On April 1, 1979, it was announced during Masses at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Holland, Michigan, that Bishop Joseph Breitenbeck had decided to develop a new parish on the north side of Lake Macatawa. By May 6, land at the corner of 152^nd Avenue and James Street had been acquired. Fr. Denis Nash was named as pastor, and at a meeting on July 31, parishioners were given tasks to get the parish started. On September 1, 1979, the first Mass was held on the site.

Parishioners were allowed to submit potential names for the church. Our Lady of the Lake received the most votes, winning over St. Brendan, St. Michael, St. Ann, and St. Nicholas. By the end of September 1979, we were officially “Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church.” For the next three years, Mass and parish programs were held at Waukazoo Elementary School on Lakewood Boulevard. Each Sunday morning, dedicated parishioners set up an altar, ambo, sound system, banners, and chairs, which then had to be taken down after the 11 a.m. Mass. Catechists carried materials to and from the school in plastic tubs and cartons.

A building committee was soon created so our growing family could have a home of its own. DeBrincat Architecture was selected after refining designs that would allow the church building to expand as its membership increased. Ground broke for the new building on November 15, 1981, just two years from the date the parish was formed. Pioneer Construction completed the church building on time and under budget in under a year. The original cost of the church was $1,350,000, which included all furnishings and initial supplies. Due to the generosity of our parishioners and benefactors, nearly one million dollars was paid in cash, leaving the parish with a minimal mortgage.

The cornerstone was laid on August 15, 1982, and on October 31, it was time to move to the new church facility. Following the final Liturgy of the Word at the school, a procession of over 900 parishioners followed the cross bearer and the baldaquin from Waukazoo School to the new church to celebrate Mass for the first time. St. Francis School provided a bus for those who were unable to make the walk. The original church could seat 685 people, with 540 in the main body of the church, 75 in the attached chapel, and 30 in the cry room. The hall was used for religious education and had six classrooms. A dedication Mass was held on March 6, 1983.

In June 1986, Fr. Nash was appointed pastor of St. Dominic’s in Wyoming, and Fr. Richard Lawie was appointed to replace him at Our Lady of the Lake. By this time, the church had grown to approximately 500 families and was beginning to feel the effects of its growth. In 1989, a report was made to the community about the development of the Holland area and its impact on our church facilities. A report was sent to the Diocesan Planning Task Force for their consideration. Before any decisions were made at the diocesan level, Fr. Lawie was transferred in May 1993 and replaced by Fr. Bill Duncan. With the appointment of new pastors at both Our Lady of the Lake and St. Francis de Sales, an initiative to address the needs of the Catholic community in the Holland/Zeeland area began. “Mission and Ministry 2000” was comprised of many teams researching demographics, educational needs, family and faith formation, finances, and facilities.

During this time, St. Francis suffered a devastating fire that required a new facility to be built on the site of their old church. Our Lady of the Lake was given permission to pursue expansion to accommodate the growing church population, and the desire to provide a new education facility for the Holland/Zeeland Catholic community was approved in concept. St. Francis began their new facility almost immediately and Our Lady of the Lake once again conducted a building campaign. GMB Architects of Holland was selected to design and engineer the remodeled facility.

A dedicated group of parishioners made it their mission to accelerate the building of a learning facility. As a result, Corpus Christi Catholic School opened its doors in September of 1999, a year ahead of schedule. It is located at the corner of Quincy Street and 120^th Avenue and is home to preschoolers, K-8 students, teachers, and support personnel.

Throughout the years, Our Lady of the Lake has seen various pastors (2001 – Fr. Phil Nguyen, 2009 – Fr. Charlie Hall, 2016 – Fr. Michael Cilibraise, 2021 – Fr. Michael Burt). Under the current leadership of Fr. Michael Burt, Our Lady of the Lake has recently completed several renovations better aligning its worship space with its unwavering Catholic beliefs.

Crucifix

In April 2019, a former parishioner donated the funds for Our Lady of the Lake to install a crucifix behind the altar. This crucifix, hand-carved in Italy, helps parishioners and visitors alike focus their attention on Christ’s loving sacrifice on the cross, which is the very center of the Mass and the Catholic faith. The crucifix reminds parishioners and visitors that Christ died to save us, that his sacrifice is made present during the consecration, and that all are called to take up their own crosses and follow him.

Tabernacle

In March 2024, the Tabernacle was refurbished and relocated from the Chapel to the main Sanctuary of the Church. This relocation helps ensure the Eucharist remains at the center of parish life. Previously, the Tabernacle was located in our Chapel. The move enabled Our Lady of the Lake to more clearly honor the reserved Eucharist and fully comply with Canon Law. The relocation also provided the opportunity to refurbish the Tabernacle by installing new gold plating in the interior, re-staining the wooden exterior, and polishing the brass images of the Twelve Apostles on the outside.

Pipe Organ

Our Lady of the Lake purchased a pipe organ for the church in 2024. The Opus 934 organ was initially built by Pels & Van Leeuwen in the French style in 1993 for the Municipal Music School in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. A few modifications were completed to make it more suitable for the Sanctuary at Our Lady of the Lake. The organ’s shipping, installation, and tuning were completed throughout the spring in 2025, and it was dedicated at all Masses Pentecost weekend, June 7 and 8, 2025. This pipe organ will elevate the beauty of the liturgies at Our Lady of the Lake for years to come.