On this second Lord's Day of August 2017 (August13) we note the following news and information from PRC congregations, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

• This morning Candidate Joe Holstege accepted the call to Zion PRC. We praise God for His provision of a place for this candidate and a first pastor for this new congregation.
• Candidate Justin Smidstra continues to consider the calls from Southwest PRC (Grandville, MI - received July 16) and from First PRC of Holland MI(received July 30).
  
• Candidate Matt DeBoer continues to consider the call from Edgerton PRC, received on July 23.
• Immanuel PRC (Lacombe, AB) extended a call to Rev. E. Guichelaar (Randolph, WI PRC) on August 6.
  
• From Byron Center PRC's Council: Pastor Spriensma’s farewell sermon is scheduled for September 17 during the morning worship service. His installation as home missionary is scheduled for September 17 during the evening worship service. The Council has put together a trio of pastors to vote from in order to extend a call to be our new pastor. The trio consists of Revs. C. Griess (Calvary PRC, Hull), B. Huizinga (Hope PRC, Redlands, CA), and A. Lanning (CERC, Singapore). The congregational meeting is set for August 20 after the evening worship service.

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS:

• The Synod of 2017 called Rev. D. Kuiper to serve in the PRC Seminary as professor of church history and NT studies, in replacement of Prof. R. Dykstra. On July 2 he announced his acceptance of this call. We give thanks to God for providing a man for this position, and pray for him and his family as well as Edgerton PRC as he makes this transition and prepares for his new post (cf. picture below).
  • Rev. Kuiper's farewell from Edgerton PRC is planned for today, August 13.
  • His installation as professor is planned for Wednesday, Sept.20, in Faith PRC, D.V.

SISTER-CHURCH NEWS  - This bulletin information from Covenant PRC in Ballymena, N. Ireland pertains to her pastor's current furlough in the U.S., which concludes this week:

The Stewarts will be in N. America from 17 July to 14 August. The Lord’s Day schedule in the CPRC while Rev. Stewart is away is as follows:

13 August - Rev. Bleyenberg preaches, with tea after the evening service—Group A on the tea rota (Pastor preaches in Providence and Hudsonville in Michigan)
20 August - Rev. McGeown preaches (Pastor preaches in the LRF)

MISSION NEWS:

• On July 30 Rev. A. Spriensma ACCEPTED Byron Center PRC's call to serve as home missionary. We thank the Lord for providing us a home missionary once again and we pray for pastor Spriensma and Byron Center PRC as they transition to this new position. His installation as missionary is scheduled for Sept.17 during the evening service.
  
• On July 24 Doon PRC voted to extend a call to Rev. C. Spronk to serve as a third missionary to the Philippines. He continues to consider this call.
  
• From the bulletin of Provident Christian Church in Marikina, the Philippines we find the following notes concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
  
  
  • Today, Sem. Matt Kortus will lead both of our worship services. Rev. Holstege will teach the Church Order at 10:15. The Kortus’s will be in the Berean PRC next Sunday. Then they will return to the U.S. on Monday, August 21, Lord willing. Matt will begin his third year of seminary this month. Let’s pray for him and the other students.

  • This Wednesday, August 16, Rev. Holstege will review Heads III/IV of the Canons of Dordt by looking at the Rejection of Errors. We will begin at 7:30 pm. You are all encouraged to join us.

  • Last week, Rev. Kleyn preached at Southeast PRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan and gave a speech at the PRCA Young People’s Convention. Today he will preach at Crete PRC in Illinois and give them a presentation on our mission work. The Kleyns plan to return to the Philippines on Tuesday, August 29.

The Kleyns' recently posted pictures and descriptions of the summer mission internship of Seminarian Matt Kortus. Below are a couple of samples. Find more at the link provided.

Participating in the 7M meeting

Leading the worship service at Provident CC, Marikina

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"Covenant Keepers", the youth ministry of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore (our sister church), has now released the July 2017 issue of "Salt Shakers" (#44),their youth magazine.

The July 2017 issue of "SS" is once again filled with interesting and profitable articles, and our PRC young people especially are encouraged to make it part of their reading content.

