Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.
The young people of the Hudsonville, MI PRC continue to be busy with plans for next year’s Young People’s Convention, scheduled for August 18-22 at Camp Miniwanca, on the east shore of Lake Michigan near Shelby, MI. Since our last update, Hudsonville’s young people have chosen a convention theme, “Knowing My God,” based on John 17-3, with Psalter 64:2 being their theme song. They have also asked the Revs. Ron Cammenga, Doug Kuiper, and Carl Haak to speak at their convention.
At their November 17th meeting, the Young People’s Society of the Bethel PRC in Itasca, IL was able to hear Seminarian Daniel Kleyn speak on “The Reformed Faith in Australia,” a subject he knows something about, having been born and raised in Tasmania.
We mentioned last time that many of our churches were busy this past Reformation Day with lectures commemorating the event. So before we move too far away from October, let me include just one more.
The First PRC in Edmonton, AB, Canada hosted a lecture on October 31 with Rev. M. DeVries, their pastor, speaking on the theme, “Contending for the Faith in an Age of Tolerance.” Rev. DeVries writes that there was an excellent turnout for this lecture. They did extensive advertising, and, especially due to the fact that the local Orthodox Reformed Church encouraged their members to attend, First had a church full. There were 60-70 in attendance from outside our PRC. Very encouraging.
On Sunday, October 27, the First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI commemorated the Protestant Reformation in both their services. Their Evangelism C,ommittee advertised these services by means of an insert in a local paper. Their congregation was also encouraged to invite friends and neighbors.
We lift the following, written by Rev. J. Kortering in Singapore, from a recent bulletin of the Loveland, CO PRC.
Rev. Kortering writes in part, “I preached in C.E.R.C. last evening and they told me that they had a man from the Netherlands who attended because he learned about their presence on your homepage. They didn’t know how he learned about your homepage in the first place, but at least we had a guest who came to church because he learned about us on the Net.” Interesting that a Netherlander learned about Singapore churches via Loveland, CO. The world is truly getting smaller.
We have learned that Rev. Moore, pastor of the Hull, IA PRC, also maintains a homepage on the Internet. Interested? He can be reached at http:/ /www.mtcnet. net./revmo/
Two of our congregations have enjoyed significant growth this past year, making it necessary to add additional elders to their consistory. Our Hope PRC in Redlands, CA added one elder at, their congregational meeting this December, bringing their total to five. Also, the Hudsonville, MI PRC added two elders, bringing their total to eleven.
We also pass along our congratulations to Mr. John C. Lubbers, a longtime member of our Hudsonville PRC, who this fall began his 61st year as a member of Hudsonville’s Men’s Society. The occasion was marked with an extra special lunch after society provided by Hudsonville’s Ladies’ Society, who meet the same night. May Mr. Lubbers and all the older members of our churches continue to be a faithful witness and an encouragement to all of us.
With the agreement of First PRC in Holland, MI, it was decided that Rev. C. Terpstra, who accepted the call to serve as pastor at First, would continue to serve at the South Holland, IL PRC as far into December as possible, for the sake of the internship of Daniel Kleyn. Rev. Terpstra will therefore give his farewell sermon on Sunday morning, December 22, D.V.
The search continues to go on for a suitable building site for the Georgetown PRC in Bauer, MI. Georgetown’s Council had presented a proposal to their congregation to purchase ten acres north of Hudsonville. But before their scheduled congregational meeting in early November, the council rescinded that proposal when further investigation revealed that the additional cost of preparing the property for building made the total cost too expensive for consideration.
A new Women’s Bible Study Group has begun meeting Thursday mornings in the First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI. For this year they have been studying a book entitled, Women of the Bible.
The Hull, IA PRC hosted this year’s Fall Ladies’ League Meeting on October 21. Rev. R. Moore spoke on the theme, “Answering Him That Reproacheth,” and Rev. A. Brummel answered some previously prepared questions.
Rev. S. Key, pastor of the Randolph, WI PRC, has declined the call he received to serve as pastor of the Hope PRC in Walker, MI.