Covenant PRC, our sister church in Ballymena, N.Ireland has recently published its May and June issues of its "Covenant Reformed News". These issues contain significant articles relating to Pergamos, the church in Asia Minor refered to in Revelation 2, and to the relation between the old and new covenants. The writers are once again Rev.Angus Stewart, pastor of Covenant PRC, and emeritus Professor H.Hanko.

You are encouraged to make these part of your regular reading, so that you may grow spiritually in the truths of God's Word and the Reformed faith.

The articles are posted separately on our website and are listed here along with the link to it:

May 2014 Issue (Vol.15, #1)

"Pergamos: A Church Dwelling Where Satan's Throne Is (1)" - Rev.A.Stewart

"The Old Covenant Broken and the New One Made" - Prof.H.Hanko

June 2014 Issue (Vol.15, #2)

"Pergamos: A Church Dwelling Where Satan's Throne Is (2)" - Rev.A.Stewart

"The Old Covenant Broken" - Prof.H.Hanko

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In addition, the "CR News" provides the latest information on the upcoming British Reformed Fellowship Family Conference to be held in Scotland this summer. If you are still considering going, it is not too late!

British Reformed Fellowship Family Holiday Conference

Gartmore House
Gartmore, Stirling, Scotland
Saturday, 26 July - Saturday, 2 August, 2014

Conference Theme: “Be Ye Holy: The Reformed Doctrine of Sanctification”

Conference Speakers
Prof. David Engelsma
Emeritus Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament, Protestant Reformed Seminary, Michigan, USA
Prof. Herman Hanko
Emeritus Professor of Church History and New Testament, Protestant Reformed Seminary, Michigan, USA

Conference Addresses
1. The Divine Work of Sanctification (Prof. Engelsma)
2. Sanctification and Justification: Relation and Differences (Prof. Hanko)
3. The Role of the Law in Sanctification (Prof. Engelsma)
4. The Imperfection of Sanctification in This Life (Prof. Hanko)
5. The Threat of Antinomianism (Prof. Engelsma)
6. The Victorious Christian Life (Prof. Hanko)
Special Lecture - To Be Determined 

www.britishreformedfellowship.org.uk
http://brfconference.weebly.com


BRF Conference Update, Including Free Coach!

Since the BRF Conference booking forms were produced, we have had an excellent number of bookings so that Gartmore House (mansion) is now full.
There are still places left in the Craigmore Centre (dormitory) and a new section called the Mews has been opened up to accommodate overflow from the mansion.
The cost for the Mews includes full board and bed linen. These rooms are not en-suite and are part way in quality between the mansion and the dormitory.

Mews (per person)
• Single: £330
• Adult Shared: £280
• Children Shared Mews: £210 (age 12-16), £140 (5-11), £70 (1-4), Free (under 1)

Craigmore Centre (Dormitory)
•    Adult Shared Dormitory: £230
•    Children Shared Dormitory: £175 (age 12-16), £115 (5-11), £55 (1-4), FREE (under 1)

The Covenant Protestant Reformed Church (CPRC) is laying on a FREE 53-seater coach to and from the conference (including ferry fees through Stena in Belfast)!
It will depart from the church car park (83 Clarence Street off the Cullybackey Road, Ballymena, BT43 5DR) on the morning of Saturday, 26 July and return on
the evening of Saturday, 2 August, DV. There are still a few places left, so you are best to book ASAP.

For more information, contact

Mrs. Mary Stewart
7 Lislunnan Road
Kells, Ballymena
Co. Antrim
BT42 3NR
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(028) 25 891851

The Contact Committee of the PRC informs the churches of these special visits to sister churches and other contacts in June and July

On Wednesday of this week (June 18, 2014) on behalf of the Contact Committee, Prof. and Mrs. R.Dykstra are scheduled to leave the States for eight weeks, D.V.  Prof. Dykstra will be speaking and preaching in the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church in Singapore since Rev. A.Lanning and his family will be coming to the States for a furlough.

The Dykstras will also be in Australia for two weeks where Rev. N. Decker (Trinity PRC, Hudsonville, MI) and Prof. R.Dykstra will participate in a conference with the Evangelical Presbyterian Churcheson the doctrine of God’s covenant. They will also be attending the sessions of the Presbytery meeting July 21-25 in Brisbane. Prof. Dykstra will give speeches on Christian schools the following week in Tasmania. 

The Dykstras will return on August 11. May God grant them safety in their travels and His indispensible blessing on the work.

Rev.A.Spriensma (Byron Center PRC) and Elder Peter Vander Schaaf will meet with the elders of BERG (Confessing Evangelical Reformed Church) in Giessen, Germany this July on behalf of our denomination's Contact Committee. Rev.A.Spriensma will preach for the worship service of the BERG on July 27.

May the Lord of the church, Who prayed for her oneness in the truth (John 17), be pleased to use these visits to bring these churches closer together in the bond of peace through the truth of His Word.

