On this Pentecost Sunday 2017 (June 4) we report on the following news and information from PRC congregations and mission fields:
CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:
- On May 21 the congregation of Southwest PRC voted to call Rev. N. Decker (Trinity PRC, Hudsonville).
- On May 28 Rev. C. Haak (Georgetown PRC) declined the call from First PRC, Holland MI.
- On May 28 Rev. C. Griess (Calvary PRC, Hull IA) received the call from Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, AB.
- The Council of Zion PRC (Hudsonville/Jenison, MI) announces a new trio from which to call her first pastor: Revs. N. Decker, C. Griess (Calvary, Hull, IA), and R. Kleyn (Spokane, WA).
DENOMINATIONAL NEWS
From the bulletin of Grandville PRC we find this news about the delegation from the PRC Contact Committee and Faith PRC to the BERG in Giessen, Germany this week:
Rev and Pat Koole with the VanderSchaafs and Bouwkamps arrived safely in Germany Tuesday morning. Wednesday Rev. Koole gave his speech at the Seminary about the Covenant and the controversy over conditions in the covenant. They are now at a church camp in which two small Reformed Congregations will listen to 4 speeches on the importance of church membership and then will worship together at the camp on Sunday. The delegates will be discussing various and practical issues with the Elders of THE BERG this coming week.
This notice was also sent out this week from the Sated Clerk of Synod concerning the upcoming 2017 meeting of the PRC Synod:
Synod Notice: The pre-synodical service will be held on Monday evening, June 12, at 7:00 p.m., in Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church. Rev. G. Eriks, president of Synod 2016, will preach the sermon. Synod convenes Tuesday morning at 8:00 in Hudsonville PRC. Synod is scheduled to examine seven senior seminarians with a view to declaring them eligible for a call. They will preach their specimen sermons on Tuesday - four preaching at Hudsonville PRC and three at Providence PRC. Their oral exams will take place Wednesday and Thursday - all at Hudsonville PRC. Graduation is planned for Thursday evening, June 15 at 7:30 in Hudsonville PRC. Prof. B. Gritters will deliver the commencement address: "The Ministry: An Existence, Not An Occupation." The pre-synodical service and the graduation will be streamed live at http://hudsonvilleprc.org.
MISSION NEWS:
- On May 28 Rev. C. Haak declined the call from Byron Center PRC to serve as a home missionary.
- On May 14 the congregation of Doon PRC voted to extend a call to Rev. H. Bleyenberg to serve as a third missionary to the Philippines. In order to properly consider this call, Rev. Bleyenberg and his wife plan to visit the field for two weeks in June (9-22). We pray God's blessing on them as they leave this week Friday.
- From the Provident Christian Church for today we find the following notes concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
- Rev. Holstege will preach for us in the first service today. In the second service, Rev. Kleyn will preach a sermon to commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Next Sunday, June 11, Rev. Kleyn will preach in the first service and Rev. Heath Bleyenberg in the second, the Lord willing.
- The Wednesday night Bible study will meet this week, June 7, at 7:30. Rev. Holstege will continue teaching Heads III/IV of the Canons of Dordt.
- The Classis of the PRCP is scheduled to meet on Monday, June 12, at the Berean PRC.
Below are a couple of pictures posted on the Kleyn's blog this past week about a new young people's forum called "Reformed Discussion Table":