Below you will find a note from the "SS" Committee introducing the contents of this issue and images of the cover and table of contents. The entire issue is also attached here in pdf form.

Beloved Readers,

On this first Lord's Day of August 2017 (August 6) we note the following news and information from PRC congregations, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

• Candidate Justin Smidstra is considering the call from Southwest PRC (Grandville, MI), received July 16.
• On July 30 the congregation of First PRC in Holland, MI extended a call to Candidate J. Smidstra.
• Candidate Matt DeBoer is considering the call from Edgerton PRC, received on July 23.
• Candidate Joe Holstege is considering the call from Zion PRC, received on July 23.
• The Council of Immanuel PRC (Lacombe, AB) has a new trio consisting of Rev. E. Guichelaar and Candidates Matthew De Boer and Brian Feenstra. There will be a congregational meeting TODAY after the afternoon service. *UPDATE: The congregation voted to call Rev. E. Guichelaar (Randolph, WI PRC).
  

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS:

• The Synod of 2017 called Rev. D. Kuiper to serve in the PRC Seminary as professor of church history and NT studies, in replacement of Prof. R. Dykstra. On July 2 he announced his acceptance of this call. We give thanks to God for providing a man for this position, and pray for him and his family as well as Edgerton PRC as he makes this transition and prepares for his new post (cf. picture below).
  • Rev. Kuiper's farewell from Edgerton PRC is planned for Sunday, August 13.
  • His installation as professor is planned for Wednesday, Sept.20, in Faith PRC, D.V.

• The PRC Contact Committee has sent Prof. R. Dykstra and Rev. J. Engelsma to Australia to visit the Evangelical Presbyterian Churches on behalf of the PRC. They will be taking part in a two-day Reformation Day conference, attending the meetings of the Presbytery of the EPC, and preaching in the EPC. The 2015 Synod of the PRC approved holding a conference with the EPC on the ground that “such face-to-face meeting and discussions with the men of the EPC are excellent ways both to make the corresponding relationship meaningful and to further the relationship.” Prof. and Mrs. Dykstra leave July 18, and will return (after a time in Singapore) August 16.  Rev. and Mrs. Engelsma will leave July 24 and return August 7. All the Lord willing.

• *Update: If you would like to listen to the speeches given at the most recent EPC-PRC Conference, you may find them on the EPC homepage, or at the links below.

  • EPCA & PRCA Conference

    Lecture 1
    Genuine Church Unity - Prof. Russ Dykstra

    Lecture 2
    Singing Again the Songs of Zion - Rev. Mark Shand

    Lecture 3
    The Doctrine of the Church Visible and Invisible - Rev. David Higgs

    Lecture 4
    The Sweetness of the Heart - Rev. Joshua Engelsma

    Lecture 5
    Church and State in the Scottish Reformation - Rev. David Torlach

    Lecture 6
    The Reformation's Response to the Radical Reformation - Prof. Russ Dykstra

SISTER-CHURCH NEWS  - This bulletin information from Covenant PRC in Ballymena, N. Ireland pertains to her pastor's current furlough in the U.S.:

The Stewarts will be in N. America from 17 July to 14 August. The Lord’s Day schedule in the CPRC while Rev. Stewart is away is as follows:
23 July - services led by the elders with DVDs (Pastor preaches in Spokane, WA)
30 July - Rev. McGeown preaches while Rev. Bleyenberg takes services in the LRF (Pastor preaches in Edmonton and Lacombe, Alberta, Canada)
6 August - Rev. Bleyenberg preaches (Pastor preaches in Lynden, Washington)
13 August - Rev. Bleyenberg preaches, with tea after the evening service—Group A on the tea rota (Pastor preaches in Providence and Hudsonville in Michigan)
20 August - Rev. McGeown preaches (Pastor preaches in the LRF)

MISSION NEWS:

• On July 30 Rev. A. Spriensma ACCEPTED Byron Center PRC's call to serve as home missionary. We thank the Lord for providing us a home missionary once again and we pray for pastor Spriensma and Byron Center PRC as they transition to this new position.
  
• On July 24 Doon PRC voted to extend a call to Rev. C. Spronk to serve as a third missionary to the Philippines.
  
