At her congregational meeting Sunday evening, December 29, 2013, Faith PRC voted to extend a call to Rev.Carl Haak, currently pastor of Georgetown PRC in Hudsonville, MI. In his letter of acknowledgement he stated that he plans to answer on or before January 26, 2014.

The Seminary will be on break for this week and next for the Christmas and New Year's holidays (December 23-January 3).

The Seminary office and staff will keep its regular hours during this time, available from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except for the Christmas and New Years days. But please call ahead of time to make sure that someone is there (616-531-1490).

Power was restored to the Seminary late Monday afternoon! We plan to be open most of the day Tuesday, and then again Thursday and Friday.

The Seminary faculty, students and staff wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year!

Matthew 1:23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Have you ever wondered what a typical Sunday is like in our sister church in Singapore? Back in August of this year Stephanie Lanning, wife of Rev.Andy Lanning, pastor of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, did a special blog post on a typcial Sunday in this congregation. She titled it "A Day at Church". With help from her father, Rev.Steven Key, who was visiting at the time, she also included some supporting pictures.

We should know the faith and practice of our "sister" in Singapore. Then we will better appreciate and be thankful for our covenant "church family" relation. And we will also be better equipped to pray for her according to her particular needs.

What follows is part of her post, including the Sunday schedule and two pictures. Visit this post to see more pictures, and make frequent visits to Mrs.Lanning's blog for many other interesting posts about life in Singapore and in the CERC.

The PRC Seminary is on 1st Semester exam schedule this week, with exams being held each day Monday through Saturday beginning at 9:00 a.m. To view the exam schedule visit the Seminary website and scroll down to the bottom of the home page for the calendar (click on each day's notice for the specific exams).

The Seminary office and staff will keep its regular hours this week, available from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. From December 23 - January 3 professors and students will be on break, but the office will still be open, except on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Let us remember our Seminary students in prayer this week, that they may give a good account to the Lord of their studies and preparation for the gospel ministry.

The Council of Faith PRC announced a new trio from which to call a pastor. It consists of Rev. Allen Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls, SD), Rev. Carl Haak (Georgetown PRC, Hudsonville, MI), and Rev. Ron Van Overloop (Grace PRC, Standale, MI).  The congregational meeting to vote for a pastor from this trio is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 29 after the morning service.

The faculty of the PRC Seminary with the approval of the TSC (Theological School Commitee) announces that the January 2014 Interim session scheduled to be taught by Prof.R.Cammenga ("The Theology of John Calvin") from Jan.6-15 has now been postponed. This decision was made in light of the ongoing treatments Prof.Cammenga's wife Rhonda is receiving for uterine cancer as well as other pressing needs in his family at this time.

Prof.Cammenga does plan to teach this new course in the future, D.V., but there will be no interim course taught next year (January 2014).

Please remember the Cammenga family in your prayers as they pass through this trial.

Isaiah 43:1-2 

¹ But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

² When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Our missionaries in the Philippines, along with the Foreign Mission Committee and the calling church, Doon PRC Council, have recently published the last newsletter of this year. The December 2013 issue, penned by Rev.R.Smit, is packed with the latest news and information about the difficult and diverse labors of our two missionaries in that part of the world.

They also include news about the recent typhoon that devastated the central part of the Philippines and affected the PR Fellowship in Albuera, Leyte. And they also convey their disappointment in the delay of forming a church federation involving the Berean PRC and First Reformed Church of Bulacan.

To find out more about these matters and more, read the newsletter below. Besides the form here, it is also attached in pdf form.

On Sunday, December 8, 2013, the congregation of Doon (IA) PRC voted to extend a call to Missionary-pastor W.Bruinsma, currently serving the Pittsburgh (PA) PR Fellowship, to become their next pastor.