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PRC Weekly Congregational, Denominational, and Sister-Church News - July 30, 2017 *(Updated)

Psalms 30 5On 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:

  • DgKuiper 2017The 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.

Leyte July 2017 1
The PR Fellowship gathered for worship in Albuera, Leyte.

 Leyte July 2017 3
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.

officebearer installation 2017
The new officebearers in the CERC.

signing formula 2017
Reading and signing the Formula of Subscription.

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Last modified on 30 July 2017