Mission Activities

For many years the Hope PRC Council, along with recent help from Hope’s Reformed Witness Committee (RWC), has been laboring with our fellow saints from the PRC of Yangon, Myanmar. Many of you are aware of this work to some degree, but others may not be as familiar with these labors.

The work in Myanmar began originally as an offshoot of the PRC’s work in Singapore with the Asian Reformed Theological School. This work began first with Rev. J. Kortering, and was continued by the extensive work of Rev. A. denHartog, who made a total of seven different visits to Myanmar. Most of these trips involved teaching men from various churches at seminars. Rev. denHartog states that the most lasting legacy of his work in Myanmar is the continued existence of the PRC of Yangon, of which Rev. Titus Sanceuluai is still the faithful pastor.

When the Contact Committee of the PRC decided that the work in Myanmar did not fit within the scope of its Constitution, the 2007 Synod adopted Hope PRC’s recommendation that they continue the work with the PRC in Myanmar. Hope provided both financial support and spiritual guidance, along with technological tools for improved communications. This improved communication proved to be indispensable and helped the spiritual development of the Yangon congregation grow by leaps and bounds. Rev. Titus no longer had to wait for delegation visits to have real-time correspondence with Hope PRC’s Council.

Delegates from Hope PRC have made a total of five visits to Myanmar over the course of six years. The main objective of each visit went from initially learning the details of the work in Yangon to spiritual guidance and establishing that the PRC of Yangon is a properly instituted church with officebearers lawfully called and installed. The most recent delegation provided instruction in church government, which ranged from managing a church budget to establishing and maintaining proper church membership. This led to the Yangon congregation reaffirming its membership by formal public confessions of faith. Hope PRC’s Council hopes to continue the work in Myanmar with at least one visit per year.

As you will learn in subsequent reports from Rev. Titus, a large part of this continued labor will involve assisting in organizing new congregations with the eventual goal of forming a functioning Reformed denomination of churches in Myanmar. Due to the daunting amount of work, the many opportunities available, and the many other responsibilities that consistory work brings, the Hope RWC has offered to assist Hope’s Council in their work in Myanmar. This help will consist of updating the denomination on progress in addition to several other initiatives that involve working directly with Rev. Titus and the PRC of Yangon. There will be regular updates in the future that include the progress of the work in Myanmar and reports from Rev. Titus and delegate visits. Also please look this work up on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HopeProtestantReformed-Church/ and on Hope PRC’s website at http://hopeprchurch.org/outreach/myanmar-mission/.

Delegates from the FMC (Rev. Doug Kuiper and Ike and Phyllis Uittenbogaard) and from Georgetown PRC ( Joel and Ellen Bruinooge) left November 9 for a twoweek visit to the PRC of Vellore, India pastored by Pastor Paul Raj. Rev. Kuiper preached and taught in the Vellore congregation, led seminars for area pastors in aspects of the Reformed Faith, spoke at a retreat for members of the Christian Medical College of Vellore, and participated in Village Outreach Ministry of the PRC of Vellore.

Congregational Activities

The Lord God blasted the tristate area of Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota (fondly known as Siouxland) with its first winter blizzard on November 18. The five PRC congregations there experienced snow, blowing, and drifting; school was called off and things nearly came to a standstill (except for the mailmen1). Psalm 148:7-8 came to mind: “Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps; fire and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word.” Such storms make us confess God’s power and also His almighty care toward us, His people, who cannot stand before His cold.

Minister Activities

Rev. Nathan Decker, pastor at Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, MI, was led by the Lord to decline the call extended to him by the congregation at First PRC of Holland, MI. Rev. Brian Huizinga, pastor at Hope PRC of Redlands, CA, declined the call to Southwest PRC in Wyoming, MI.

First PRC, Holland, MI announced a trio of Rev. A. Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls, SD), Rev. C. Haak (Georgetown PRC, Hudsonville, MI) and Rev. R. Kleyn (Covenant of Grace PRC, Spokane, WA). On November 20, Rev. A. Brummel received the call from the congregation.

Rev. Cory Griess, pastor at Calvary PRC, Hull, IA, planned to answer the call from Byron Center PRC to be PRC home missionary on November 20. After asking for a one-week extension, he declined the call on November 27.

The Council of the PRC in Doon, IA announced a trio from which to call a third missionary to the Philippines. The men at Doon planned to call from Revs. A. Brummel, B. Huizinga, and R. Kleyn on November 22. At that meeting, Rev. Kleyn received the call.

Young People’s Activities

The Young People’s Thanksgiving Mass Meeting was held at Hope PRC on November 20 at 2 p.m. with a speech given by Rev. David Overway. All young people were invited to attend for a time of growth and fellowship.

Denominational Activities

In early November Rev. Nathan Decker and Rev. Ken Koole traveled to Pompton Plains, NJ for the meetings of NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council, a gathering of 13 conservative Presbyterian and Reformed Churches where information about denominational activities and labors is exchanged and issues faced by the Reformed church world can be discussed). A delegation attends these meetings each year as observers on behalf of the Contact Committee and in accordance with the decision of Synod 2016. That decision can be found on pages 33-34 of the 2016 PRC Acts of Synod.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.

1 Ed. note: Our readers will want to know that Mr. Van Egdom delivers mail.