PRC and Sister-Church News Highlights for June 27, 2021

The following are special highlights of PRC and sister-church news for this Sunday, June 27, the twenty-sixth Lord's Day of this year 2021.

Today, as members of Christ's body, we gather in worship to bring our praise and thanks to our triune God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for all His gifts, especially the gift of salvation full and free through His Son. Through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit may we give our glorious God the honor due His name. May these words of the psalmist be ours:

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. ~ Psalm 11:4,5,7

• If you are new to this website and are interested in the PRC, we invite you to join us at any of our services (morning and afternoon/evening). For congregations, locations and times, visit this page.

• This morning Prof. Russell Dykstra was installed as Byron Center PRC's new pastor. Prof. B. Gritters led the morning worship service and Prof. Dykstra preached his inaugural sermon this evening.
  
  
• Today Rev. R. Barnhill (Peace PRC) declined the call to Kalamazoo PRC.
  
  
• Rev. J. Engelsma (Doon PRC, IA) is considering the call from Crete PRC (IL - received June 13). He plans to answer by July 11.
  
  
• The PRC Synod extended a call to Rev. C.Griess (pastor of First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI) to serve as professor in the PRC Seminary, replacing Prof. B. Gritters in the area of Practical Theology and NT Studies. He plans to answer by July 4.
  
  
• Update from Providence PRC on Rev. M.McGeown's immigration status: One major hurdle in the immigration process was crossed on Thursday June 24: Rev McGeown had his immigration interview, which went well. The next step is the medical examination on July 13. Two or three weeks after that, Rev McGeown expects to get the visa, and thus permission to travel to the USA. Today he is preaching his farewell sermon in Limerick and will spend the month of July organizing many important matters. We thank the Lord for this progress in coming to the U.S. to serve Providence and pray for Rev. McGeown and the saints in Limerick as his work there ends.

• The final worship services of Bethel PRC (Roselle, IL) were held today. May the Lord be with our fellow saints and her pastor, Rev. D. Lee (moving to West MI), as they transition to other places and congregations. Her final bulletin today contained this note: Today we worship together as an instituted church of Jesus Christ for one final Lord's Day. We rejoice in, are thankful to and glorify God for the privilege we have had in the past 32 years to give a public witness of the Reformed faith in the NW suburbs of Chicago in such a way. We also pray that God will have blessed all we have done in His service and unto the glory of His Name and the furtherance of His covenant and kingdom.

• Classical appointments and pulpit supply for today in the vacant PRCs: Rev. D.Holstege  in Crete PRC (IL);  and Prof. D.Kuiper in First PRC-Holland; Rev. M.DeVries and Prof. B.Gritters in Hudsonville PRC;  Sem. M.Wee and Rev. K.Koole in Kalamazoo PRC; Sem. M.Koerner and Cand. J.Tan in Providence PRC. What a privilege and blessing of our church federation it is to be able to help one another in this need!
  
  May we also remember to pray for all the needs of these vacant congregations, including Wingham PRC, which cannot receive pulpit supply from the U.S. at this time (pandemic travel restrictions).
  
  
• For those who may still be limited to house worship, whether completely or partially, we invite you to visit the PR churches page and follow the links to the websites where the churches' livestream may be found. Or you may visit the selected audio sermon page and listen to one of your choice there.
  
  
• Did you know that...
  • Cand. J.Tan is giving a talk on personal evangelism tonight in Providence PRC after their fellowship dinner? Here's the notice in her bulletin today: We have made plans to have Candidate Tan give a brief speech to our congregation after the Fellowship Dinner tonight on the subject of personal evangelism. Please plan on about a 20-minute presentation followed by questions and answers. Sem. Tan is also giving a talk on this subject for Young Calvinists this week Wednesday, June 30, at 7 p.m. in Hudsonville PRC.

  • The Western Young People's Retreat is being held this week Tuesday-Friday in Idaho? Here's the note in Covenant of Grace PRC today with some details: The week has come for our annual Young People’s Retreat at Camp Sanders in Tensed, ID. ...For parents and others who would like to join us for the speeches, these will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM. The theme verse is Psalm 119:101, and Rev. Matt DeBoer will speak on Tuesday evening on “Restraining my Feet from Evil,” and Rev. Kleyn will speak on Thursday evening on “Overcoming Sin and Temptation.”  
    

PRC DENOMINATIONAL NEWS:

• PRC Synod 2021: The delegates and advisors met from June 9-17. For the daily reports on synod's work and decisions, visit this page. The printed PRC Acts of Synod 2021 and Yearbook is being worked on and should be available sometime this summer.
• Revs. D. Lee and J. Marcus are eligible for calls in the PRC and her sister churches. Let us remember them in prayer as they await new charges.

PRC Seminary Notices:

• The seminary is now in her spring/summer break. Continue to pray for the seminary in all her needs. The faculty keeps busy with preparation for the next term as well as with other activities, and many of the students return to their summer jobs. The staff is present to assist with any needs you may have. The seminary, including the library and bookstore, will be open daily during the summer months, except for holidays (M-F, 8-5).
• The PRC Synod extended a call to Rev. C.Griess (pastor of First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI) to serve as professor in the PRC Seminary, replacing Prof. B. Gritters in the area of Practical Theology and NT Studies. He plans to answer by July 4.
  
