PRC Weekly Congregational, Denominational, and Sister-Church News - November 5, 2017 *(Updated)

On this first Lord's Day of November 2017 (Nov.5) we note the following news and information from PRC congregations, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

• On Oct.29 the congregation of First PRC (GR) voted to extend a call to Rev. B. Huizinga, currently pastor of Hope PRC (Redlands, CA).
  
• The Council of SW PRC (Wyoming, MI) announces a new trio from which to call a pastor: Rev. J. Engelsma (Doon PRC), Rev. W. Langerak (Southeast PRC), and Candidate David Noorman.  A special congregational meeting has been scheduled for TODAY immediately following the evening worship service. *UPDATE: Rev. J. Engelsma has received this call.
• From Lynden PRC's bulletin of Oct.29 we find these details concerning pastors-elect B. Feenstra and S. Regnerus:
  • As was announced last week, Stephan Regnerus has accepted our call as our next minister. His Classical examination, along with Brian Feenstra’s, will be held in Lynden, starting with Stephan’s specimen sermon on Tuesday, November 28 at 7:00 p.m. Classis will convene at 8:30 on Wednesday, November 29 with Brian’s specimen sermon and examination to follow. The Lord willing, Stephan’s Installation/Ordination will be on Friday, December 1, at 7:00 p.m.

DENOMINATIONAL and SISTER-CHURCH NEWS:

• The following special note was found in Grandville PRC's bulletin concerning the PRC Contact Committe delegation currently visiting Singapore and the Philippines:
  

  • This past Wednesday Dave Kregel and Rev. Smit met with the PRC Classis of the Philippines and read Synod's letter expressing a desire for and approving of a sister church relationship with them. Final implementation of the relationship waits the approval of our two other sister churches. Brother Kregel writes from the Philippines: "This Sunday I plan to worship with the Berean congregation and then with Provident (the church which hopes to join the federation in the near future-Rev Holstege works there mostly). And then, next on the agenda, on to Singapore on Monday D.V. On a personal note: I would never in my wildest dreams (as a Dutchman from GR) have expected to have had opportunity to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with fellow believers from the Philippines at their own conference. Amazing. Please continue to pray for our work, but especially for the saints here and for our missionaries.".

• From the Covenant ERC in Singapore's bulletin for today we find these specials notices:
  • "This week we welcome Rev. Singh and Sonali to Singapore. Our missionary and his wife will be attending the Reformation Day Conference, they will be joining us for worship next Sunday, and enjoying fellowship with their fellow saints in CERC.
  • This week we also welcome the church visitors from the PRCA. Rev. Richard Smit and Elder Dave Kregel will be arriving early this week, and will be conducting church visitation with CERC’s Session on 8 Nov (Wed) at 8pm at church. Please see our Church Order, Article 44 for more information on church visitation. Rev. Smit will also be speaking at our Reformation Day Conference, as well as preaching for us next Sunday. We thank God that we can welcome these visitors, and we also welcome anyone else who may be in our midst today and the weeks to come.
  • Pastor Lanning will be leaving for Brisbane, Australia on Thursday night, returning Monday morning. He will be speaking for the Reformation Day Conference in Brisbane on Saturday and preaching both services on Sunday in the Brisbane EPCA. Let us pray that the RDCs both in Singapore and Brisbane are profitable for God’s people and for the promotion of God’s eternal truth."
• Prof. D. Engelsma and his wife are currently visiting our sister church in Ballymena, N. Ireland, where he has given four Reformation lectures, as well as preached on the three Sundays he is there (including today yet). Covenant PRC's bulletin included this note: "Rev. Stewart will be preaching in the LRF on 29 October and 5 & 12 November. Our pastor will also be giving a lecture on “Martin Luther’s Great Discovery” in Limerick on Saturday, 28 October. Rev. McGeown will be speaking in the U.S. at Reformation conferences there and will be returning on Thursday, 9 November. He will preach for the CPRC on 12 November."
• The PRC Seminary Reformation 500th Anniversary Conference, which was held the weekend of Oct.27-28 in Faith PRC (Jenison, MI), was repeated this past weekend in Hull, IA and Loveland, CO, with three speakers giving their lectures again in each place. The speeches as given in Faith PRC are now posted on her Sermonaudio page and may be found together below:
  
  • What Was the Reformation? by Prof. R. Cammenga
  • The Reformation's Return to Sola Scriptura by Rev. David Torlach
  • The Reformation's Restoration of the Office of Believer by Prof. Barry Gritters
  • The Reformation's Recovery of Right Worship by Rev. Martyn McGeown
  • The Reformation's Response to the 'Radical Reformation' by Prof. Russell Dykstra
  • The Reformation's Progress in the Lowlands by Rev. Steven Key

