All Articles For News From Our Churches

Trivia question How many living original (1924) members of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America are there in our churches today? Answer later in this column…or not? Sister-church activities Prof. D. Engelsma lectured in Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland October 21st on “Martin Luther: Theologian of the Glory of God” (11 a.m.) and “Justification in Paul and James” (1 p.m.); October 27th on “Martin Luther: Man of Conviction” and on November 3 on “Calvin’s Doctrine of the Covenant.” For those unable to attend, the speeches were streamed live on CPRC’s website and recorded (audio and video). Prof....

Trivia question Do you know how many PRCA churches have been organized since the year 2000? Answer later in this column. Minister activities On August 20 the congregation at Doon, IA PRC received a letter of decline from Rev. Clayton Spronk to be a missionary to the Philippine mission field. We are thankful for God’s clear revelation to Rev. Spronk. Also on August 20 the congregation at Byron Center, MI PRC called Rev. Brian Huizinga to be their next pastor. Rev. Huizinga declined this call on September 10. Candidate Matthew DeBoer accepted the call extended to him from the Edgerton,...

Trivia Question Rev. John Flores is the pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Bulacan in the Manila area of the Philippines. When Pastor Flores attended the Grace Ministerial Academy (Reformed Baptist seminary) in 2005, what book did he find in the library there that proved very helpful to him? Answer later in this column. Congregational Activities The congregation of Peace PRC in Lansing, IL made a big decision on July 31. The decision was made to purchase the New Hope Community Church Campus in Dyer, IN. This includes almost five acres of land quite near to the PR School....

Trivia Question At the time of this writing schools have not yet started the 2017-2018 school year. But when you read this, they will have begun all the activities of a new year. Do you know how many Protestant Reformed Christian schools exist in North America? Answer later in this article. Mission Activities Pastor Vernon Ibe of the Berean PRC in the Philippines, along with missionary-pastor Rev. Daniel Holstege and Seminarian Matt Kortus, visited with the saints in Sitio Karugang, Gabaldon, in the Province of Nueva Ecija. Rev. Ibe led the saints there in the study of “Essentials of Reformed...

Trivia Question Each Thursday, recently, Rev. Daniel and Sharon Kleyn, our missionaries to the Philippines, are involved in a Tagalog refresher course. When I asked Rev. Kleyn if there are mangoes on the large tree on the west side of his house he replied: “Opo, may mga mangga sa puno na ito. Pero, kaunti lang.” What do you think, mangoes or no? Answer later in this column. God Sent a Storm! The God who controls all nature sent a driving windstorm to the Grand Rapids, MI area on July 6 and 7. Winds were measured up to 90 mph and...

Trivia Question Once upon a time there was a Protestant Reformed congregation whose members all lived in one U.S. State and their church building was in another State. Do you know what town they worshipped in? Answer later in this column. Denominational Activities Classis East noted with thanks the work of its former stated clerk, Mr. Jon Huisken, for his faithful labors over the past 40 years. The annual Synod of the PRC convened June 13 in Hudsonville, MI PRC. A large and weighty agenda was to be treated by the delegates. Seven students underwent examination, with all gaining synod’s...

Trivia Question First, please add the great state of Indiana to the list of those as home to only one PRC. Cornerstone PRC is located in Dyer, IN. When did the Beacon Lights, the periodical of the Protestant Reformed Young People’s Federation, begin publication? Answer later in this column. Sister-Church Activities This summer Rev. Angus Stewart and his wife Mary plan to take their biennial holiday in North America, D. V. Rev. Stewart is to preach a total of eight times in these PRC congregations: Spokane, Edmonton, Lacombe, Lynden, Providence, and Hudsonville. The Stewarts look forward to worshiping with the...

Trivia Question Six states in the United States of America are home to only one Protestant Reformed Church. Which six? Answer later in this column. Sister-Church Activities At the meeting of her Session (Council) in March the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore had a guest. Her missionary to Kolkata (India), Rev. Emmanuel Singh, joined the Session meeting via Skype. This will be a regular occurrence in the future, as Rev. Singh will join the Session only for those items that deal with the work in Kolkata. Rev. Singh submits a monthly report, which the Session reads and has opportunity...

Trivia Question How did it come to be that the small town of Hull, IA (population about 2,500) is home to two PR churches? Answer later in this column. Congregational Activities At their meeting held in March the congregation of Providence PRC in Hudsonville, MI voted to change the time of their second worship services from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. beginning April 2. The choir of Faith PRC presented their spring concert on March 26. Many attended this evening of praise to God! Psalter 259 comes to mind: “Sing to the Lord, sing His praise all ye peoples, New...

Trivia Question The 2016 PRC Acts of Synod lists five current PRC ministers whose last name begins with the letter “K.” Can you name them? Answers later in this column. Congregational Activities The sanctuary at Heritage PR Church in Sioux Falls, SD gets filled up once a year. That’s the Sunday evening before President’s Day when the congregation there hosts an annual singspiration for the five Siouxland churches. That date is chosen because there is no school the next day, making it more conducive to a larger crowd. This year the temperature was a balmy 55 degrees (F) on a...