Once more 2nd clerk of Synod, Rev.Clay Spronk, provides a summary report of the decisions of the Friday June 13 session of Synod (also attached in pdf form). And Don Doezema provides us with some candid photos of all the delegates as they fellowshiped together and interacted concerning the work of the Lord's church. The public Acts of Synod 2014 will be published and distributed in due time.

The 2014 Synodical delegates in fellowship (can you identify them all?):

The PR Theological School (Seminary) held its graduation ceremony Thursday evening in Hope PRC, Walker, MI. Senior Joshua D. Engelsma (now Candidate J.Engelsma) was this year's graduate, having sustained his oral examination before Synod June 10-12

Above is the program for the evening (also attched in pdf form) and below are a few pictures taken by Mr. Don Doezema. The video of the entire program is also now available on the Seminary's YouTube channel (see link here of imbedded below).

Rev.K.Koole, TSC President, presenting Josh E. with his diploma.

Josh E. receiving congratulations by Prof.R. Cammenga, rector.

Graduation speaker, Prof.R.Dykstra, who addressed Josh and the audience from Exodus 3:1-15 and 4:10-15: "Sent by the Great I AM."

Josh, Courtney, and children.

Synod rising to sing as part of its devotions to start the day.

The following is the summary report of the second clerk of Synod this year, Rev. Clay Spronk. We thank him for his faithful end-of-the-day contribution. This report is also attached here in pdf form. 

The pictures added here were taken by Mr.Don Doezema, Stated Clerk of Synod. We also thank him for this faithful labor.

Synodical Examiners:

Prof.R.Dykstra

Prof.B.Gritters

Rev.C.Haak

Two special missionaries: D.Kleyn (the Philippines) and M.McGeown (Limerick, Ireland):

With humble thanks to God, early this afternoon the 2014 PRC Synod unanimously approved the examination of Joshua D. Engelsma and declared him a candidate for the ministry of the Word and Sacraments in the PRCA, eligible for call on or after July 12, 2014. 

We heartily congratulate Josh and his wife Courtney and children, along with their families, in this wonderful milestone in his training for and call to the ministry.

The Seminary graduation ceremony for Josh will take place this evening in Hope PRC, Walker, MI, at 7:30 p.m. with the openhouse planned next door at Hope PR Christian School afterward. The graduation will also be live-streamed this evening. Visit Hope PRC's Sermonaudio page to join in if you are unable to attend.

As a denomination we have many reasons to give thanks – for the truths of God’s Word and our Reformed confessions, for the gifts and grace God has given to this young man enabling him to confess the truth so clearly and confidently, and for a Seminary which faithfully teaches these truths so the churches receive the truth each Lord's Day. May God be praised with reverence deep!

Delegates offer congratulations to Josh and Courtney.

Prof.R.Cammenga offering his congratulations.

The following is the summary report of the second clerk of Synod this year, Rev. Clay Spronk (picture to the left). We thank him for this contribution and the pictures. This report is also attached here in pdf form. 

The additional pictures that follow were taken by Mr.Don Doezema, Stated Clerk of Synod. We also thank him for this faithful labor.

Below: Sem. Josh Engelsma sitting for his oral Dogmatics exam. (For live-stream video of this examination, follow this link.)

  
Missionary-pastor W.Bruinsma addresses Synod on behalf of Eastern Home Missions.

Missionary-pastor M.McGeown addresses Synod on behalf of the Covenant PRC in N.Ireland.

      
Elder Lee Kong Wee addresses Synod on behalf of our sister church in Singapore, Covenant ERC.

Hope PRC's able audio-visual technician, Dave Jessup, at his post.

The following is the summary report of the second clerk of Synod this year, Rev. Clay Spronk. We thank him for this contribution and the pictures. The pictures of the committees of Synod that follow were taken by Mr.Don Doezema, Stated Clerk of Synod. This report is also attached here in pdf form.

Group Picture - the whole body of Synod, including special guests:

Officers of Synod:

Rev.G.Eriks, Vice-president; Rev.K.Koole, President; Rev.D.Kuiper, 1st Clerk; Rev.C.Spronk, 2nd Clerk

Committees of Synod:

Committee I: Prof.B.Gritters, J.Lenting, N.Kleyn, Rev.W.Langerak, Rev.D.Kuiper

Committee II: P.Vander Schaaf, Rev.R.Van Overloop, A.Bylsma, Rev.C.Spronk, Prof.R.Dykstra

Committee III: J.Decker, Rev.J.Laning, J.Regnerus, Rev.K.Koole, Prof.R.Cammenga 

Committee IV: H.Langerak, L.Uittenbogaard, Rev.S.Key, Rev.C.Haak

Committtee V: G.Van Baren, D.Terpstra, Rev.A.Brummel, Rev.G.Eriks 

Special Delegates from Sister Churches: Elder Lee Kong Wee (Covenant ERC Singapore) & Rev.M.McGeown (Covenant PRC, N.Ireland)

Synodical delegates rising to assent to the Public Declaration of Agreement with the Three Forms of Unity.