• Prof. R. Dykstra, who accepted the call to Byron Center (MI) PRC, was installed today by Prof. B. Gritters. We pray for him and his wife Carol as they enter the pastoral ministry once again. In the Fall Prof. Dykstra will also be finishing his final year of teaching at the PRC Seminary (two classes) as Prof. Kuiper prepares his final courses to replace him.
• Senior student Josiah Tan (Covenant ERC, Singapore) was examined at the PRC Synod (June 8-10) and approved as a candidate for the ministry in his home church, Covenant ERC in Singapore as well as in the PRC. His graduation ceremony was held on June 10 in Georgetown PRC. For more on this event, visit this link. We rejoice with the brother and his wife in God's goodness and pray that he will soon find a place to serve in Christ's church. He plans to leave the U.S. on July 12.
• The internship of Seminarian Marcus Wee (Covenant ERC, Singapore) will take place this summer and fall (July - December) at Faith PRC (Jenison, MI) under Rev. C. Spronk. 
• Sem. Matthew Koerner (entering his junior year) has been licensed to speak a word of edification in the churches.  As of May 30 he has begun preaching in various PRCs, including out west this summer.
• Work continues on the Spring 2021 issue of the PRTS Journal. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please call or email the seminary.
• For the latest seminary news and information, visit the seminary's website.

The meeting place of Limerick Reformed Fellowship, Ireland (see special note below)

SISTER-CHURCH/MISSION NEWS:

• Covenant ERC, Singapore and her Kolkata, India mission work:
  
  • From the "Pastoral Voice" in her bulletin today: On 26 June 2021, we concluded our church 34th Annual Congregation Meeting. We witnessed the goodness of God to Covenant in these 34 years. He alone is the one who has kept us through all the trials and struggles. We can only say together with the Psalmist,“Indeed the eye of the LORD is upon us”. It is with this assurance that the Lord grant us the grace and mercy to courageously tread on in these perilous times to come to the church of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim 3:1).
  • The April 2021 issue of Salt Shakers is currently available! Visit the link to read the edifying articles. Especially are young people are encouraged to do so!
    
    
• Covenant PRC, N. Ireland and her Limerick, Ireland mission:
  • Rev. A. Stewart continues to minister the Word in person to the saints in Ballymena.
  • This past week the May and June 2021 issues of the "Covenant Reformed News" were published. Follow the link to read the latest profitable articles.
    
  • Limerick Reformed Fellowship: Today is Rev McGeown’s last Sunday preaching for the Limerick Reformed Fellowship. Rev McGeown preached his first sermon in Limerick on 25 July 2010 on Romans 1:16 (“Not Ashamed of the Gospel”) and intends to preach his final sermon in Limerick on the same text. Rev and Larisa would like to thank the saints of the Limerick Reformed Fellowship, including those who have already moved to Northern Ireland to join the CPRC in Ballymena, for their friendship, support, and fellowship in the Lord over many years. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:3-6).
• PRC in the Philippines and her mission work:
  
  • The latest Philippines' Newsletter may be found here.
    
  • Berean PRC bulletin: Rev. V.Ibe led the services today. ...live streaming of our worship services will be available on Berean PRC Facebook page. The saints in All of Grace Protestant Reformed Fellowship (AGPRF), Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija will join us in our worship services today via live streaming at Facebook live, the Lord willing. ...Our online study for Belgic Confession of Faith and the Church Order of Dort and Canons of Dordtis scheduled every Sunday at 7PM via Zoom video call, D.V.
    
  • Provident PRC bulletin: Rev. D.Kleyn led the services today. The live-streaming of our services will be available on the “PPRC and Friends” Facebook page. ...Today Rev. Kleyn is preaching and teaching in the Bearers of Light Community Church in Guiguinto, where Pastor Ronil Domingo is the pastor, and which is a church extension work of our congregation.
    

Listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday - on a radio station near you, on Sermonaudio, or on your favorite podcast - wherever you are!

• Rev. R.Kleyn (Covenant of Grace PRC in Spokane, WA) is currently doing a series on the Gospel according to Mark. Today's message is based on Mark 3:31-35 and titled "Jesus' True Family."
  
• Listen to the broadcast on the station near you, on your favorite podcast (Google Music, Spotify, and iTunes), or visit the links provided here to listen to this program. Are you are regular listener?
• The Reformed Witness Hour publishes each month's messages in an attractive booklet. These printed sermons are a great blessing to many and are distributed all over the world, including to many prisoners in the U.S. If you or your Evangelism Commitee would like to receive these, let the RWHC know and they will add you to the mailing list (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
  

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REFORMED RESOURCES FOR EDIFICATION, EDUCATION, and EVANGELISM

What does it mean to be saved? And how are sinner saved? By God's grace alone in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone! Read this resource to learn more about salvation by pure grace.

• Want to learn more about the doctrines and practices of the PRC? Or, are you in need of some pamphlets and/or articles published by the PRC for use in evangelism and/or witnessing? Or are you simply interested in growing in your faith and walk with the Lord? Visit the Resources pages of this website and the PRCA Evangelism page for a complete list of materials available in digital format or by order from the publishing church.
  
  
• Do you need some catechism materials for use in your church or family? The PRC publishes catechism materials on Bible history and Reformed doctrine, for children of all ages. Visit this page for more information.
  
  
• For sound, distinctively Reformed literature on a variety of subjects and for all ages - including church history and Bible study materials - visit the Reformed Free Publishing Association website or stop in at their Jenison (Michigan) location.
  
  
• The Reformed Book Outlet is open and you are welcome to shop the store in downtown Hudsonville (MI). The RBO is running their annual Summer Reading Challenge for both kids and adults, from June 22-August 21. Stop by the store to pick up a sheet to fill out and return for a prize! Just a reminder that our hours are now Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-1.

This Week's Thoughts for Contemplation

All found in Bethel PRC's final bulletin today - good thoughts for all of us.