From a trio which included Revs. R. Decker, D. Engelsma, and R. Harbach, our South Holland, Illinois congregation has extended a call to Rev. R. Decker to become their pastor.

In answer to the call of Southwest Church Diaconate for used clothing for the Jamaican needy, Rev. Moore’s people utilized the opportunity to send a very large carton of clothing to the Grand Rapids church by a Michigan visitor at Classis West.

In an Aug. 10 bulletin of Southwest Church we found an excerpt from a letter from Rev. Frame, of Jamaica. It was an account of an “accident” which befell him as he was riding with Deacon Elliott on his Honda. A tire blew out and they were thrown from the motorcycle and suffered bruised hands and knees and torn trousers. Rev. Frame was on the way to Shrewbury to preach there so he had to finish the trip by rented car (cost-$12.50). These gallant ministers in the Prot. Ref. Churches of Jamaica are working under severe handicaps, most of which cost pounds-and-pence which are wanting. But their faith in “the Lord Who will do which is good for His people” never wavers.

Hope’s Consistory has scheduled this year’s catechism classes for Saturday morning and Thursday evening. The explanation: “The Consistory made these changes in meeting time to eliminate conflict with school activities by setting one evening for this instruction; and the change from Monday afternoon to Saturday morning will allow the students to be in better condition than at the conclusion of a school day.” This change also necessitated a shift of consistory meetings to Wednesday evenings.

Hudsonville’s Young People Society has been named to host the 1970 Y.P. Convention. From Disneyland to Celeryland; but for pure natural beauty the latter will not suffer in comparison to the former. No mountains, no ocean, but a study in contrast—rows of bright green in fields of jet-black!

Adams St. School opened its doors with a new Principal, and according to him, “with a staff that is genuinely interested in instructing children not only in the various subjects of the curriculum, but also, and especially, in the way that they should go.” This is undoubtedly true of all our Prot. Ref. Chr. School teachers; one wonders if we, the members of our various school societies, are awarely thankful for the devoted teachers of our children.

The “Newsletter” from the Northwest Iowa School in Doon came to our desk and featured a cover page adorned with the artistry of Mr. John Kalsbeek, the new Principal, showing chicory and black-eyed susans. Concerning these, Mr. Kalsbeek wrote: “As the chicory and black-eyes susans and others display their vivid clors and beauty to our eyes they reveal the glory of God. So also our children are called upon to used and develop their talents given them by their Creator, God. For this reason they go to school; school then becomes to them an actual, real, living experience in which the wonders of God are studied, discussed and enjoyed.” Besides Mr. Kalsbeek, who teaches grades 5 through 8, Mrs. Walter Fair will teach grades 1 through 4. Mrs. Fair came from South Dakota where she taught for eleven years, and Mr. Kalsbeek’s last assignment was a four-year position in South Holland.

In one of the summer bulletins of Lynden there appeared an excerpt from a letter from a lady in Oxnard, Calif., “We look forward to your tapes each week. We are a little disappointed in not getting your study class lessons during the summer, but we now have the book, “Behold He Cometh”, so I know there will be plenty of reading and listening available during the summer.” So you see that not everyone takes a vacation from Bible study in the summer!

Apropos of the above: a July 20 bulletin of Doon evidenced that their young people’s Society was in session!

May we share with you a paragraph from First Church’s bulletin under the heading, Family Visitation: “Once more that season of the year has come when we conduct our annual family visitation. The purpose of these visits is that families of the congregation may be spiritually encouraged and strengthened. To that end, give yourselves readily to the inspection of the elders. Be instructed and comforted by them. Thus we may, as a congregation, be knit together in bonds of love and fellowship. . . .”

Now that the summer is past, catechism classes have been called and society meetings are scheduled regularly, we can again partake of the inexhaustible resources of the Word of God. But shall we? Have we resolved to miss no catechism class, and to faithfully attend each society meeting, health permitting? Shall we, en masse, join Joshua in his public resolution, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord”?

. . . . .see you in church.

—JMF