Maplelawn Baptist Church was founded in 1929 by Henry and Jenny Koets. Their
early efforts focused on beginning a Sunday afternoon School for children in
the Godwin Heights district, just south of the Grand Rapids, MI city limits.
Others caught their vision, joined with them and the Sunday
School program soon grew to a small church service. The Koets, retired at the
time, mortgaged their home, borrowed money and built a small church in the
neighborhood.
 The "Godwin
Heights Gospel Tabernacle," as it was originally known, grew steadily
over the years under the direction of Godly pastors. In 1946 the small
congregation affiliated itself with the General Association of Regular Baptist
Church and a few years later in 1951 they began a fund raising campaign. A new
building, a new location and a new name came into being in 1957. Since then
the Maplelawn facility has undergone two major building programs in order to
accommodate numerous programs and activities.
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