“Seventy-Five Years By His Faithfulness”
In 1948 a Bible study group was formed and led by Dick Gordon. Pastor Gordon had been teaching Sunday School at a church which did not like that he shared the gospel of Jesus Christ and taught directly from the Bible. This motivated him to start a new church. The Bible studies were held in various homes until the Rutherford Memorial Chapel was obtained. Then the first Sunday School was held on February 13, 1949. Soon after this, Sunday evening services were started. Because this building was located next to the Ottawa Center Cemetery, the name Ottawa Center Chapel was adopted.
It wasn’t long before this building, plus a little building which had been moved next to it were filled, so land was sought for the building of a new church. The land where the present church is located was owned by Herman Ruoff who didn’t want to sell it. After wrestling with the Lord all night Hermie gave the land for the church. (Herman was not even saved yet.) Praise the Lord – Herman did trust Christ soon after this and was a member of the church. When he was promoted to glory, he bequeathed 46 acres of land to the church!
The original building was dedicated in February of 1955. That part of our building is now used for our teen ministry. Before the new church was completed, even more space was needed so once again the “little building” was moved next to the church. Then, with another step of faith, an Educational wing was built and used the first time October 14, 1956.
In reviewing a CHAPEL NEWS dated February 1977, Pastor Dick reported that “one of the thrilling things about Ottawa Center is how the Lord blessed. Back when we first began, we were all so ignorant and so new. We did many things by faith. The first Board – none of us knew anything! But the Lord kept us on the right track, even though some tried to lead us astray, He blessed us, in spite of our ignorance!”
May 31, 1955 – The church was officially organized. “Many souls have been saved through the ministry of the Word here. Many others have grown spiritually. But as we look around us we realize we have hardly started. There is much, very much, yet to be done. More than we will ever be able to accomplish. Let us then praise our Lord for all that He has accomplished. Let us realize all there is yet to be done and acknowledging our own weaknesses, go forward for Him in His strength.” (Taken from the bulletin on that Sunday.)
The Educational wing was dedicated on the 10th Anniversary of the Chapel, Feb. 15, 1959. During the early 1960s the church conducted week-long camping opportunities for teenagers on “the island” off 90th Avenue in the Grand River. Those early camps became the foundation for Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya which is now located on Stony Lake near New Era.
Grace Bond was the first missionary. In another step of faith, the church was able to raise her support money in one week! John and Jan Van Wingerden were the second missionaries supported by Ottawa Center Chapel. The $300/ month support was a stretch, but the Lord provided.
At the present time the church supports 24 different missionary families or organizations with a monthly mission budget of $4418. The church is the sending church for the Morells in Sweden and also sent out the Gorts who served in Utah and now are serving at church in Kansas. We are also the sponsoring church for the Sponables working with Pleasant Valley Bible Camp. Other missionaries and Christian workers who have gone out from the church include: Rex Heckel, Dan & Janice Boes, Jim & Irene Morrison, Bill & Alma Armstrong, Norma (Esther) & Hugo Zorilla. The church has also been active in sending out its members in short-term mission work. The youth group has worked at various Christian camps in Tennessee and Michigan. We have sent adult groups to teach the Bible in Guatemala. The church has also sent Pastor Bob to Russia three times to teach at various Bible institutes hosted by Slavic Gospel Association. OCC has also hosted the Grand Valley Bible Institute for 24 years with Pastor Bob and Cliff Cole serving at teachers.
In 1962 Rev. Gordon accepted a call to Ainger Bible Church. He then pastored the Maranatha Bible Church of Comstock Park. After many years of pastoring churches, he then worked with the Independent Bible Mission before retiring from official ministry.
Rev. Kenneth Tuinstra became the second pastor in 1966. Under his ministry the parsonage was built (1967) and a new addition was added to the church which contains an auditorium with the capacity to seat 375 people, nursery, office, library, class rooms and larger rest rooms. This building was dedicated Nov. 30, 1969. The Tuinstra family left in 1970 for mission work in Zambia, Africa.
Rev. Roland Gerdes became the interim pastor until he was elected to head the Child Evangelism Fellowship in Missouri.
Rev. Kenneth Orr became our third pastor, followed by Rev. Charles Svoboda who served as interim pastor and then as pastor until January 1974. Rev. Svoboda left Ottawa Center to become the director of Bible Related Ministries.
The fifth pastor was Rev. Russell Osbeck who began his ministry here in the spring of 1974. Under his ministry, the parking lot was black-topped; outdoor services were started and continued through the summer of 1990. The AWANA ministry to children began. In 1979 Pastor Osbeck accepted a call to Decatur Bible Church.
Dick Cleveland who was serving as Youth Pastor filled in until Rev. Duane Hamilton accepted the call to become pastor. He began his ministry at Ottawa Center on January 2, 1980.Pastor Duane was very active in IFCA and Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya ministries. During his ministry the upstairs over the nursery, classrooms and restrooms were finished to give a lot more space for our AWANA ministry. In March of 1990 the Hamiltons left to pastor the Wausau Bible Church in Wausau, Wisconsin.
The seventh and current pastor is Rev. Bob Porterfield who with his wife, Linda, and children Ann, Sarah, Tim and Bekah joined the Chapel family in October of 1990. In the past 34 years Pastor Bob has been active in several ministries including the Grand Valley Bible Institute. An Activity Center was built and dedicated in April of 1998. A “day camp” for kids was instituted in 1999. Pastor Bob also speaks at several nursing homes and conducted a worship service at the Ottawa County Jail on a regular basis. Pastor Bob has also been active in IFCA committees both on the state and national level. He has served as a mentor and moderator for three young men who have been ordained to the ministry. They are Justin Gort (Sept., 2007), Rob Jordon (Sept., 2013) and Peter Hill (June,2022).
In 1997 Pastor Garrett & Donna Mitchell along with their two children, Lexi and Andrew joined us in ministry. Pastor Garrett and Donna worked with the youth group for a number of years. Pastor Garrett also directed the outreach programs of the church which included hosting Wild Game Dinners in 2003 and an indoor archery league in 2005. In April of 2011 Pastor Garrett & Donna left ministry here and moved to Belmont. MI.
In July of 2011, Rob & Lindsey Jordon came to the church. Rob served as youth pastor and helped in leading worship music. They left in November of 2017 to pursue degrees at Calvary Bible College.
Peter and Allie Hill came to us in June of 2018. Pastor Peter serves as associate pastor and runs the teen ministry and directs the day camp. Since they have been with us, God has given them two boys: Charles and Jerry. Pastor Peter was just called to be the next senior pastor of Ottawa Center Chapel! Pastor Bob is stepping down as pastor this August. Pastor Bob & Linda will be moving to Whitehall, MI and he will be doing part-time pulpit supply ministry.
“Seventy-Five Years By His Faithfulness” is the theme of our 75th Anniversary. God has certainly been faithful to us over the years. May we dedicate ourselves to be faithful to Him and to His Word!
“Seventy-Five Years By His Faithfulness”
By Pastor Bob Porterfield and many other OCC Saints in Heaven and on Earth
5/24/2024.
Ottawa Center Chapel 