A Reformed Congregation on Poinsettia Avenue
Unity Reformed Church sits on Poinsettia Avenue SE in Kentwood, just south of 44th Street between Eastern and Kalamazoo Avenues, on the southern edge of the Grand Rapids area. Founded in the Reformed Church in America in 1956 with seventeen families, the congregation has grown over nearly seven decades into a multi-generational faith community that prides itself on being both Biblically rooted and warmly approachable. The original church and parsonage were built the following year, with major building additions in 1984 and again in 2001 to keep pace with the growing family.
The church's motto, "Equipping ordinary people for an extraordinary life in Christ," captures the spirit of a place that wants to take the Bible seriously without putting on airs. Greeters are stationed at the front door on Sunday mornings, the dress runs anywhere from ties to t-shirts, and visitors are invited to stay after the service for coffee in the downstairs fellowship hall and cafe area.
What Unity Believes
Unity holds to the historic convictions of the Reformed tradition. Members affirm the sovereignty of God, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the active work of the Holy Spirit. Salvation is understood as a gift received by grace through faith in Jesus, and the Bible is upheld as the holy, inspired, and infallible Word of God. The congregation also affirms the truths contained in the Apostles' Creed.
The church teaches that all people are created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and care. Marriage is held to be between one man and one woman, and the church affirms the sanctity and value of each human life, including the life of the unborn. Unity supports the ordination of men called by God to serve as pastor, elder, or deacon, and aims to be a church that is united in serving with humility and gratitude.
In worship, the goal is to glorify God through prayer, Scripture, preaching, giving, and music that uses a variety of songs and instruments. The congregation places a strong emphasis on youth ministry, and the wider family of God is meant to enjoy life together as the family of God. Visitors with questions about the denomination or beliefs are welcome to reach out to the church office.
Sunday Mornings at 9:30
Sunday morning worship begins at 9:30 AM and is described by the church as a blend of traditional and contemporary music. Services are livestreamed on the church's Facebook page for those who cannot attend in person. After worship, the Sunday School hour runs from 11:00 AM to noon, September through May, with classes offered for every age.
Visitors will find handicap parking spaces near the front door, an elevator just inside the entrance, and handicap accessible bathrooms on both levels. The main door opens onto the lower level, where the fellowship hall, kitchen, and coat rooms are located. Stairs or the elevator lead up to the sanctuary, offices, and classrooms.
A Place for Kids at Every Age
Unity takes children's ministry seriously, with a dedicated nursery for infants through age two staffed by volunteers from the congregation. Children's Worship is an age-appropriate service for children ages three through second grade; the children are dismissed following the offering at the front of the sanctuary and can be picked up from room 102 downstairs after the service. Children's bulletins and crayons are available outside the sanctuary for older kids.
Sunday School for children runs from September through May and meets from 11:00 AM to noon. Preschool through sixth grade combines for the first forty minutes - twenty minutes of singing songs of praise and twenty minutes of a Bible story - before splitting by age for the final twenty minutes. The younger group works on a craft related to the Bible story, while the third through sixth graders dig deeper into the same passage. Children's bulletins with crayons sit just outside the sanctuary for use during the worship service.
Youth Ministry: Big Investment in Middle and High Schoolers
The youth ministry at Unity, directed by Drew Zuverink, serves students in grades six through twelve and carries a strong emphasis that the church highlights in its own statement of beliefs. The current year-long theme asks, "What Does It Mean When We Say We Are Christians? What Story Does the Bible Tell About God, Us, And Our World?"
Youth meet for Sunday School every Sunday from 11:00 AM to noon, with a format centered on discussing the morning sermon together. On alternating Sunday evenings, the group gathers at 4:30 PM for a time of fun and fellowship, shares dinner together at 5:15, and then moves into a lesson and discussion from 5:35 to 6:30. Several times a year the youth plan and lead an entire Sunday morning service, an experience the church calls Youth Sundays.
Adult Ministry and Bible Study
Beyond Sunday morning, adults at Unity can stay connected through several ongoing groups. Sunday School classes meet from 11:00 AM to noon, September through May, with offerings for every age and stage of life.
For older members, a Senior Bible Study meets every Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, working its way deeper into books of the Bible together. Women have ongoing Women's Connections with different studies and events scheduled throughout the year. Men gather on Thursday mornings at Russ' for a Bible study, and the men also host an annual retreat at CranHill Ranch as well as a Men's Golf League.
Local Outreach and the Food Pantry
Unity is a hands-on neighbor in the Kentwood community. The church runs a food pantry out of its own building, with drop-off hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and on Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pantry pickups are available on the first Monday of each month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
The congregation gives monthly food donations to Streams of Hope ministries in nearby Cutlerville and regularly donates clothing to area Christian thrift stores. On Wednesdays during the school year, Kid's Bible Club for kindergarten through fifth grade meets at the church from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, with Bible stories, games, and fun. A group of Unity men has led worship services at the Kent County Jail every other month for many years. Each fall, the church hosts a Halloween Trunk or Treat that draws hundreds from the neighborhood for hot dogs, games, and candy, and every summer a week-long Vacation Bible School serves children from the surrounding community. Mission trips have included both youth and all-age teams working on disaster cleanup and outreach, locally and abroad.
Partnerships with Love INC and Global Missionaries
Unity is a member of the Love INC network of churches, a local clearinghouse that connects people in need with practical help from congregations across the area. Those seeking assistance or simply a conversation can reach Love INC's connection center at 616-816-5683.
The church's commitment to global mission runs deep. The deacons have channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to workers in mission fields around the world, and one Unity family left their home and business to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators for more than twenty years. Current missionary partnerships include Cody Kerstin, who serves with Wycliffe's partner SIL Mexico as a translation workshop coordinator and oversees work translating the Old Testament into the Nahuatl language; Murray and Carol Moerman, church planters in England with Outreach Canada International; Boss and Missy Petit, who serve in Haiti through Lift Kids Ministry, running children's churches and free schools for children in need; John and Lynne Hubers, RCA missionaries working at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in Christian-Muslim relations; Jeong and Misook Gho, serving in Japan with Resonate Global Mission and partner organizations to recruit and train workers; and Talking Bibles International, a non-print audio Bible ministry with roots in the Unity family.
Unity also supports a cluster of ministries in the wider West Michigan region, including The Servants Center in Grand Rapids, which helps mentally ill homeless men and women get off and stay off the streets; the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Rapids; the Holland Rescue Mission; and Teen Challenge of West Michigan in Muskegon, a Christ-centered recovery program for youth, adults, and families struggling with life-controlling issues.
Staff and Leadership
Senior Pastor Rev. Wayne Otten leads the congregation, working alongside Drew Zuverink, who serves as Director of Youth and Family Ministries. The church also benefits from a worship coordinator role, currently vacant, along with an administrative assistant and bookkeeper who keep the office and operations running smoothly. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
A Vision for the Neighborhood
Unity's vision statement names a desire to be a vibrant and diverse community rooted in Christ's love, with people who serve and uplift their neighbors, offering genuine care, practical resources, and an approachable space where all can experience worship, connection, and hope. As the neighborhood around Poinsettia Avenue has changed over the years, the church has committed to changing with it, embodying God's compassion through acts of service, support, and unity, and transforming lives as the community grows together in faith.