All Articles For News From Our Churches

Trivia Question The Heidelberg Catechism, one of the three Forms of Unity, is dear to us. It was composed in the city of Heidelberg in 1563 at the request of Elector Frederick III. The first edition contained 128 questions and answers. The second and third editions contained 129 questions and answers. Do you know which question and its answer were added at the behest of the Elector? Answer later in this column. Young People’s Activities The Young People’s Society of Cornerstone PRC of Dyer, IN held a basketball game fund raiser on March 4. The Heritage Christian School varsity team...

Trivia Question You may realize that Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America has 15 member churches today. Do you know how many congregations there were in Classis West in 1951? Answer later in this column. Young People’s Activities The Grandville, MI PRC Young People’s Society recently hosted an elegant Italian dinner for members of their congregation, with proceeds helping to offset this year’s convention expenses. School Activities Supporters of the Loveland Protestant Reformed School made money for the school by delivering flowers for Valentine’s Day on February 13 and 14 for Lowe’s Flowers, a local business. A...

Trivia Question There are three Protestant Reformed Churches in the great land of Canada. They are First PRC of Edmonton, Alberta; Immanuel PRC of Lacombe, Alberta; and Wingham, Ontario PRC. Do you know which was organized into a Protestant Reformed congregation first? Answer later in this column. Young Adult Activities The Lynden, WA PRC welcomes young adults to their planned Protestant Reformed Young Adults Retreat to be held at Warm Beach Camp and Convention Center, 40 miles to the south of Lynden, on July 3-7, 2017. Registration opened in January and more information can be found by e-mailing Kyle Hanko...

A New Year “Fear is here! And though we wanted it otherwise, we brought it with us into the New Year.” Thus writes Rev. John Heys in a previous SB (volume 46, issue 7). “Putting up a new calendar, calling the month by a different name and the year by another number does not take away the fears we had in the year that is gone by with startling swiftness.” (Read more by Rev. Heys to see how the gift of faith abolishes fear!) Also…, as the year of our Lord 2017 is now underway, we note that John Newton...

Geography Facts Alas, in the November 15, 2016 issue, this column incorrectly placed the Limerick Reformed Fellowship in Northern Ireland. Shame on us! Did our readers notice? Those in Limerick certainly did! With a smile, some questioned our knowledge of the geography of their region. And rightfully so. You see, the Limerick Reformed Fellowship, a mission congregation of the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Northern Ireland is in the Republic of Ireland, a different country. Not Northern at all! Due apologies rendered and a pledge to visit them some day to see their beautiful country! Trivia Question While we are...

A New Year With this issue we turn the calendar page to 2017. We give thanks to God for His almighty care and His daily blessings through the past year! Truly God is good to Israel (Ps. 73:1)—and to us. May He guide and care for our churches in the coming year as only the Almighty can do! Praise be to Him! Congregational Activities Supporters of Hope PR Christian School in Redlands, CA participated in a doubles ping-pong tournament, with proceeds to the school and goodies like homemade caramel corn, ice cream, and hot cider served for refreshments. Young People’s...

Mission Activities For many years the Hope PRC Council, along with recent help from Hope’s Reformed Witness Committee (RWC), has been laboring with our fellow saints from the PRC of Yangon, Myanmar. Many of you are aware of this work to some degree, but others may not be as familiar with these labors. The work in Myanmar began originally as an offshoot of the PRC’s work in Singapore with the Asian Reformed Theological School. This work began first with Rev. J. Kortering, and was continued by the extensive work of Rev. A. denHartog, who made a total of seven different...

Congregational Activities From the bulletin of Lynden, WA PRC: Banket making continues this week Friday. We’ll start in the morning and continue on through the evening. Come whenever you can and stay as long as you can! We can use as many hands as possible! Come with no jewelry, an apron in a bag, and a smile. (If you don’t have an apron, one will be provided. If you don’t have a smile, well, we’ll do our best….) Hope to see you there! The PRC at Kalamazoo, MI began using their new organ in worship services not long ago. Young...

Minister Activities Synod 2016 of the PRC designated Byron Center, MI PRC as the calling church for another home missionary. The Council there had formulated a trio of Revs. C. Griess, B. Huizinga, and C. Spronk. On October 9 the congregation at Byron Center issued the call to Rev. Griess to be the next PRC home missionary. Also on October 9 the congregation at First PRC of Holland, MI extended a call to Rev. Nathan Decker to be their next pastor. He is currently serving at Trinity PRC of Hudsonville, MI and had also been considering the call to be...

Minister Activities From the trio of Rev. Allen Brummel, Rev. Nathan Decker, and Rev. Rodney Kleyn, the Lord of the harvest chose Rev. N. Decker to receive the call to be the denomination’s third missionary to the Republic of the Philippines. This was done through the voting of the male members of the Doon PRC on September 18. We pray that this same Lord might make His way known to Rev. Decker in the consideration of this call. Rev. Decker planned to answer on October 16. Rev. Dennis Lee, pastor at Bethel PRC in Roselle, IL along with his two...