A Bible-Teaching Church Near Michigan State
University Reformed Church gathers each Sunday on Timberlane Street, a short drive from the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, Michigan. A congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the church describes itself as "a Christ-centered, mission-minded, burden-bearing, mercy-ministering, pilgrim people who are passionately and prayerfully committed to making much of God in all of life." Its motto is simple and direct: To Glorify and Enjoy Christ.
Three Sunday services at 9:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. fill the building with congregational singing, prayer, and expository preaching. The 10:45 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. services are livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings are typically available online the week after each service. The sermon archive stretches back to 2006 and now holds more than 1,600 messages, organized by series, book of the Bible, speaker, and year.
Sixty Years on Two Corners of East Lansing
University Reformed Church marks its sixtieth anniversary in 2026. The story begins in 1963, when the Reformed Church in America purchased land across from MSU on the east side of Hagadorn Road under the leadership of Rev. James Schut. Tom Stark was called as a pastor, and on October 27, 1966, about thirty-five people gathered for the first worship service in MSU's Alumni Chapel. The next spring, the campus ministry was organized as a congregation of the Reformed Church in America, with some thirty to forty members and a consistory of three elders and two deacons.
In 1976 the congregation moved into its own building on Hagadorn Road, just east of campus, where it would remain for thirty-six years. The 1981 purchase of the property next door became the Ministries House, and additions in 1999, 2000, and 2003 expanded classroom space, the kitchen, the nursery, and the toddlers' room. Tom Stark retired in July 2002 after more than thirty-five years of ministry, and Kevin DeYoung became the second senior pastor in 2004.
In 2012 the church moved about a mile east to its present home on Timberlane Street, renovating a former church building. Jason Helopoulos, who had been assisting the church-planting work in Lansing, joined as assistant pastor that summer. In November 2014 the congregation voted to transfer from the Reformed Church in America to the Presbyterian Church in America; the move was completed in the fall of 2015. Today University Reformed Church belongs to the Great Lakes Presbytery of the PCA. Helopoulos was installed as the church's third senior pastor in the spring of 2018.
To Glorify and Enjoy Christ
The mission of University Reformed Church is summarized in three lines: "Proclaiming Christ. Growing in Christ. Advancing the Mission of Christ." The church holds that the word of God is sufficient to accomplish the work of God. Only God can change a person's heart, and only God can give faith to believe the gospel. Theirs is to announce the good news and to let the Scriptures be central in all they do: in sermons, in singing, and in service to others.
That conviction shapes everything from weekly planning to budget decisions. The church teaches that "every church, in any time at any place, should be characterized by a number of basic elements: corporate worship, expository preaching, missions and evangelism, fellowship, mercy ministry, discipleship, and prayer." University Reformed Church strives to be a Christ-centered, Bible-based, mission-minded, burden-bearing, mercy-ministering, pilgrim people.
Three Services, One Shape: Praise, Renewal, Proclamation, Response
The order of Sunday worship follows a four-fold pattern that the church calls "a thoughtful liturgy." Drawing on the covenant renewal ceremonies of Scripture and patterns like Isaiah 6, the service moves through praise, renewal, proclamation, and response. Worshipers approach God in awe, see their sin, hear the good news, and respond in faith and obedience.
The preaching of God's word stands at the center. Normally the pastors work systematically through a book of the Bible, one passage at a time, in careful, Spirit-filled exposition. "In worship we read the Bible, preach the Bible, pray the Bible, sing the Bible, and see the Bible in the sacraments." Two sacraments mark the life of the church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Music at University Reformed Church is a blended mix with an emphasis on the hymns of old and the best songs of today. A small team leads, but the emphasis is on the singing of the congregation. Services include music from different genres and centuries, fast and slow, with everything from guitars and drums to the organ. The music ministry offers previews of music for the coming Sunday and a library of songs the congregation sings.
Preaching Through Books of the Bible
Earlier series have walked through 2 Samuel ("The Gospel According to David," 37 sermons), Galatians ("No Other Gospel"), 1 John ("Walking in the Light"), Zephaniah, Jonah, Hosea, Esther, 2 Peter, and many others. Past series include "Death and Dying" and an annual stewardship focus, alongside seasonal series for Holy Week and Missions Sunday. Sermon audio and video are posted online within a day or two of the service and are available through a dedicated Sermons app and a podcast feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play.
