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

Young People’s Activities

A hearty thanks goes out to all those who were involved in the planning and work connected with this year’s Young People’s Convention. This year’s convention was organized by the young people and congregation of the Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI and was held at Covenant Hills Camp in Otisville, MI from July 12 – 16. This year’s Convention was very well organized, no small task for all the many hands and hearts, young and old, at Southwest. The young people gave a very good testimony of their faith and walk, the unanimous testimony of the campground leaders, as well as the chaps. Southwest has received untold reports of the appreciation of our young people for the benefits of the convention. The conduct of our young people was exemplary. The Discipline Committee did not meet even once in the course of the week. All three speeches (by the Revs. R. Cammenga, R. Kleyn, and W. Langerak) were excellent, and the conventioneers left at the end of the week having “Drawn Near to God” in a very positive way. Discussion groups were characterized by good participation, interest, and maturity. If you think we are exaggerating, just find someone in your congregation, either a conventioneer or chap, and we think you will find that they had a rewarding time. Thanks be to God for the young people He has given to us. May God’s name have been honored and our young people spiritually enriched at this year’s convention.

Thirty-six teenagers and young adults from the Bethel PRC in Roselle, IL, as well as our congregations in South Holland, IL; Holland, MI; Hope in Grand Rapids, MI; Peace in IL; Randolph in WI; and the Pittsburgh Mission enjoyed a wonderful week canoeing in the Boundary Waters in Minnesota July 19-24. This was the fourth trip planned by the Young People’s Group of Bethel. Once again, everyone attending had an excellent opportunity for growth in grace and in learning to appreciate deeply our Father’s creation and the unity of the body of Christ.

This summer, before the Young People’s Convention, the young people of the Loveland, CO PRC began a week-long trip to West Michigan, Southwest PRC, and the convention by singing their way across the country. They gave a choir concert in their home church in Loveland and then traveled to Iowa, where they gave a concert at the Hull, Iowa PRC on July 7, with young people from the Hull and Doon congregations joining them. Then it was on to the Chicago, IL area, where they repeated their concert on July 9 with the young people from Peace, Bethel, and South Holland. Then on to Grand Rapids, MI and the Pre-Convention Singspiration at Fair Haven Ministries in Jenison, MI, where the Loveland young people, along with any other young people from Iowa and Illinois, gave a special number.

All young people from the Faith PRC in Jenison, MI were asked to meet in their Fellowship Room on August 1 for an informational meeting about the 2005 PRYP Convention, which, as you might have guessed by now, will be hosted by Faith next summer, the Lord willing.

Congregation Activities

Members of the First PRC in Holland, MI have been meeting together this summer for a Summer Book Club. This summer season they have been discussing the little book by John Calvin entitled Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life. One of their recent meetings looked at chapter 3 — “Patience in Cross Bearing.”

The congregation of the Doon, Iowa PRC gathered on July 9 for their annual church picnic, which this year also included a farewell program for their pastor, Rev. R. Smit, his wife, Tricia, and their five children. Sunday, June 27, Rev. Smit preached his farewell sermon at Doon, based on II Corinthians 13, entitled, “Finally, Brethren, Farewell.”

Rev. Smit was installed as the fourth pastor of the Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada on Sunday, July 18, at the afternoon service, by Rev. M. Dick. He preached his first sermon as Immanuel’s pastor the following Lord’s Day, July 25, from II Kings 2:9-15, under the theme “Taking Up the Mantle.” The following Wednesday there was a welcome dinner for the Smits held in the Bethel CRC Fellowship Hall.

Evangelism Activities

The Evangelism Society of Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI invited their community to this year’s Summer Seminar, “Marriage — God’s Institution,” on three Wednesdays in July and August. Subjects covered were, “The Bible’s Teaching on Marriage,” “Marriage and the Culture of Divorce,” and “Marriage and Homosexual Union.” The speakers were scheduled to be Rev. R. Cammenga, Rev. K. Koole, and Rev. C. Terpstra.

Mission Activities

Rev. Angus and Mary Stewart planned to travel to South Wales Friday, August 6, the Lord willing. Rev. Stewart planned on giving a lecture on “Does God Desire to Save the Reprobate?”

Rev. A. denHartog spent Sunday, July 25 in the Hope PRC in Redlands, CA. Besides leading the worship services he also gave a presentation on the work in Myanmar and Singapore.

Minister Activities

In our sister churches in Singapore, Rev. Cheah Fook Meng declined a recent call to serve as pastor of the Chinese ministry of the First ERCS.

Rev. G. Eriks declined the call he received from the Doon, Iowa PRC. On August 2, Doon extended a call to Rev. W. Bruinsma to serve as their next pastor. With Rev. Bruinsma on that trio were the Revs. C. Haak and J. Slopsema.

The Georgetown PRC in Hudsonville, MI extended a call to Rev. C. Haak to become their next pastor.

Rev. J. Laning declined the call he was considering to serve as the next pastor of First PRC in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

From a trio of the Revs. W. Bruinsma, G. Eriks, and D. Kleyn, the congregation of Faith PRC in Jenison, MI extended a call to Rev. Eriks to serve as their next pastor.

On Sunday evening, August 29, our Hudsonville, MI PRC will call a pastor from a trio made up of Rev. A. Brummel, Rev. A. denHartog, and Rev. S. Key.