Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.
If you are a parent with children in school, we do not have to remind you of just how quickly a school year can fly by. It is difficult to believe that by now the school year is more than half over. We thought the same thing recently regarding our seminary. How is it possible that their school year is now more than half over? Where has that time gone? By the time you read this, our seminary will be well into its second semester. However, again this year the professors offered an interim course to fill some of the time between semesters. This year’s interim course began January 8 and lasted eight days. The interim course this year was taught by Prof. B. Gritters on the subject of Heidelberg Catechism preaching.
The Covenant of Grace P.R. Fellowship of Spokane, WA, where Missionary Rev. T. Miersma and his family labor on behalf of our churches, met together on New Year’s Day for worship. Members of the Fellowship were also invited to stay and enjoy each others’ company after the service. Fellowship included a meal together, followed by playing board and other games.
Friday evening, January 12, Rev. A. Stewart, pastor of the Covenant PRC in Ballymena Northern Ireland, gave a lecture in South Wales at the Rest Convalescent Home in Porthcawl on the subject, “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.” Rev. Stewart promised to answer questions such as, Are the Pentecostals right? What is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Are there accompanying signs, and are there conditions for receiving the Holy Spirit?
Since our last “News,” we can also inform you that three new articles have been added to the language page of Covenant’s website (www.cprf. co.uk.): Ukrainian—”God’s Sovereign Love, Our Comfort,” by Prof. R. Decker; French—”The Importance of the Trinity,” by Rev. R. Hanko; and Romanian—”Sovereign Election,” by Rev. G. VanBaren.
Missionary Rev. W. Bruinsma, accompanied by his wife, Mary, was in Fayetteville, NC Sunday, January 14, to preach for the members of the PR Fellowship there.
As many of you are no doubt aware, the Domestic Mission Committee of our churches visited with a group in Sioux Falls, SD last November to consider their request to begin regular Sunday worship services in early 2007. The DMC has secured the services of Candidate Clay Spronk for this work and he and his family anticipate arriving in Sioux Falls in late January. He will preach there under the supervision of the Edgerton consistory.
In the months leading up to this move by the Spronks, Candidate Spronk has been especially busy teaching weekly catechism classes and providing pulpit supply for the vacant Kalamazoo, MI PRC. Candidate Spronk’s last service at Kalamazoo was January 14. For that service Mr. Spronk chose to bring a word of edification to Kalamazoo’s congregation from Rev. 2:8-11under the theme, “Jesus’ Word to the Church Suffering Tribulation.” After that evening service Kalamazoo had a time of refreshment and fellowship as they bid goodbye to Candidate Spronk and his family.
One week later, Sunday, January 21, the congregation of Faith PRC in Jenison, MI, where the Spronks have their church membership, gathered together for a farewell coffee for Candidate Spronk, his wife, Allison, and their family, before they left to take up their labors in South Dakota.
The Council of the Hull, IA PRC gave approval recently for a separate Bible study beginning the 18th of January in the basement of the Iowa State Bank building in Hull, for members who desire to be part of a daughter congregation. The Council also approved separate worship services beginning on March 4, D.V., if pulpit supply can be secured. A request will also be submitted to Classis West at the March Classis seeking appointments for pulpit supply from the first Sunday in April through September. The Lord willing, worship services will be held in the auditorium of the Boyden—Hull High School and will be under the oversight of Hull’s Council.
On a sadder note, the following announcement appeared in all our church bulletins in mid-December:
“After prayerful consideration the congregation of Covenant PRC, Wyckoff, NJ, on December 10, 2006 voted to disband. The last worship service will be on Dec. 31, 2006. We are thankful to God and our fellow saints in the PRC for all that has been done for us these 33 years of our existence (I Cor. 12:12). ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.'”
Let us remember our brothers and sisters in this congregation at this sad and difficult time.
The Choir of the Georgetown PRC in Hudsonville, MI presented their celebration of the birth of our Lord on Sunday evening, January 7.
Members of the Peace PRC in Lansing, IL were invited to gather together January 19 at one of their member’s homes for an informal psalm-sing. Members were encouraged to feel free to come and go as they pleased, and they were reminded to bring their Psalters and a snack to share.
The Evangelism Committee of First PRC in Holland, MI sponsored their annual Winter Conference again this January. This year’s conference considered, “The Antithesis: Godly Living in Ungodly Times.” All three lectures were held at First. January 12 Rev. D. Kleyn spoke on “Antithetical in a Technological Age,” followed on January 19 by “Antithetical in an Age of Covetousness,” given by Rev. G. Eriks, and concluded with Prof. H. Hanko speaking January 26 on “Antithetical in an Age of Great Immorality.”
The Standard Bearer is a semi-monthly, 24-page print magazine devoted to explaining and defending reformed doctrine, promoting the Reformed life of the church and believer, and combating old and new errors that threaten to disrupt the reformed faith and life.
THE STANDARD BEARER IS PUBLICATION BY REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-2022