Believing and Belonging Together
University Reformed Church holds to the historic Christian faith and to the Westminster Confession of Faith together with the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. Its pastors, elders, and deacons subscribe to those confessions.
The Statement of Faith begins with the one eternal, sovereign, knowable God who is merciful and just, loving and holy, and then moves through the Trinity, the full trustworthiness of Scripture, creation and marriage, the fall into sin, the person and work of Jesus Christ, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration and sanctification. The church confesses the communion of God's people drawn from every tribe, language, people, and nation, and recognizes Baptism and the Lord's Supper as the two sacraments given by Christ. Believers are marked by Christlikeness, prayerfulness, joyful obedience, and love of God and neighbor, and the mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations.
Sunday Classes and Sunday Mornings
Education hour between the two morning services gives room for the About URC Class (for those exploring membership), a Young Adult Gathering for college-age students in the Community Room, and Sunday school classes for children in Kindergarten through sixth grade in the Children's Wing during the school year. Volunteer teachers and youth ministry leaders are members of the church who have gone through a thorough screening process.
Children and Youth: From Nursery to DIG
Childcare is offered for infants through age three at every Sunday morning and evening service. Parents check children in at a desk in the children's wing hallway, and a text message summons a parent if a child needs them during the service. Children are always welcome to stay in the worship service with their families. The Lord's Table, the church teaches, is for believers who have made a profession of faith and joined a Bible-believing church, and children who have not yet done so are encouraged to wait.
Middle school and high school students gather for DIG, URC's youth fellowship. During the school year, DIG meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for pizza dinner, games, worship music, and Bible study. The fellowship is led by Family & Education Pastor Dave Hinkley and Children & Youth Assistant Director Katie Middlestead.
Spartan Christian Fellowship and the Internationals
University Reformed Church's college ministry, Spartan Christian Fellowship (SCF), welcomes MSU and LCC students, gap-year young adults, and young professionals. SCF students worship in the Sunday services, gather for a 9:00 a.m. Young Adult Gathering on Sundays, meet for a Tuesday night Bible study on campus, and participate in men's and women's small groups during the week. A fall retreat at Cedar Bay Retreat Center in Cedarville, Michigan is held each October. The campus ministry is led by Kevin McAlvey, with associates Miriam Riviera and David Knapp.
International ministries at URC focus on the thousands of international students and scholars at Michigan State. The church hosts a Sunday morning international Bible discussion at 9:00 a.m., an English conversation class on Wednesday evenings on the MSU campus, and a Thursday evening international Bible study. A monthly Spanish Fellowship, held at the church on Friday evenings, gathers Spanish speakers for food, fellowship, prayer, singing, and a sermon. International Ministries and Outreach Pastor Nick Setterington oversees this work, and the church partners with Spartan Internationals.
Men's and Women's Ministry
Women's ministry at URC offers a Wednesday morning Doctrine Study (every other Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall, with childcare available), a Wednesday morning Take Heart fellowship for women in mid-life and beyond that meets at Lansing Chinese Christian Church, and evening Bible studies on the second and fourth Wednesdays and Thursdays of each month. Other regular features include mentoring relationships, discipleship partnerships, an annual Christmas Tea, and a women's retreat held every other winter. Grace and Truth, a ministry for women affected by sexual sin, is offered under the women's ministry umbrella.
Men's ministry supports godly living through biblical truth, discipleship, and accountability. An annual men's retreat each winter brings a speaker, worship, and fellowship together. Grace and Truth also offers a parallel group for men, alongside the women's group, with one-on-one and small group discipleship available.
Growth Groups
Growth Groups are the church's small-group arm, meeting outside Sunday morning to study the Bible together, pray, minister to one another, and reach out to neighbors. Groups generally meet at least bi-weekly, include prayer and Bible study, and stay open to new people so that each group will eventually divide and grow. Assistant Pastor Nate Groelsema connects newcomers to groups.
Grace and Truth: A Ministry for Those Touched by Sexual Sin
Grace and Truth is URC's partner ministry with Harvest USA, offering the truth and mercy of Jesus Christ to men, women, and families affected by sexual struggles and sin. One-on-one and small group discipleship are available. The ministry also equips the wider church to minister to sexually broken people. Inquiries are handled confidentially through Steve Roskos.
