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

First Church in Grand Rapids has formed a new trio consisting of Rev. B. Gritters, Rev. K. Hanko, and Rev. K. Koole. The congregation was to meet Monday, Sept. 28, to select one to receive a call as a second missionary to Jamaica.

Prof. R. Decker has declined the call extended to him by our congregation in Holland, Michigan.

Rev. R. Miersma preached his “farewell” sermon at Holland the evening of August 30. His sermon was based on I Cor. 15:58: “Persevering in the Lord’s Work”. He stressed three points in that sermon: Being unmovable, Abounding in the Lord’s Word, and Knowing the Fruit.

We also want to extend our sincere congratulations to Rev. Tom Miersma and his wife, Jan, in Edmonton, Alberta, who after seventeen years of married life together were blessed with the birth of a son, Christopher Calvin. And we also want to add our congratulations to Rev. and Mrs. Dale Kuiper, presently of Isabel, S.D. on the birth recently of a daughter.

While Rev. Bruinsma, our missionary to Jamaica, and his family were on furlough recently in this country, Mrs. Bruinsma went to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids as an outpatient to have her tonsils removed. She recuperated well, but her doctor insisted that she remain for observation in Grand Rapids for at least two weeks. Therefore, Rev. Bruinsma returned to Jamaica alone, and his family returned a week later.

As some of you may know by now, this will be Professor Hoeksema’s last year as Editor-in-Chief ofThe Standard Bearer. It seems however, that it will take two men to replace him. The Lord willing, at the end of this volume year, Rev. D. Engelsma will take over as Editor-in-Chief and Prof. R. Decker will begin his duties as Managing Editor, a position which was up to now held by our Editor as well.

On September 6, the. Covenant Evangelical Church was organized as the second congregation of our sister church in Singapore. The Rev. J. Mahtani will serve as their pastor. This group presently consists of nineteen adults, ten families, and nine children.

The Hope Prot. Ref. Christian School in Walker, Michigan opened its doors this fall for the 41st time. They have now completed forty years as a Christian School. This is a significant milestone in the age of any institution, person, or relationship. In the Bible we are told of many events associated with the number forty or the span of forty years. As many of us send our children to school this year, no matter which year it is, may we experience the nearness and guidance of our faithful, covenant God.

We are also happy to relay to our readers the fact that, as of August 12, our Protestant Reformed Christian School in Lynden, Washington, is completely paid for.

The consistory of First Church in Grand Rapids received a request from the Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music recently, asking for permission to use a photo of First Church as a cover for a soon-to-be-published commentary on the book of Acts, being written by one of their faculty members, entitled The Church in Crisis. First Church was chosen because the architecture of the building has variety and interest of line, not because they are a church in crisis. The request was granted.

It seems like only yesterday that many of our churches were dealing with different solutions to a hot summer. There was a talk of fans and or air conditioning. Now one of our churches, Doon, in Iowa, is replacing electric wall heaters and installing a new central furnace. It just serves as a reminder that summer’s heat will always give way to winter’s cold. God is unchangeable, He upholds all things, the seasons of the year as well.

The congregation in Grandville, MI sponsored their first annual fall lecture on September 15. They had for their speaker Rev. R. Van Overloop. He spoke on the Covenant Family. He spoke first about Husbands, then Wives, and then Parenting. Rev. Van Overloop handled his topic very well. Those who attended were not disappointed. Refreshments and a time of Christian fellowship were provided after the lecture.

The congregation in Lacombe, Alberta, recently had Rev. den Hartog preach there on classical appointment. While there, he presented a slide program on Singapore. He then packed his bags and slide projector and headed for Pella, Iowa, where he gave the same presentation to all interested, on the night before Classis West met.

The Hope Heralds gave a concert on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Hope Church. They repeated that concert on Sept. 22 at Kalamazoo to help Kalamazoo begin its fall society season.