CHURCH NEWS

Calls Extended:”

To Rev. M. Heershap of St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, by the Wageningen,the Netherlands, Congregation.”

To Rev. W. Suyker of Lisse, the Netherlands, by the UnionviUe, Ontario, Canada, Congregation.”

Duo Considered:”

By the Norwich, Ontario, Canada Congregation: Rev. D. Hakkenberg and Rev. F. Harink of the Netherlands.”

Calls Declined:”

To the Mijdrecht, the Netherlands, Congregation, by Rev. W. C. Lamain of Grand Rapids, Michigan.”

REV. ELSHOUT AILING”

Rev. Elshout, Pastor of the Kalamazoo, Michigan, Congregation, has not been feeling well in recent weeks.”

The last Sunday he preached he could only deliver one sermon.”

His doctor advises him to take some rest from his labors. May we all remember him in our prayers. May the great Physician restore our dear brother, strengthen him in both body and soul, and enable him to soon perform his labors again in the church.”

25 YEARS OF SERVING THE”

CONGREGATION OF”

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN”

1947-1972”

Tuesday, March 3, 1972, it was 25 years ago that we arrived in New York on “The Veendam” with our family. After having spoken in the three churches of the East, we traveled on to Grand Rapids, arriving there on March 11. On March 13 we conducted Prayer Day services, and in the next week the Rev. J. Van Zweden officiated at our ordination. The next evening we preached our inaugural sermon before the congregations of Grand Rapids that had called us.”

Urged to do so by the consistory, we commemorated this fact in a short service held on Thursday, March 16. Besides the members of our own congregation, many had”

come from Kalamazoo, and some from Sheboygan, Waupun, and South Holland. Also our brothers in the ministry, L. Kieboom, A. Elshout, and C. Harinck, were present. The text was I Cor. 15:10(a) “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” We spoke a few words of the free sovereign grace glorified in Saul of Tarsus, and of the merited and redeeming grace glorified in the heart of him who had been a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, and also of the restraining and upholding grace he experienced both in his personal life and in his ministry, so that the Lord declared in II Cor. 12: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified in his own life, but also as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It was all grace, from first to last.”

As we look back upon the 25 years that we were privileged to serve the congregation, it is fitting that with the Apostle Paul we glorify and praise the grace of God. Not man, but the Triune God alone is worthy to receive all the honor and glory. It is only by the God of all grace, and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are what we are. And that grace stands over against our guilt, and entirely excludes man and all that is of man. We related a few incidents of our life. Since we are nothing but unfaithfulness, and our life is full of shortcomings, we desire to exalt the grace of God. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’ s sake.” Psalm 115.”

A few fitting words to the consistory, to the congregation, and to the ministers that were present and also to our wife for the many sacrifices she was willing to make, because the various vacant churches in America took us away from home so much, concluded the service.”

The Rev. J. Van Zweden, Rev. M. Heerschap, and Rev. A. W. Verhoef had sent their congratulations by mail. Elder C. F. Boerkoel, as the oldest elder, spoke a few words of sincere appreciation to the pastor and his wife, commending them to the grace of God. The Rev. L. Kieboom, on behalf of Synod, spoke a few words based on Acts 26:22, “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day.” The Rev. A. Elshout, on behalf of Classis Mid-West and the congregation of Kalamazoo, spoke on I Cor. 15:10, the last part. Finally the Rev. C. Harinck spoke on behalf of Classis East, where there is still appreciation for all the work done there when they had no minister.”

At the close the pastor expressed his appreciation for all the kind words spoken to him and his family, and his hope that the Lord would confirm and fulfil the wishes uttered for the glory of His Name. After the doxology was sung, he pronounced the benediction.”

After the service many of the people assembled at the Plymouth Christian School to express their congratulations to the pastor and Mrs. Lamain.”

According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children of Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved. -Eph. 1:4-6”

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