The Reverend Jacob VanderMeulen
By Jan Drolen
Bethany's second pastor, the Reverend Jacob VanderMeulen, was born on March 17, 1872, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His family later moved to Muskegon, and he attended the public schools there. He was a classmate of the Reverend Gerrit Kooiker, Bethany's first pastor, both at Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, graduating in the same years: 1897 and 1900, respectively.
After graduating from Western Theological Seminary, the Reverend VanderMeulen served the Second Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Michigan from 1900 to 1907 and the Reformed Church of Fairview, Illinois from 1907-1911.
Bethany extended a call to the Reverend VanderMeulen in August of 1911, and he accepted and was installed as pastor in October. Under his leadership, the Sunday School hour was changed from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m. The church and the Sunday School continued to grow until more room was needed. The congregation decided to excavate the basement under the new church to make additional room, and this work was done by the men of the church, with the women serving refreshments during the work sessions.
In 1919, the Reverend VanderMeulen left Bethany to accept a position as professor of Greek at Hope College. During his service to Bethany, membership doubled to 133 families and 235 communicant members. He was also Bethany's pastor during World War I, or the Great War, as it was known then. There are no records of Bethany members serving in Europe during the United States involvement, but current members have family remembrances of grandfathers and great-grandfathers serving in that era.
The Reverend VanderMeulen served as a professor at Hope College from 1919 to 1921, when he was also awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from Hope. He then became a professor at Western Theological Seminary from 1921 to 1942, and he served as its president from 1938 to 1942.
He retired in 1942 and lived with his wife at Eureka Park, Holland until her death in 1951. The Reverend VanderMeulen later presented Bethany with a new pulpit in memory of his wife. This was probably the pulpit destroyed in the 1972 fire.
At 83, the Reverend VanderMeulen died at Penney Farms, Florida, on July 21, 1955, just two months before Bethany celebrated its 50th anniversary.
© 2013 Bethany Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. All rights reserved.
After graduating from Western Theological Seminary, the Reverend VanderMeulen served the Second Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Michigan from 1900 to 1907 and the Reformed Church of Fairview, Illinois from 1907-1911.
Bethany extended a call to the Reverend VanderMeulen in August of 1911, and he accepted and was installed as pastor in October. Under his leadership, the Sunday School hour was changed from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m. The church and the Sunday School continued to grow until more room was needed. The congregation decided to excavate the basement under the new church to make additional room, and this work was done by the men of the church, with the women serving refreshments during the work sessions.
In 1919, the Reverend VanderMeulen left Bethany to accept a position as professor of Greek at Hope College. During his service to Bethany, membership doubled to 133 families and 235 communicant members. He was also Bethany's pastor during World War I, or the Great War, as it was known then. There are no records of Bethany members serving in Europe during the United States involvement, but current members have family remembrances of grandfathers and great-grandfathers serving in that era.
The Reverend VanderMeulen served as a professor at Hope College from 1919 to 1921, when he was also awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from Hope. He then became a professor at Western Theological Seminary from 1921 to 1942, and he served as its president from 1938 to 1942.
He retired in 1942 and lived with his wife at Eureka Park, Holland until her death in 1951. The Reverend VanderMeulen later presented Bethany with a new pulpit in memory of his wife. This was probably the pulpit destroyed in the 1972 fire.
At 83, the Reverend VanderMeulen died at Penney Farms, Florida, on July 21, 1955, just two months before Bethany celebrated its 50th anniversary.
© 2013 Bethany Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. All rights reserved.
