Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.

Minister Activities

On Sunday evening, March 31, the congregation of the Lynden, WA PRC extended a call to Rev. R. Hanko to serve them as their next pastor. Rev. W. Bruinsma, pastor of the Kalamazoo, MI PRC, received the call from the Byron Center, MI PRC to become their next undershepherd. Rev. C. Terpstra, pastor of the First PRC in Holland, MI, declined the call he had been considering to serve as the first pastor of the Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, MI.

Rev. R. Cammenga, pastor of the Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI, participated in this year’s annual Good Friday Service sponsored by Seventh Reformed Church and aired in the Grand Rapids area on radio station WFUR. This service consists of messages by seven different area ministers on the seven cross words. Rev. Cammenga spoke on “I Thirst,” the fifth cross word.

Congregation Activities

When the congregation of the Byron Center, MI PRC met on March 27, they did more than extend a call to Rev. Bruinsma. In addition to that important work they also approved two proposals from their council, one for a new sound system and another to proceed with a building expansion project. From information provided to me by a member of Byron Center, it appears that they will expand their narthex and nursery, and replace that lost space by adding on to the west side of their fellowship hall. This expansion will provide for seating for an additional 120 souls, plus allow for a bigger nursery.

At a recent congregational meeting in the Lynden, WA PRC a vote was taken to allow the Netherlands Reformed Church use of their church building for services and during the week. This approval from Lynden also meant that she would have to change the times of her worship services to accommodate the NRC. So, for now anyway, Lynden is worshiping at 9:30 a.m. to allow the NRC to meet at 11:30 a.m., and their afternoon service is at 5:00 p.m. with the NRC meeting at 8:00 p.m. The NRC is in the process of building on their old property, which is just around the corner from Lynden. No one is sure how long this will all take, but the NRC will be using Lynden’s facilities until the work is done.

Lynden was not the only congregation to change its time of worship recently. The Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, MI also changed the time of their second service from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. starting on March 24. The reason for this change? Not because another congregation was now sharing their facilities, but rather because another congregation had moved out. You may remember that Trinity had purchased the building of the Hudsonville Reformed Church, and they were sharing it with HRC until their new building was complete. This project was completed in mid-March and HRC moved in on Sunday morning, March 24. So the first Sunday Trinity was able to hold both its services in their own church home was Easter Sunday, March 31.

Mission Activities

Through the joint efforts of our mission contacts in Manila, the Reformed Witness Hour Committee in Grand Rapids, MI, and the FMC Philippine sub-committee in Edgerton, MN, the broadcast of the RWH began in Metro Manila on Saturday, March 16. The broadcasts of Rev. C. Haak’s RWH radio sermons will continue weekly on Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Also, a delegation of Rev. A. Spriensma, missionary to the Philippines, and Mr. Gene VanBemmel, an elder in the Doon, IA PRC, planned to go to the Philippines in late April. The purpose of this visit is mainly to prepare for the move of the Spriensmas in June, the Lord willing.

Following a Good Friday worship service, the saints in our mission in Ghana met together to bid farewell to Arnie and Char Bleyenberg, whose year of volunteer help for our missionaries, Rev. W. Bekkering and Rev. R. Moore, ended in March. We echo the thoughts of our missionaries when we add that we appreciate the many blessings God has given the saints in Ghana by having the Bleyenbergs there for this past year, and our prayer is that God will continue to bless them as they return home to Edgerton, MN. Mr. Doug Bekkering was scheduled to come in mid-April to take on the duties of a volunteer. He planned on staying in Ghana until a couple could be found to take the place of the Bleyenbergs.

Evangelism Activities

The Evangelism Committee of the First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI invited all interested members of our churches in the Grand Rapids area, as well as any interested friends and neighbors of First, to a timely lecture on March 21 at their church. Rev. A. Spriensma spoke on “For God and Country: A Christian Perspective on Patriotism.”

School Activities

The Board of the Midwest Society for PR Secondary Education was happy to report that at a special society meeting held March 19, the society approved the Board’s proposal to accept a 13 2/3 acre land donation from a society member for a future building site. This site is located on Hayes Ave. northwest of Hull.

The Northwest Iowa PR Christian School presented their annual all-school program on March 27. Their theme this year was “The Christian’s Armor,” based onEphesians 6:10-17.