• From the bulletin of Provident Christian Church in Marikina, the Philippines we find the following notes concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
  

  • Rev. Holstege will preach both times today. The first service will be at 9:00, Church Order at 10:15, merienda at 10:45, and second service at 11:00.

  • Next Sunday, August 13, Sem. Matt Kortus will lead both of our worship services, Lord willing. He and his wife Sarah are in the Berean PRC today. They plan to return to the USA on Monday, August 21.

  • Rev and Leah invite you all to church Wednesday night at 6:30 for a fellowship meal which they will provide. Afterward at 7:30, we will have our Bible study of the Canons of Dordt, Heads III/IV, Articles 16-17.

  • The Kleyns arrived safely in California last week and Rev. Kleyn gave a presentation on our Philippine mission work. They are now in Michigan where Rev. Kleyn will give another presentation, a speech to the young people, and some preaching. They plan to return to the Philippines on Tuesday, August 29.

The Kleyns' recently posted pictures and descriptions of the summer mission internship of Seminarian Matt Kortus. Below are a couple of samples. Find more at the link provided.

Participating in the 7M meeting

Leading the worship service at Provident CC, Marikina

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This coming week, August 7-11, 2017, is the annual PRC Young People's Convention, hosted by First PRC of Holland, MI, and held at Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, MI.

Let's be in prayer for the 460-plus conventioneers and the 60 chaperones this week. May God keep them safe and grant them a blessed time of fellowship and spiritual growth through all the activities, speeches, devotions, and discussions.

The pre-Convention Singspiration will be held at Fair Haven Church (corner of 28th Ave. and Baldwin St. in Jenison, MI) on Sunday evening, August 6, at 8:15 pm. Please note that there will be no printed song sheets. Fair Haven will project the lyrics, but you are welcome to bring your own Psalter if you would like.

Attention PRYP Conventioneers: Registration is Monday morning, August 7, at Heritage Christian School. Incoming sophomores and juniors can come from 6:45 to 7:15. Incoming seniors and post high from 7:00 to 7:30. The buses will begin departing at 7:30. See you there!

Location: Michindoh Conference Center

UPDATE: If you wish to see some videos from the YP's Convention, visit this Nick Kleyn YouTube channel.

First PRC of Grand Rapids, MI and the Reformed Witness Hour Committee announce the messages scheduled for August 2017 on the RWH radio program.

Rev. Carl Haak, pastor of Georgetown PRC in Hudsonville, MI, continues his four-month service for the RWH program, as he completes a series on marriage and the family, and gives a special Christian education message this month.

You are encouraged to listen to these important messages and to let others know about them too. Help spread the word about the Reformed Witness Hour, now in its 76th year of broadcasting the truths of God's sovereign, particular, efficacious grace!

Below are the messages scheduled for this month, also in flyer form (attached in pdf).

August 6, 2017 - A Beautiful Example of Fearless Submission, I Peter 3:5-6

August 13, 2017 - Homeward Bound, 2 Corinthians 5:1

August 20, 2017 - God's Gift of the Family, Psalm 68:6

August 27, 2017 - Christian Education is Covenant Education, Isaiah 38:19

On this final Lord's Day of July 2017 (July 30) we may report on the following news and information from PRC congregations, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

• Candidate Justin Smidstra is considering the call from Southwest PRC (Grandville, MI), received July 16.
• Candidate Matt DeBoer received the call from Edgerton PRC on July 23.
• Candidate Joe Holstege received the call from Zion PRC on July 23.
• On July 23 Rev. A. Brummel declined the call from Immanuel PRC (Lacombe, AB). The Council has a new trio consisting of Rev. E. Guichelaar and Candidates Matthew De Boer and Brian Feenstra. There will be a congregational meeting August 6 after the afternoon service.
  
• The Council of First PRC of Holland, MI announces a new trio from which to call a pastor: Rev. G. Eriks, Rev. C. Spronk and Candidate J. Smidstra. The congregation will vote this morning, July 30. *UPDATE: Cand. J. Smidstra has received this call.

