At 150, Fountain Street Church looks back, forward as it invites public to birthday bash

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By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Fountain Street Church, housed in maybe the most historic house of prayer in downtown Grand Rapids but with members Kent County wide and beyond, prides itself on many things — not the least of which is often being seen as the most liberal church in the region.

So while the church has been honoring its past during its 150th anniversary year, a multi-event celebration reaching its peak Sunday, Sept. 15, with its Grand Celebration Street Party, it is also looking forward to what’s next for the church.

Part of the reason for the street party, however, is to invite the greater Grand Rapids community to learn more about Fountain Street and, maybe, become part of its future.

Fountain Streeter Todd Johnson with the church in background. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“In order to look into the future, you have to be willing to look into the past. And that is what we are doing,” Todd Johnson, co-chair of the chruch’s 150th Celebration committee, said to WKTV. “We are saying ‘Look at all we have done in the last 150 years, let celebrate that. And then let’s say ‘What is the future for Fountain Street Church?’ … We are celebrating the past as a step into the future.”

(For a unique look at the history of Fountain Street Church, WKTV asked Senior Minister W. Frederick Wooden for his pivotal persons in the life of the church. Read the story here.)

Judy Botts, a coordinator of the street party, detailed the many facets of the free-to-the public Sept. 15 event, which will run from 12-4 p.m. and will take place in a closed-to-traffic block between the Grand Rapids Public Library and Fountain Street Church. The party will include face painting and a Henna tattoo artist on site, individual and family photographs, a bounce house and corn hole tournament, cotton candy and snow cones, live music from the B-Side Growlers, a mime artist, food, and a welcoming address from former Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, who will deliver a speech titled: “Why Grand Rapids Needs Fountain Street Church.”

WKTV Community Media’s Voices project is also partnering with Fountain Street Church on a special oral history project, with a WKTV representative present to talk about the project. Voices is the personal and family oral history project with the mission “to collect, share and preserve the narratives of people in our community … (stories) of our lives; of people from all walks of life.” (For more information on Voices, visit wktvvoices.org .)

Fountain Streeter Judy Botts. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“What we want to happen is, yes, many Fountain Streeters to come — past and present people who attend this church,” Botts said. But it is not just for those who know Fountain Street and its many facets. “This is a diverse group of people that seek answers to questions that they have regarding religion. It is a very open community. We welcome all people and their thoughts. We will share the different groups we have here that they (the public) might be interested in joining.”

The 150th celebration events so far have certainly showed that diversity.

After starting with a kickoff party in December of last year, in March there were special programs on the History of Women at Fountain Street Church, in April many members of the church went to Brewery Vivant for a celebration of a special brew release — the “Fountain Streeter” — and they liked it so much then did it again in August. There was also a Spirit of the Arts show, a sort of talent show for Fountain Streeters, and a special Memorial Concert “The Spirit Sings!” featuring the church’s Oratorio Choir and the Aquinas College Chorus highlighted by the world premiere of “Tell All the Truth” by Nicholas Palmer.

Maybe the most well attended, both by church members as well as the community in general, was the first and now annual Pride Service, at the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June.

The church’s more recent moves to embrace the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the local minority, refugee and homeless communities, was part of a discussion WKTV had with Rev. Wooden, as well as Johnson and Botts, when we asked about their most treasured memories of the church. (Read that story here.)

For more information about the Fountain Street Church 150th Anniversary Grand Celebration Street Party, visit here.