The beginning of the Noordeloos Christian Reformed Church is closely associated with its first minister, the Rev. Koene Vanden Bosch. In 1856 the early settlers, living in an area approximately four miles northwest of Zeeland, Michigan, learned that the Rev. K. Vanden Bosch, then serving the Christelyke Afgescheidenen Church of Noordeloos in South Holland, the Netherlands, planned to migrate, along with a goodly number of his congregation, to the United States and to settle in the Zeeland area. These energetic settlers petitioned Classis Holland of the Reformed Church in America at its April 2nd meeting in Zeeland, to organize a congregation to be known as t he Noordeloos Reformed Church. The name Noordeloos also became the name of the settlement. Classis Holland acceded to the request and appointed the Rev. C. Vander Meulen to effect the organization. Upon his arrival the Rev. K. Vanden Bosch was installed as the first minister of the church. At the August 20 classis meeting of that year he was welcomed into the fellowship of the classis as a “precious reinforcement, obtained of the Lord, for the work of the Church.”

However, in the course of less than a year, the Rev. K. Van den Bosch found there were practices within the Reformed Church with which he could not agree. His protests concerning some of these practices were not sustained by the Classis. This led to his decision to secede from the Reformed Church by means of a letter dated March 14, 1857. Classis Holland at its April 8 meeting accepted his letter of secession as a notification of his separation from the Reformed Church. The Noordeloos Christian Reformed Church dates its origin as the date of Rev. K. Vanden Bosch’s letter of secession. While the letter makes no mention of the congregation, we know from reliable sources that most of the congregation also seceded from the Reformed Church and began to hold services in the Vanden Bosch home. Some time later a church building was constructed of logs. In September of 187 4 the congregation decided to build a new church on the present church property and in 1875 it erected its first church-owned property.

March 14 marked the 125th anniversary of the beginning of the Christian Reformed denomination as well as of the Noordeloos congregation. Congregational celebrations are planned during the months of April and May.

Note: This informatwn was submitted to The Outlook by the committee planning the celebration.