First Reformed Church (Orange City, Iowa)
| First Reformed Church – Orange City, Iowa | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 43°00′38″N 96°03′31″W / 43.01047°N 96.05867°W | |
| Location | Orange City, Iowa |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Denomination | Reformed Church in America |
| Churchmanship |
Evangelical Reformed |
| Website | www.frcoc.org |
| History | |
| Founded | May 6, 1871 |
| Administration | |
| Synod | Synod of the Heartland |
| Division | East Sioux Classis |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Rev. Timothy Breen |
| Pastor(s) | Rev. Mark Haverdink |
| Laity | |
| Director of music | Tom Hydeen |
| Business manager | Merilee Pennings |
| Religious education coordinator | Leanne Bonnecroy |
| Youth ministry coordinator | Ross Enger |
First Reformed Church (Orange City), founded in 1871, is an active church in the Reformed Church in America located in Orange City, Iowa.
First Reformed Church (FRC) was organized on May 6, 1871 in order to serve the Dutch Settlers who began arriving in Orange City in 1870. As a result of population growth and the rising cost of land, a large group of Hollanders moved 300 miles northwest from Pella, IA. As people of deep and abiding religious faith, the establishment of a Christian church was one of the community's first priorities. Initial services were led by literate lay people (mostly farmers), who would read the Bible, pray, sing Psalms, and possibly read from a book of sermons. However as the community of Dutch settlers continued to grow, the need for an ordained minister became readily apparent – there was no one available to perform baptisms or administer the Eucharist. After the church was officially organized, it extended a call to the Reverend Seine Bolks of Zeeland, Michigan, who became the church's first minister in April 1872.
The first few years were exceedingly hard for the new settlers. “Prairie fires, hordes of grasshoppers which stripped the fields bare, hail-storms, droughts and severe blizzards were commonplace during the first decade of the church’s existence”. The Church was even forced to close for a few weeks in 1882 as a result of a smallpox epidemic. However, the people persevered, in part because of the constant reassurance of Dominee Bolks. Through immigration, birth, and mission, the church continued to grow steadily into the 20th century.
Reverend Seine Bolks is still known among the people as Dominee Bolks - a title of respect and the Dutch equivalent of 'Reverend Bolks'. When a call was first extended to him in the fall of 1871, he declined, but later accepted after the call was extended to him a second time. He arrived in Orange City and began his pastorate in April 1872.
As a young man, Bolks had shown promise and was hand-picked and trained by Rev. Albertus van Raalte (Dutch immigrant and founder of Holland, MI). Bolks followed Van Raalte to Michigan in 1848 where he became the first pastor of the Overisel Reformed Church. He served churches in Wisconsin and Illinois before coming to northwest Iowa.
He preached twice each Sunday in Orange City and as the community grew and spread, he would journey three to four times a week to an outlying schoolhouse to preach to those who lived far from the church. Later, when churches organized in Sioux Center and Alton, he preached to these congregations until they received their own ministers.
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