Trivia question

The 2018 Young People’s Convention is fast approaching! A record number of conventioneers—over 500!—will descend on the Lake Geneva Christian Center in Alexandria, MN at the convention hosted by the five Siouxland area churches of the Midwest.

So, a question about early conventions: The first young people’s convention was held in 1939. The April 1942 issue of Beacon Lights advertised the 4th Annual Convention to be held at Roosevelt Park PRC. “We have selected our theme for this year and it has to do with youth. What is always characteristic of youth—Of what is youth-ful? And that’s the theme of the 1942 Convention.” It never materialized. Do you know why? Answer later in this column.

Congregational activities

A new Allen organ with Geni-Sys technology was recently installed in Hope PRC of Walker, MI. May this beautiful new organ always be used to the glory of God in the worship of His holy name!

Pentecost Sunday was commemorated on May 20. In our worship we thanked God for the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on the church to give knowledge, comfort, love, and holiness.

The congregation at Wingham, AB, Canada is looking forward to new construction on the church building to add elevators and restrooms.

School activities

The 42nd annual all-schools band concert was held in Hudsonville (MI) Fine Arts Center. The bands of Covenant, Adams, Heritage, and Hope played a new piece by Matthew Fisher. All were welcome to come and enjoy an evening of beautiful music!

Graduations and commencements from our schools have taken place throughout North America! At the close of another school year, we reflect on and are thankful for the privilege and blessing of our own good, Christian schools. These extensions of our covenant homes are trustworthy for the proper instruction of our covenant children. To teachers and students alike: Enjoy the summer break!

Seminary/denominational activities

Two of our professors have special trips planned this summer: Prof. R. Dykstra will labor in our sister church in Singapore (Covenant ERC) for six weeks and Prof. R. Cammenga will be part of an exploratory mission trip to Mexico with Rev. C. Griess (First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI), Rev. R. Kleyn (Spokane, WA), and Doner Bartolon, one of our pre-seminary students who comes from the area to be visited.

The Synod of the PRCA convened on June 12 and finished its work on June 21. For the first time there was a representative from the Protestant Reformed Churches in the Philippines, as Rev. Leovino A. Trinidad made the trip to the USA. Rev. Trinidad is pastor of the Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela City.

Mission activities

The Classis of the Protestant Reformed Churches in the Philippines met on June 12 in the Berean PRC.

Missionary-pastor Daniel Holstege and his family will be on furlough in the United States from June 11 through July 24 with stops in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Colorado. He will be giving at least four presentations on the work in the Philippines.

Young people’s activities

The Wingham PRC Young People hosted a dodgeball tournament on Saturday, June 2, at F.E. Madill High School in Wingham, Ontario, Canada. As many as 14 teams were expected, with each team having 8 players, high-school age or older. The proceeds of this tournament went toward the cost of the young people attending this year’s PR Young People’s Convention.

Evangelism activities

On June 13 the consistory of Trinity PRC sponsored a lecture by Rev. Angus Stewart entitled “Gottschalk: Medieval Confessor of God’s Absolute Sovereignty” at 7:30 p.m. at Georgetown PRC. Rev. Stewart was in West Michigan for synod as a representative of our sister congregation, the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Northern Ireland.

Sister-church activities

This uplifting quote is taken from a recent bulletin of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore:

How was your past week? Routine? Eventful? Busy? Stressful? Joyful? Discouraging? Did you live in the consciousness of the providence of God? Did you pause to consider the almighty and everywhere-present power of God that governs and upholds all things, including every moment of your every day, so that nothing happened by chance, but by His Fatherly Hand? Whatever may have happened to you, to your loved one or someone you know; whatever may have happened at home, at work, in school or anywhere around the world, all work together for your spiritual good, for the salvation of the church and ultimately for the glory of our Sovereign God. Therefore, let us be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and in all things that may hereafter befall us place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father, assured that absolutely nothing shall separate us from His love. But that in all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Trivia answer

The October Beacon Lights of that same year tells why the 1942 PRYP’s Convention did not materialize. “In one word, who could have imagined that it would be possible for the war to so soon make such inroads into our lives that the Federation Board would deem it advisable to call off the 1942 meeting, even while the plans were in the making?” The rubber shortage had reduced traveling to a minimum. Most societies had their ranks greatly depleted by the call to service. The war with all its horrors tended to depress spirits. All in all, the Board felt that a convention was out of the question for some time. For two years Federation activity was reduced to the production of Beacon Lights. More trivia next time.