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.

With the PRC Synod 2014 set to begin Tuesday, June 10, the following notices are given to the churches.

Remember to pray for the delegates as they conduct the work of the churches in common and for Sem.Joshua Engelsma, as he will be examined at this Synod.

The pre-synodical service will be held on Monday, June 9, at 7:00 P.M. in Hope PR Church, Walker, Michigan, with last year's president, Rev.Ronald van Overloop leading the service and preaching the Word. 

Synod convenes Tuesday morning at 8:00, not in the church, but in Hope PR Christian School next door.  Much of Wednesday and Thursday will be devoted to the examination of Mr. Joshua Engelsma. 

Mr. Engelsma’s graduation is planned for Thursday evening, June 12, at 7:30 in Hope’s sanctuary.  Prof. Russell Dykstra will deliver the commencement address.

Also, note these arrangements for live-streaming available for Synodical events:

1. The pre-synodical service (Monday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m. EDT) will be streamed live at www.sermonaudio.com/hopeprc

2. The specimen sermon of Joshua Engelsma will be given on Tuesday, June 10, in Hope Church, beginning at 10 a.m.

3. The examination of Mr. Engelsma will be held in Hope PR Christian School (just east of the church) on Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 8:00 a.m.

4. Pending synod’s approval the specimen sermon, examination, and graduation will be streamed live at www.sermonaudio.com/hopeprc

Be sure to check back to this news section often during Synod, as daily reports and pictures from Synod will be posted.