SPECIAL NOTICES:

• From Byron Center PRC: PART 1 of Prof. D. Engelsma's Q & A regarding spousal abuse is now available on Byron Center's website, ( www.byronprc.net ). Scroll down the right side of cover page and click on "Part 1". We will announce when the remaining questions are answered and available for viewing.
• If you wish to see pictures of the recent Seniors' Retreat held at Gull Lake in Michigan (Sept.26-29), sponsored by Grandville and First PRCs (Holland), visit the bulletin page for this link: 2017 Seniors' Retreat Pictures - Gull Lake, MI (registered users only).

• Reformed Book Outlet: November special:

  RBO has a special offer for the month of November. When you purchase $35.00 worth of goods, before tax, you can pick out a free Protestant Reformed Psalm Singing Choir CD. We carry all 19 volumes of these CDs (the earlier ones are called Fitting Praises).

• Don't forget to listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday! Todays' message by radio pastor Rev. W. Bruinsma is titled "Abounding in Love (1)," based on 1 Thess.3:11-13.
  
  • NEW RWH Station - The Cornerstone PRC Word and Deed committee has partnered with the Reformed Witness Hour to air their messages on the radio in the Chicago area. Beginning today, September 10, the broadcast can be heard every Sunday at 4:00PM on WYLL 1160AM or on the internet at www.1160hope.com. Please tune in and encourage others to do so as opportunity arises in your personal witnessing.

 MISSION NEWS:

• From Hull PRC's bulletin and Hope PRC's (Grand Rapids, MI) bulletin for this Sunday we note the following special announcement concerning Rev. Titus and their work in Myanmar:
• • Myanmar Presentation: This Sunday (Nov.5) after the evening service we plan to have a presentation on mission work being done in Myanmar. Rev. Titus and his wife Cer te from Myanmar are scheduled to be in this area from November 3– 6.
  • HOPE PRC’S REFORMED WITNESS COMMITTEE invites you to Covenant CHS Sunday, November 12, at 8:00 pm to attend an informative program concerning Hope’s work in Myanmar with the PRC of Yangon, Myanmar. Rev. Titus Sanceuluai, pastor of the church in Myanmar, along with his wife Certi, will be part of the program. This will be a great way to learn more about the work there, the fellow saints in Myanmar, and get to know Rev. Titus and Certi personally. We look forward to seeing you there.
• On Oct.1 Rev. R. Smit (First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI) ACCEPTED the call of Doon PRC to serve as a third missionary to the Philippines. According to Doon's bulletin "[Rev. Smit] will be installed as our missionary on November 26. The Smits plan to move to the Philippines on December 25. All this, the Lord willing."We give thanks to the Lord of the harvest for providing this next foreign missionary for this abundant field of labor.
  

 The newly declared PRCP mission in Albuera, Leyte (March, 2017)

• From the Nov.5 bulletins of Provident Christian Church in Marikina, the Philippines and the Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela we find the following notes concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
  

  • Rev. Holstege will preach in the first service today, while Rev. Smit preaches in Berean PRC. Rev. Smit will then preach for us in our second service. Rev. Kleyn will be in Maranatha PRC today.

  • [Maranatha PRC] Today, our Missionary, Rev. D. Kleyn will lead our first service and Rev. L. Trinidad will lead the second service. After the Second Service Rev. D. Kleyn will continue the Lesson # 72-73 of the Church Order, while Rev. L. Trinidad will be teaching the children Catechism.

  • The Classis of the PRCP met last Wednesday at Maranatha PRC. At the meeting, the delegates from the Contact Committee of the PRCA spoke words of joy and encouragement regarding the new sister church relationship approved last summer at the PRCA Synod. The PRCP Classis also declared their first official mission field in Albuera, Leyte. Classis appointed the PRC in Bulacan as calling church. Until a missionary can be called, they advised sending monthly delegations to Albuera.

  • The delegates of the Contact Committee of the PRCA (Rev. Smit and Mr. D. Kregel) met with Committee 2 of the PRCP after Classis. Rev. Smit and Elder Kregel plan to fly to Singapore tomorrow to meet with the CERCS, another sister church of the PRCA.

• Let's remember these busy pastors and missionaries in the Philippines in our prayers daily. May the Lord of the harvest give them grace for all their labors.
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