Biblical Counseling at URC
The counseling ministry exists to provide biblically informed, wise, compassionate, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered care and training so that each congregant is enabled to live by God's Word leading to "faith working through love." Counseling Director Pat Quinn oversees the work and is supported by a counseling resident. Counselors address marital and other relationship issues, anxiety and depression, anger, addictions, eating disorders, OCD, grief, and spiritual problems. The ministry also runs two training classes a year: Theology and Practice (introductory) and Issues and Observations (advanced), and offers a counseling internship. Pat Quinn is a council member of the Biblical Counseling Coalition.
Planting Churches Across Michigan and Beyond
Church planting is one of the ordinary ways University Reformed Church advances the gospel where Christ is not yet known. The church has helped plant Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, Fellowship Reformed Church in Mount Pleasant, and Petoskey Reformed Church in Petoskey. Three additional church plant assistant pastors, Devon Rossman, Joshua Duemler, and Ben Preiser, serve on the church's staff.
The missions ministry prioritizes workers who share the gospel, make disciples, and plant or build up local churches where needs are greatest and workers are fewest. Missionaries must be sent by a clear sending church, committed to verbal proclamation of the gospel, devoted to disciple-making, and aimed at healthy, indigenous congregations. A monthly GO/SEND luncheon gathers people interested in missions for instruction, discussion, testimonies, and prayer, with lunch and childcare provided.
University Reformed Church also supports the Malawi Reformation Network, helping to raise up pastors so that confessional Reformed churches might take root in Malawi. That partnership has produced a church plant: Christ Presbyterian Church in Blantyre.
Raising Up the Next Generation of Pastors
The Ministry Training Program at URC is a three-track program established nearly two decades ago that has trained more than thirty men and women to serve the church with their gifts. Twenty former trainees are now serving in pastoral ministry around the United States and the world, and three new churches have been started by former trainees.
The Internship track is for applicants without formal theological education at the Master's level. Internships last one to two years and combine general intern training with work in a specific track: pastoral, campus ministry, international ministry, counseling, youth ministry, or music. The Residency track serves students currently enrolled at an approved seminary, with one to three years of full-time work alongside URC's ministry staff. The Fellowship track is for M.Div graduates pursuing pastoral ministry, generally lasting one to two years. Both Residency and Fellowship positions include a full-time salary with benefits, funded through a combination of URC support and personal fundraising.
Current pastoral residents include Benjamin Ault, Eric Berg, and Samuel Placencio; pastoral fellows are Alex Harmon and Daniel Noor; counseling resident Isaiah Sinnaeve serves the counseling ministry; and Luke Antone serves as a pastoral intern. The 60-year leadership program has trained hundreds of leaders, including a former pastoral intern whose work was featured in ByFaith Magazine.
Giving and the Building for Tomorrow Campaign
Gifts to University Reformed Church support the preaching of the gospel and the ministries of the church. Giving is available online through FellowshipOne Giving, by text message to 517-200-3911, or by mail. A capital campaign titled "Building for Tomorrow" runs from 2026 through 2029. Giving envelopes are available on request, and the Financial Secretary handles giving questions.
Plan Your Visit
Sunday worship is at 9:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. at 841 Timberlane Street in East Lansing. Free parking is available on site. A Welcome Desk in the lobby helps visitors find seats, childcare, and answers. Dress is "come as you are"; on most Sundays you will see jeans and t-shirts as well as coats and ties.
Childcare is offered for infants through age three at the morning and evening services. Children are welcome in the service. During the school year, Sunday school is offered for Kindergarten through sixth grade. Nursery is available during both morning services, and childcare is offered at the 10:45 a.m. service.
During the college school year, a free Sunday morning campus van picks up students at Brody (Emmons), South (N Wonders), East (W McDonel), and MAPS (Mason) before both morning services. Kevin McAlvey, Director of Campus Ministry, coordinates rides for the 6:00 p.m. service on request.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The phone number is 517.351.6810 and the email is urc@urcstaff.org. Anyone who would like to be greeted by a local contact may fill out the Visit form to let the church know they are coming.
More than six decades after that first service in the Alumni Chapel, University Reformed Church continues to gather each Sunday to worship, to hear the Word preached, to baptize and to share the Lord's Supper, to pray for one another, and to send its people, students, professionals, families, and retirees, out into East Lansing and to the ends of the earth.