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

Ministerial Calls

Rev. Carl Haak declined the call he received from our Faith church in Jenison, Michigan.

And from the trio that was included in the last news, our South Holland, Illinois congregation has extended a call to Rev. Charles Terpstra, who presently serves the Pella P.R.C. in Pella, Iowa.

Congregational Highlights

Prof. H.C. Hoeksema writes in a letter to the congregation of the Hudsonville P.R.C. in Hudsonville, Michigan that one advantage of the year that he and his wife are spending in Tasmania is the avoidance of a cold and raw Michigan winter. In Tasmania it is now mid-summer. The schools have their long vacation. The yards in their neighborhoods are ‘lush with summer growth and many, many flowers. And on the 26th of December the Burnie congregation had its annual picnic in a park on the ocean shore—another unique experience for them.

I would like to add a few more details concerning the Creation Seminar sponsored by our Grandville P.R.C. in Grandville, Michigan. These seminars were scheduled to be held on three consecutive Wednesdays in February and covered three aspects of creation: Creation and Scripture, The Doctrine of Creation, and Creation and the Other Doctrines. Prof. H. Hanko was the teacher of these classes.

All P.R. young people in the West Michigan area were invited to a Sweetheart Banquet held February 9 at the Hope P.R. School Gym. The Jr. Young People’s Society of our Faith Church sponsored this event, with proceeds going, as usual with any Young People’s project, for the up-coming Convention.

Beginning February 16 and continuing each Thursday night for six weeks, seminars will be conducted at the seminary by area ministers and elders, focusing on all areas of married life. At each session opportunity will be given for questions and discussion. All couples contemplating marriage, as well as those who have been married for two years or less, were urged to attend.

Church Activities

A congregational meeting was held in early February at the Kalamazoo P.R.C. They met that night to consider the purchase of a lot behind the church.

A brother in our Loveland P.R.C. in Loveland, Colorado is overturing Synod by way of the Consistory of Loveland and Classis West to change two expressions in the Apostles’ Creed: “quick” to “living” and “Holy Ghost” to “Holy Spirit.” Loveland’s Consistory forwarded this overture with its approval. Loveland’s Consistory also decided that they wanted to make this change in their unison confession of the Apostles’ Creed and they started doing that on January 8.

The Men’s Society of our Loveland Church has set up a magazine table in the Fellowship Hall, as part of the library. Magazines may be checked out for one week. Congregation members were also asked to share any religious magazines that they might subscribe to and that were not displayed on the table.

Loveland also held a congregation-wide ice-skating party as part of their winter fellowship in the middle of January.

And one more item for “busy” Loveland Church. On February 10 their Young People’s, Society sponsored a Sweetheart Banquet for couples of all ages. A delicious meal and special program was planned. And guess where the proceeds went—to this year’s Convention of course.

The Consistory of Hope P.R.C. in Walker, Michigan publicly expressed its thanks to Miss Sybil Engelsma on the occasion of her retirement from being a church organist. For the past 50 consecutive years she has, with humility and faithfulness, assisted the consistory in conducting the worship service. We could add that this occasion should also remind all of us to thank our own church organists for their time and effort expended in using their abilities to the benefit of our congregation. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”Galatians 6:9.

School Activities

The PTA of Adams St. Christian School in Grand Rapids, Michigan met recently to hear a follow-up to their Fall meeting. Two of Adams teachers, along with their administrator, gave a presentation on “The Role of the Teacher and the Administrator Beyond the Classroom.”

Prof. Decker spoke at the February PTA of Heritage Christian School in Hudsonville, Michigan on the subject, “Developing Proper Self-esteem in our Children.”

The Ladies’ Circle of our Loveland P.R. Christian School planned a Father-Son Banquet in late January. A warm meal and a small program were provided.

The Ladies’ Circle of the Northwest Iowa P.R. Christian School sponsored their annual Soup Supper on February 13, and the Adams St. Christian School Mothers’ Club also held their annual Soup Supper on February 9.

Parting thought from “Across the Aisle” from First Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“People may fall many times, but they are not failures until they start saying somebody pushed them.”