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS:

• The Synod of 2017 called Rev. D. Kuiper to serve in the PRC Seminary as professor of church history and NT studies, in replacement of Prof. R. Dykstra. On July 2 he announced his acceptance of this call. We give thanks to God for providing a man for this position, and pray for him and his family as well as Edgerton PRC as he makes this transition and prepares for his new post (cf. picture below).
  • Rev. Kuiper's farewell from Edgerton PRC is planned for Sunday, August 13.
  • His installation as professor is planned for Wednesday, Sept.20, in Faith PRC, D.V.

• The PRC Contact Committee has sent Prof. R. Dykstra and Rev. J. Engelsma to Australia to visit the Evangelical Presbyterian Churches on behalf of the PRC. They will be taking part in a two-day Reformation Day conference, attending the meetings of the Presbytery of the EPC, and preaching in the EPC. The 2015 Synod of the PRC approved holding a conference with the EPC on the ground that “such face-to-face meeting and discussions with the men of the EPC are excellent ways both to make the corresponding relationship meaningful and to further the relationship.” Prof. and Mrs. Dykstra leave July 18, and will return (after a time in Singapore) August 16.  Rev. and Mrs. Engelsma will leave July 24 and return August 7. All the Lord willing.

• Synod of 2017 concluded its sessions on June 21, at Hudsonville PRC. Summary reports on each day may be found under the synod section of this website.

SISTER-CHURCH NEWS  - This bulletin information from Covenant PRC in Ballymena, N. Ireland pertains to her pastor's current furlough in the U.S.:

The Stewarts will be in N. America from 17 July to 14 August. The Lord’s Day schedule in the CPRC while Rev. Stewart is away is as follows:
23 July - services led by the elders with DVDs (Pastor preaches in Spokane, WA)
30 July - Rev. McGeown preaches while Rev. Bleyenberg takes services in the LRF (Pastor preaches in Edmonton and Lacombe, Alberta, Canada)
6 August - Rev. Bleyenberg preaches (Pastor preaches in Lynden, Washington)
13 August - Rev. Bleyenberg preaches, with tea after the evening service—Group A on the tea rota (Pastor preaches in Providence and Hudsonville in Michigan)
20 August - Rev. McGeown preaches (Pastor preaches in the LRF)

MISSION NEWS:

• On July 2 Byron Center PRC voted to call Rev. A. Spriensma (her pastor) to serve as home missionary. TODAY he announced his acceptance of this call. We thank the Lord for providing us a home missionary once again and we pray for pastor Spriensma and Byron Center PRC as they transition to this new position.
  
• On July 24 (this past Monday) Doon PRC voted to extend a call to Rev. C. Spronk to serve as a third missionary to the Philippines.
  
• From the bulletin of Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela, the Philippines we find the following notes concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
  

  • Rev. D. Kleyn is preaching the morning service. Sem. M. Kortus is speaking a word of edification in the second service today.
    

  •  Tomorrow morning, Rev. Daniel and Sharon Kleyn will be leaving for a 4-week furlough to the U.S.A. Rev. Kleyn will be preaching in some of the PRC congregations, speaking at the Young People's Convention, and giving a number of presentations concerning the Philippines mission work. The Kleyns hope to spend the majority of their time in Michiganand thus be able to spend time with their families there. They plan to return August 30, the Lord willing. May God give them safe travels and bless them during their time away. [To which we add our hearty "Amen"!]

On Saturday (July 8), the men of the PRC Philippine's Delegation along with the Steering Committee members of the PRFA visited with the families and individuals of the PRFA at their homes.  Brother Eric Mescallado and Rev. Kleyn visited some of the families together and Rev. Flores and Seminarian Matt Kortus visited the other half of the fellowship. On Sunday, worship services were held with the PR Fellowship in Albuera, Leyte.  The Kleyns' recently posted pictures and descriptions of this trip. Below are a couple of samples. Find more at the link provided.

The PR Fellowship gathered for worship in Albuera, Leyte.

 
Rev. R. Kleyn leading the service in Tagalog (with his guard dog?!).

And Mrs. S. Lanning recently posted some pictures on her blog about the recent installlation of new officebearers in our sister church in Singapore, Covenant ERC. Below are a couple from that post.

The new officebearers in the CERC.

Reading and signing the Formula of Subscription.

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