The history of Crete Protestant Reformed Church begins in the mid to late 1800s, when many Dutch fled the economic, political, and spiritual oppressions that gripped Holland. Those who fled because of religious persecution were chiefly of the Afscheiding (Secession of 1834). Many of them chose the low and high prairies south of Chicago, where they continued in their farming heritage, growing onions and melons.

Shortly after Rev. Herman Hoeksema was deposed from the Christian Reformed Church in 1924, he was asked by several concerned families in Roseland, Illinois to give a lecture. The dissatisfaction with the Christian Reformed Church and the conviction that God’s grace is sovereign and particular occasioned the organization of a small church of seven families in 1926 in the town of Lansing, Illinois.

The fledgling church saw a humble beginning; they first worshiped in a room above a hardware store. Eventually the group built a small country church in South Holland, Illinois. The congregation has grown in size, requiring two additional church buildings, a change of name, and a move farther south to Crete, IL. Today, Crete PRC has 103 families totaling 420 members and has “birthed” two daughter congregations: Peace and Cornerstone.

Holding true to the convictions of our Dutch forefathers, who made Christian education paramount, Crete PRC is one of the supporting churches for a grade school and high school of nearly 300 students.

For many years God has blessed Crete PRC with a strong Evangelism Committee that has published dozens of pamphlets, distributing them locally and around the world. But with the passing of the printed page, our committee has been transitioning to digital formats and platforms. Currently, our committee is exploring the use of podcasts and other media to continue to spread the gospel far and wide.

Our faithful Father has also given Crete PRC faithful preaching for its nearly 100 years of existence. Ten men have been called to labor in our midst, beginning with our first pastor, Rev. P. DeBoer in 1932. God’s sovereign care for us continued through the tumultuous times in the PRCA in the 1950s under Rev. Homer C. Hoeksema. Today, His word is preached to us by Rev. Nathan Langerak.

God has indeed blessed the church called by His name in Crete, IL.