Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.

Mission Activities

Rev. R. Moore, our churches’ missionary to Ghana, West Africa, reported recently on some exciting developments concerning the work in Ghana. Our churches’ Foreign Mission Committee and the Council of the Hull, IA PRC, the calling church for Ghana, have given their approval to rent a piece of land so that our Mission will have a place in which to preach the Word of God for the present and future. Rev. Moore was told that they could rent the property with a view to applying the rental value to the purchase of the land if our synod approves of this proposal in June.

The mission group in Ghana is now working with the property to prepare it for holding their worship services. The Lord willing, the site will be cleared and leveled, with a group of young men from the Cantonments area and others coming together to dig holes for the poles that will be set to hold a roof over the worship site. Rev. Moore has also obtained or will be obtaining permits for the work they are doing and to get electricity to the site.

This on-going work has also led to opportunities to speak to some in the area as to what the Mission is all about. Some have shown an interest also to come and worship with the group.

Rev. Moore also reports that he had the opportunity to speak to the Senior secondary students at a Presbyterian secondary school in late January. The group of students expressed a real appreciation for the Word that was brought before them. We echo Rev. Moore’s words when we are reminded through this work in Ghana, as well as our other missions, that, “We will wait upon the Lord to lead others to come under the blessed preaching of the Word even unto their salvation and for their comfort.”

Rev. J. Mahtani, our churches’ missionary to Pittsburgh, PA, and Rev. R. Cammenga, pastor of the Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI, the calling church for Pittsburgh, visited with a group of interested saints in the Washington, DC area on January 20. At the group’s request, the topic presented that evening was “The History and Distinctives of the PR Churches.” This group is very interested in establishing a distinctively Reformed witness in that area.

From Washington, DC the two pastors traveled on to Fayetteville, NC to visit a group there who desire to see a Protestant Reformed church established in that area. This group has been worshiping with PRC video tapes for a couple of years now. They, too, hosted a discussion on “The History and Distinctives of the PRC” and were also able to enjoy Sunday worship services conducted by each pastor.

Fayetteville’s Steering Committee plans to look at a couple of offices that are available in their area with a view, possibly, to establishing a mission office from which they would continue to do the work of the Fellowship.

Evangelism Activities

The Evangelism Committee of the Peace PRC in Lansing, IL hosted a lecture on February 4 in their sanctuary. Rev. G. VanBaren spoke on the subject, “Hell, Temporal or Eternal.”

In additional evangelism news, we include an excerpt from the bulletin of the South Holland, IL PRC. From Lanham, Maryland, “Our Evangelism Committee(PCUSA) is putting together a conference on Reformed Evangelism. We want to make many sound resources available at this time. If you would be so good as to select the ten most suitable titles and quote us a price, we would be most grateful….” And a few weeks later: “What a feast you have sent us! We have already made a couple of decisions. 1. We will be happy to offer back-issues of the Standard Bearer with subscription cards. 2. We will offer the pamphlet “Evangelism and the Reformed Faith” as part of our conference package, that is, to every one who registers.”

Congregational Activities

Last year our First PRC in Holland, MI celebrated their 70th anniversary as an organized church. To help with the celebration, First’s Council appointed a Historical Committee to coordinate that milestone. But perhaps more importantly, this committee was also called upon to organize and see that First’s archives were all in order. Somewhat related to the history of First, this committee recently arranged a visit to a historic church in the area, the Graafschap Christian Reformed Church. This was an original congregation of the CRC(1857), and the building dates back to 1862. The visit included a 45-minute talk/slide presentation, after which they were allowed to browse through the building and its historical items.

Minister Activities

Rev. C. Terpstra, pastor of the First PRC in Holland, MI, received the call to serve as pastor of the vacant Hull, IA PRC.

We extend our congratulations to Rev. Doug and Teresa Kuiper in the birth of their daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, born Saturday, January 22.