On Sunday, February 16, 2014, Rev.Ron Van Overloop announced that he had declined the call extended to him from the Doon (IA) PRC on Jan.19, 2014.

Rev.R.Van Overloop is currently serving as pastor of the Grace PRC in Standale, MI.

Doon PRC has been vacant since Rev.D.Overway accepted the call from Hope PRC, Walker, MI and bid farewell in March 2013.

Rev. K.Koole (Grandville PRC) together with elder Dave Kregel (Grandville PRC) will be traveling to Singapore this coming Thursday, Feb. 20, on behalf of Grandville PRC as calling church (of the minister-on-loan) and for the Contact Committee for the annual visit to our sister church, Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church. 

They plan to conduct church with the CERC Session (see picture taken in September of 2013 at the time of her 26th anniversary) and family visitation with the Lanings, as well as discuss with the CERC her calling of Rev. A.Lanning to be their minister later this year. 

The delegates will be in Singapore the Sundays of Feb. 23 and March 2, returning home, D.V., Monday, March 3.

May God be pleased to grant them safe travels and profitable meetings with our sister church and our minister-on-loan and his family.

UPDATE: From Grandville PRC's March 2, 2014 bulletin:

"Rev Koole and Dave Kregel plan to return home from Singapore Monday evening, DV. They conducted family visitation with the Lannings and Church Visitation with the Session. Our unity in the reformed truth is very evident, and makes for sweet fellowship with the saints here. They are very thankful for the work of the PRC and the Lannings. The Lannings send their greetings and are thankful for the prayers of the congregation on their behalf."

The latest newsletter from the Limerick Reformed Fellowship, a mission labor of Covenant PRC of N.Ireland with assistance from the PRC, has been published! In this newsletter missionary-pastor M.McGeown reports on recent visitors to the mission as well as on his labors over the last few months.

You will find the newsletter in full form below as well as attached in pdf form.

The 2014 PRC Men’s Conference, hosted by Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church, is planned for February 27-28.  The theme this year is "The Godly Man" and is based on I Timothy 6:11-12. 

The conference will be held at Hudsonville PRC. Each evening will feature a speech followed by sectionals that the attendee can choose. The sectionals planned are as follows: 

Sectional Topics:

1. Servant Leadership in Marriage
2. Dealing with Family Finances
3. Raising Covenant Youth
4. Communication and Devotions in Marriage

Of the four groups under the “Raising Covenant Youth”, one will focus on Discipline and another will focus on Dating.  If you prefer to be in the group discussing Discipline or Dating, please email your preference to Doug Kooienga (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or indicate this on your registration form. 

Registration is now open and is required by February 14 if you wish to attend (cost is $10).  Please visit the conference webpage for more information and to access the registration form.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Below is the schedule of events for both Thursday and Friday nights:

6:45     Registration

7:00    Opening prayer, Announcements, Singing

7:20    Speech Thursday by Rev. Spriensma  “The Godly Man’s Contest”
                      Friday by Rev. Bruinsma  “Called To Fight”

8:00    Sing and Question & Answer

8:15    Refreshments

8:35    Discussion Groups Thursday
        Raising Covenant Youth
        Communication/Devotions in Marriage

        Discussion Groups Friday
            Servant-Leadership in Marriage
            Dealing with Family Finances

9:35    Refreshments

The second issue of "Reformed News Asia" has been released by the Christian Literature Ministry of our sister church in Singapore, the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church , and this issue too is filled with informative and edifying content (for information on Issue #1, click on this link)!

Of special significance is the fact that this issue contains the second set of devotions on the Belgic Confession by various PRCA ministers, covering Articles 7-9 on the doctrine of holy Scripture. Written by Prof.H.Hanko, Rev.A.Brummel, Rev.A.den Hartog, and Rev.J.Kortering these devotions on the BC take you through the month of February. You will find great spiritual profit in these devotions.

In addition to this noteworthy item, the newsletter also contains information about the CLM's pamphlet and book ministries and about activities going on in the CERC. Of special interest is notice of two new pamphlets the CLM has produced from material written by Mrs. Connie Meyer, one a treatment of TULIP (doctrines of grace) for children and another containing snapshots of Reformed church history. You will want to check these items out.

To receive your own digital copy of this newsletter and those to come, visit the Christian Literature Ministry page at the CERCS ' website and click on the subscribe button. There you will also find a downloadable digital copy of these devotions.

The recent delegation from Doon PRC and the FMC have returned home. If you have not yet seen the posts on the Kleyn's blog about this visit, you ought to do so - complete with plenty of fine pictures!

The combined consistories of the Berean Protestant Reformed Church and the First Reformed Church of Bulacan will hold their next meeting this Friday, January 31, 2014, the Lord willing.  The meeting will be held in the Berean PRC’s building in Mayamot, Antipolo City.

In that connection, our missionaries also report that the government recently approved a name for the proposed federation of churches in the Philippines. Here is the announcement they made:

“The combined consistories of the Berean Protestant Reformed Church and the First Reformed Church report that the desired name for our new denomination has been approved by the SEC after our second attempt at registration with the SEC.   “Federation of Protestant Reformed Churches in the Philippines, Inc.”  is the name that has been approved by the SEC.  As a result, the final step of the registration process with the SEC can be completed by the end of January.  We give thanks to our heavenly Father for this good news, and seek His continued blessing upon our preparations for the organizational meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, according to His will.”

Let's remember to pray for our missionaries and their wives and families, for Rev.V.Ibe and his family, for Rev.J.Flores and his family, for the other pastors, and for the saints there. May the Son of God continue to gather, defend, and preserve to Himself by His Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race, that church chosen to everlasting life (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 54).