All Articles For News From Our Churches

Some time ago I was sent a copy of the minutes of a meeting of the Fiftieth Anniversary Committee, with the suggestion that some advance publicity be given by way of the Church News column. A fine idea, I think, especially now that our Standard Bearer has launched the commemoration of its own fiftieth anniversary. The fiftieth year of our churches’ existence follows on the heels of that of the Standard Bearer, so the celebration of the latter ought to excite interest in that of the former.

Rev. M. Kamps is currently considering the call from Kalamazoo. Rev. and Mrs. Lubbers are, of course, well into their labors in our congregation in Pella. Rev. Lubbers writes that they’re happy to be there, that he is quite busy, and that he tries “to do the work with all the zest that a sixty-five year old man can muster with God’s help.” He was, incidentally, scheduled to speak at the chapel exercises in Pella Christian School on the 19th of February.

Several of our churches have extended calls during the past few weeks. The calls from both Forbes and Randolph have gone to Candidate W. Bekkering. Hope Church has called Rev. Lanting. Redlands has called Candidate M. Kamps.

If we were to choose from this page one single news item to be that of the greatest significance for the churches of our denomination, it would probably be this, that Rev. R. Decker, pastor of our South Holland, Illinois congregation, has accepted the call to serve as third professor in our seminary. The possibility of a pre-seminary program in our school during the 1973-1974 school year, rested with that decision. The fact that the Lord has provided for the need, must certainly be an evidence also of His blessing upon the labors there.

It seems that Young People’s Societies throughout our denomination are busily engaged in various fundraising projects, with a view to their attending the eagerly-anticipated convention. The Federation Board of those societies, for example, sponsored a pancake breakfast at Hope School’s gymnasium last December 28. The young people of Hull, Iowa, held a soup supper, followed by sports’ activities in the gym of the community building, on February 22, The young people of the host societies (First Church) sponsored a Casserole Supper on the evening of January 30.

Of keen interest, no doubt, is news concerning the calls which have been extended during the past months. For that reason, it’s not likely that many of our readers will learn of these calls for the first time through the Standard Bearer news column. But we’ll report them, nevertheless. Rev. Lanting declined the call from Hope Church (Grand Rapids). Candidate W. Bekkering, who received calls from both Forbes and Randolph, has accepted the call from the latter. Candidate M. Kamps received and accepted the call from Redlands, California. Rev.

Rev. James Slopsema declined the call extended to him by our church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Soon after they received this news, Randolph formed a new trio consisting of Rev. John Heys, Rev. Rodney Miersma, and Candidate Kenneth Koole. After a recent congregational meeting, Candidate Koole received the call from Randolph. 

Rev. R. Decker and family planned to move to Grand Rapids the day after Labor Day. His installation into the office of Seminary Professor is scheduled for October 3, in First Church. Professor H. Hanko will conduct the service and Rev. G. VanBaren will read the Form for Installation. Following the service there will be a social hour in the basement.

Professor Herman Hanko, now teaching in our Seminary, has declined his call to become pastor of First Church in Grand Rapids. Our church in Randolph, Wisconsin, has extended a call to Candidate Kenneth Koole. Rev. Ronald VanOverloop, pastor of Hope Church in Walker, Michigan, has accepted the request of our Synodical Committee for Contact with Other Churches to labor in Christchurch, New Zealand for a period of nine or ten months. Permission for this rather special ‘loan’ of their pastor has been granted by the Hope Church Council. Rev.

The following trios have been proposed recently by the council of Hope Church (Grand Rapids): for pastor, Rev. J. Heys, Candidate R. VanOverloop, and Rev. B. Woudenberg; for home missionary, Rev. R. Decker, Rev. D. Engelsma, and Rev. D. Kuiper. At a congregational meeting held on August 21, Candidate VanOverloop was elected from the former, and Rev. D. Kuiper from the latter. Candidate VanOverloop has also received the call from Forbes, North Dakota.