Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.

Denominational Activities

The warm, lazy days of summer have given way to the cool, crisp days of fall, and it’s time for you and me to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Not just you and me, of course, but our churches, schools, and seminary as well.

That’s just what happened on the evening of August 30 in the auditorium of the Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI. Our denomination’s seminary went back to work for another year. A crowd overflowing into the narthex at Southwest gathered for two very worthwhile reasons. First, they were there to be part of and participate in our seminary convocation. And second, they were there to take part in the dedication and open house of a large new addition to that seminary.

By rotation, Prof. D. Engelsma gave the convocation address, based on Amos 3:7, 8, entitled, “The PR Seminary: The Lion Still Roars.” Prof. Engelsma pointed out first of all that, from its earliest beginnings in one room in the basement of the old First PRC in Grand Rapids, to its present modem expanded and up-to-date facility in Grandville, there really has been no change in the purpose and goal of our seminary. It remains the same, to provide preachers for our churches, men who will preach the gospel of salvation. We can thank God that today, as in the past, our seminary is governed by the entire Word of God, the Lion’s roar. And by God’s grace our seminary stands in service to that lion.

Included with Prof. Engelsma’s address on the program were the singing of a couple of Psalter numbers, a beautiful solo, “How Beautiful Upon the Mountains,” sung by Mrs. Jane Woudenberg, and the introduction of this year’s student body. This year there are eleven young men enrolled in our seminary, nine from our churches, one from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and one from the Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore.

After the Convocation, visitors also had the opportunity to tour the new seminary. This building contains a new, enlarged library and individual office space for each professor. In addition, each student has his own private study area set aside just for him.

The newly added basement also will house a climate-controlled, fire-protected room for our churches’ archives, plus plenty of room for storage and other possible future uses.

If this wasn’t enough, the existing building has been given a face- lifting of carpet and paint, in addition to a partial remodeling which took existing space and made it into usable office space for the seminary office secretary, besides adding a work room for future editions of this magazine and other projects of our churches. Truly we have a splendid building, one we can all be proud of. What a work God has done. Who will not fear?

School News

This past summer the school society of the Adams St. Christian School voted to approve the sale of their school property to the public schools of Grand Rapids, MI. Our school may use the-building for the 1995-1996 school season. That means that by this time next year they must have decided where to relocate—no easy decision for Adams’ Board or the families that support her. Remember this need in your prayers.

On August 2, the Ladies’ School Circle of the Faith Christian School in Randolph, WI held their first annual Talent Program to benefit the school. This program was held in the sanctuary of our church in Randolph and, from a personal account, it was a very nice program with lots of talent.

Young People’s Activities

Not all money raised by our churches’ young people is earmarked for their annual conventions. The young people of the Georgetown – PRC in Hudsonville, MI recently received a big thank you from their congregation for contributing close to two thousand dollars toward the purchase of a copy machine.

Other fund-raisers by several of our churches’ young people during this past year have included a slide program by Pastor A. denHartog on Singapore (about their new church building and dedication) sponsored by the young people of the Hope PRC in Redlands, CA; a car wash and wax by the young people of the First PRC in Holland, MI; a garage sale sponsored by the young people of the Lynden, WA PRC; and a combined pancake breakfast/car wash sponsored jointly by the young people of the South Holland and Peace PRCs in Illinois.

Minister Activities

Rev. K. Koole, serving our Faith PRC in Jenison, MI, declined the call he received from the Edgerton, MN PRC.

Since that decline, Edgerton has formed a new trio from which they will call. That trio includes Candidates Allen Brummel and Doug Kuiper along with Rev. R. Flikkema of the Covenant PRC in Wyckoff, NJ.

The Byron Center, MI PRC also has a new trio, consisting of Rev. S. Key of the Randolph, WI PRC, Rev. R. Moore from the Hull, IA PRC, and Candidate Doug Kuiper.

Food for Thought

“Next after theology, I give to music the highest place and greatest honor. The devil hates to hear the saints sing Psalms, which is why I try to spend a good part of my day doing it.”

—Martin Luther