Sister-Church Activities

The fourteenth biennial British Reformed Fellowship Conference held in late July was the largest and perhaps the best one yet! A total of 125 people stayed at the conference center at least one night, with most staying the entire week. There were also 47 day visitors who enjoyed the activities of the conference, which had as its theme “Behold I Come Quickly: The Reformed Biblical Truth of the End.” Speakers were Prof. David Engelsma, Rev. Andrew Lanning, Rev. Martyn McGeown, Rev. Angus Stewart, and elder Peter Adams. Those in attendance were from Northern Ireland, the USA, Singapore, England, Wales, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Canada, Hungary, and the Philippines! Two day trips departed from the conference center, which was a Victorian castle situated above an 80-acre lake in a 1,300-acre forest with the Mourne Mountains in the distance. Quite a place! Plans for the next conference have already begun. Sounds like a “must-do”-list idea! Make a note on your calendar for July 21-28, 2018.

Young People’s Activities

Advance Notice: The 2017 Young People’s Convention will be held August 7-11 at the Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, MI and will be hosted by First PRC of Holland, MI.

Seminary Activities

Classes in the Protestant Reformed Seminary began on August 29 with convocation held on September 7 in Grandville, MI PRC. The seven senior students are in place for their internships that run through December 31. The year began with three second-year students from the PRC and one first-year student from the CERC in Singapore

School Activities

Many PR Christian schools have once again opened their doors and begun fall classes. Of note is the beginning of the school year at Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed School in Doon, IA, which began its 50th year of covenant education on August 23. God be praised for the gift of Protestant Reformed schools in our denomination!

Delicious. Delectable. Delightful. That’s how the September version of The Taste II was advertised. This tantalizing event will be held as a fundraiser for ACHIEVE, the special education program for the Protestant Reformed School located in Crete, IL, and is open to adults from the three area churches. Bitesize samplings of appetizers and desserts found in the PRCS Volume II Cookbook will be available for trial and review, “sandwiched” by a main course planned by the committee. Mmmm, inviting indeed!

Supporters of Eastside Christian School were invited to celebrate a new school year with a “Picnic on the Patio” at First PRC of Grand Rapids, MI on September 1. A buffet dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, and dessert was provided by the Eastside Christian School Foundation. Supporters were able to encourage their students, teachers, and parents as they praised God together for His provision and care.

Minister Activities

Rev. Cory Griess, pastor at Calvary PRC of Hull, IA, recently considered the call to be our denomination’s third foreign missionary to the Republic of the Philippines. After asking for a one-week extension, Rev. Griess declined this call on August 28. We are thankful that God is sovereign and in control of all things…including answers to humanly difficult situations, as this one was to Rev. Griess.

After his furlough to the USA, Rev. Andy Lanning and his family have again taken up their labors in the Covenant ERC of Singapore.

Rev. Michael DeVries and his wife spent the month of August in Ireland and Northern Ireland while Rev. Martyn McGeown vacationed in the United States. On his “vacation,” Rev. McGeown chaperoned the Young People’s Convention and preached five times in three PR churches.

First PRC of Holland, MI formed a new trio consisting of the Reverends Allen Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls, SD), Brian Huizinga (Hope PRC, Redlands, CA), and Rodney Kleyn (Covenant of Grace PRC, Spokane, WA). On August 28, the call was extended to Rev. B. Huizinga. May God bless the congregation at Holland and Rev. Huizinga as he considers this call.

RFPA News

The RFPA has just released a new book, A Spiritual House Preserved: A Century in the River’s Bend (1916–2016). This commemorates 100 years of existence for Hope Protestant Reformed Church. But this is more than a record of Hope’s history. More importantly, it reveals the secrets of why she continues as a faithful church of our Lord Jesus Christ today: secrets that if heeded give Hope and like-minded churches hope for tomorrow. This book was not a Book Club offering. However, if you would like to purchase this book, it is available through the RFPA website located at: http://rfpa.org/ blogs/news/tagged/a-spiritual-house-preserved

Congregational Activities

Speaking of book clubs, the book club of the Hope PRC of Redlands, CA recently began discussion of the book The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther.

For those of you who are Apple computer/tablet/phone users, there is now a Psalter app for iOS devices that can be downloaded from the App Store. Search for “Psalter” and choose the item with Tian Loong Woon’s name under it. It is free, but you can choose to give a contribution after downloadin it. Tian Loong is a member of the Covenant ERC of Singapore. There is a similar app for Android devices.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:3.