with countries in Africa, and a couple that helps an organization reach many countries via broadcasts. Others serve internationally: a recruiter and trainer of Christian school teachers in Africa, an AIDS educator in Africa, a hunger relief team in Africa, a church leadership trainer in Papua New Guinea, and a pastor in Sri Lanka. The church also supports preaching missions, hunger relief, and disaster relief programs.
Pastors and Staff
Nate DeJong-McCarron is the Lead Pastor. A Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary graduate, he came to Fuller in January 2014 after serving churches in Albuquerque, Denver, and Orland Park, Illinois. Samantha DeJong-McCarron serves as Pastor of Connections and Faith Formation. Doug MacLeod is Pastor of Congregational Care. Martin Spence directs worship, Sheryl Luth serves as Ministries Coordinator, and Roxanne Fiddler coordinates the food pantry. The staff can be reached through the church office at 616-241-1679 or info@fullerchurch.org.
Visiting Fuller
The church office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM, and the sanctuary fills each Sunday morning at 10. Online worship is available through the church's YouTube livestream, with archived services kept on Vimeo. Those who want to give can do so online through the church's giving page, set up as a one-time or recurring gift. Newcomers are warmly welcomed, and anyone with a question or a prayer request can reach the church by email, phone, or the church's online contact form.