Congregation Activities

Again remembering the Word of God found in I Timothy 3:15: “. . . the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,” we call your attention to the anniversary of the Faith PRC in Jenison, MI, orga­nized on February 22, 1973.

Speaking of Faith, we are reminded that on Sunday, December 30, dur­ing their evening service, they had an uninvited guest make an appearance. A bat decided that then was a good time to make several fly-overs of the congregation. This bat also seemed to have a special attraction to Rev. Nathan Decker, who was filling a clas­sical appointment at Faith that eve­ning. After several failed attempts to remove the unwelcome and uninvited visitor, the bat was persuaded to leave. The entire episode makes one wonder about the old saying of churches hav­ing bats in their belfries.

In early January, the consistory of the Peace PRC in Lansing, IL approved a request from the faculty of our Seminary that they oversee the internship of Seminarian Joshua Engelsma. The Lord willing, this internship will begin on July 1 of this year and run through December 31. Rev. Clayton Spronk, along with the consistory and congregation of Peace, look forward to the time when they can welcome Seminarian Engelsma and his wife, Courtney, and their children, Calvin and Charlotte, into their fellowship.

Once again this year, members of the Lynden, WA PRC are joining together at the Christian Health Center for their monthly time of singing. Lynden’s congregation sings at the Center the third Tuesday of each month, and all those able to make it were heartily welcomed to join together as they rejoiced with the aged saints in praise through song.

The Men’s Bible Study of the First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI met together Saturday morning, January 19, at 8:00 a.m., preceded by break­fast at 7:30 a.m. Discussion centered on the subject, “Developing Godly Characteristics for Leadership in the Home.”

There was a reminder in a recent bulletin from First, GR that it was not too late to join one of the two Bible-reading groups started there in January. One group is doing a reading of the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, and another doing the entire Bible in a year.

On Sunday evening, January 20, in the nearby Covenant Christian High School gymnasium, the Hope PRC in Walker, MI presented a short picture/video program of their recent trip to visit the Myanmar PRC. A collection was taken to support that work.

Sunday morning, January 6, sev­eral of our churches initiated changes to their worship services. The Ka­lamazoo, MI PRC began having an announced silent prayer in unison following the prelude at their wor­ship service, and the congregation of First PRC in Edmonton, AB, Canada began standing to sing the Psalter number before their congregational prayer.

The members of the Southeast PRC in Grand Rapids, MI were invited to take an active part in a combined Christmas/Talent Concert on January 6 at their church. A light supper was provided by the Young People after the evening worship service, followed by the concert. A collection was taken to help fund Southeast’s participation in this sum­mer’s Young People’s Convention.

Mission Activities

Wednesday evening, January 16, Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma, missionary pastor of the PR Fellowship of Pitts­burgh, PA, began an Old Testament Bible Class in Cranberry, a suburb of Pittsburgh, in the Cranberry Town­ship Municipal Center. There were 17 registrants signed up from Cranberry, joining members of the Pittsburgh Fellowship for what was an interesting and exciting evening and class.

Young People’s Activities

The young people of the Randolph, WI PRC were reminded in a recent church bulletin of a planned rock climbing activity followed by a stop afterward for dinner. Evidently the organizers of the rock climbing had enough confidence in the abilities of their young people to climb, that they planned for supper afterwards.

The Young People of the Lynden, WA PRC continued their topical study of the book of Proverbs, Janu­ary 6, with a look at what Proverbs has to say about money and riches. Young people go to school (in part, anyway) so that they can get a good job someday, maybe even a career, and earn a living. It’s a fact of life that we all need money, and if we’re honest, we’d have to admit that we would like riches too! But what does Proverbs, and the rest of the Bible, say about money and wealth and riches. What does the writer of Proverbs mean when he says, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches” (Prov. 14:7). Sounds like the potential for a good discus­sion!

The Young People of First PRC in Holland, MI invited their congrega­tion to join them at Heritage Chris­tian School in Hudsonville, MI for a Mexican Family Night fundraiser on Saturday, January 19.

Minister Activities

Rev. David Overway, pastor of the Doon, IA PRC, received the call from the vacant Hope PRC in Walker, MI to serve as their next pastor.

Rev. Allen Brummel declined the call extended to him from the Ran­dolph PRC in Wisconsin.