NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, & EVENTS

CHURCH NEWS

MINISTERIAL CALLS

Extended:

To Rev. A. H. Verhoef of St. Catharines, Ontario, by the congregations of Sheboygan and Waupun, Wisconsin; by the congregation of Grand Rapids (Covell Avenue), Michigan; by the congregation of Krabbendijke, the Netherlands; and by the congregation of DeValk-Wekerom, the Netherlands.

To Rev. C. Vogelaar of Grand Rapids (Beckwith), Michigan, by the congregation of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

To Rev. H. D. den Hollander of Clifton, New Jersey, by the congregation of Corsica, South Dakota; by the congregation of Fort Macleod, Alberta; and by the congregation of Markham, Ontario.

To Rev. C. Hogchem of Barneveld, the Netherlands, by the congregation of Sioux Center, Iowa, and by the congregation of Hamilton, Ontario.

To Rev. A. Schot of Krimpen aan den Ijssel, the Netherlands, by the congregation of Lethbridge, Alberta.

To Rev. P. van Ruitenburg of Chilliwack, British Columbia, by the congregation of Leiderdorp, the Netherlands.

Declined:

By Rev. M. Karens of Werkendam, the Netherlands, to the congregation of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

By Rev. H. D. den Hollander of Clifton, New Jersey, to the congregation of Corsica, South Dakota.

By Rev. A. H. Verhoef of St. Catharines, Ontario, to the congregations of Sheboygan and Waupun, Wisconsin.

By Rev. P. van Ruitenburg of Chilliwack, British Columbia, to the congregation of Leiderdorp, the Netherlands.

TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR NEEDS

REHOBOTH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, NORWICH, ONTARIO. We are looking for an administrator/ principal for our school. We also have vacancies in the elementary and secondary grades for the coming school year. We invite inquiries and/or applications from qualified teachers. Please contact Mr. Len Vanderweerd, board chairman, (519) 468-3281, or Mr. Martien Vanderspek, principal, (519) 863-2403 (school) or (519) 863-3119 (home). Send applications to the attention of the secretary of the board, Mr. Corney Van Wyk, Rehoboth Christian School, 43 Main Street East, P.O. Box 220, Norwich, Ontario NOJ 1P0.

CALVIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, MONARCH, ALBERTA. To offer a comprehensive K-12 academic and remedial program, we need six additional teachers for the current year. As a minimum, however, we sorely need one full-time or part-time junior/senior high remedial education teacher/coordinator as well as qualified instructors (full-time or part-time) for junior-high English, industrial education, and secondary girls' physical education. Detailed information about these positions and general information about elementary and secondary positions for the 2002-03 school year is available from the principal, Mr. William Grisnich, at school, (403) 381-3030 (phone), (403) 381-4241 (fax); or at home, (403) 824-3438 (phone/fax). Also required is a business administrator to reduce the heavy workload of the school administrative team. The school board is looking for someone who has good business training and believes in the importance of Christian education. It is important that this individual have the ability to be a team worker along with the existing staff. Some responsibilities will include assisting with financial statement preparation, communicating with the provincial government, overseeing building and grounds maintenance, and working closely with the principal and vice-principals in all aspects of administration. If this position interests you, please submit your queries or resume to the principal, Mr. William Grisnich (shown above), or to the secretary of the school board, Mr. Clarence Visser, (403) 756-3374 (phone/fax).

TRINITY REFORMED CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, SUNNYSIDE, WASHINGTON, which began in 1998, is seeking applicants for an administrator/teacher for the school year 2002-03, D.V. Experience is preferred. Applicants may contact Mr. Joe den Hoed, 750 Mohar Road, Grandview, Washington 98930, phone (509) 882-1220, fax (509) 882-3229.

PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, is inviting applications for a lower-elementary position and a middle-grades grammar/literature/history position for the 2002-03 school year. Applications may be sent to the school at 100 Pratt Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001. For additional information, contact Andrew Kieboom, (616) 649-0484, or Gary Blok, (616) 353-9958.

TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, BRITISH COLUMBIA, is seeking applicants for elementary teaching positions in a variety of grades for the 2002-03 school year. Those interested in more information or an application form are requested to contact either Mr. Theo M. VandeWeg, principal, (604) 794-7114 (school), or (604) 858-0028 (home); or Rev. P. van Ruitenburg, school board president, (604) 794-7284.

Mount Cheam Christian School, Chilliwack, British Columbia, a kindergarten-grade 12 school, enrolls from the Reformed Congregations in North America. Additional staff in both elementary and secondary divisions is urgently required for August 2002. Inquiries should be addressed to the principal, Mr. Adrian Stoutjesdyk, (604) 792-8756 (home), or (604) 794-3072 (school), fax (604) 794-3078, e-mail <mccs@dowco.com>.

Anniversary and other announcements will be placed upon request. A donation for their placement would be appreciated. For consistency, size is limited. Please send your request to the assistant editor, Garret J. Moerdyk, whose address is shown inside the front cover. Requests for placement should be made by the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication. In order to give our readers advance notice of these special days, it is advisable to place the notice a month early.

A Commemoration of Seventy-five Years

January 13, 2002, is an important date in the Gereformeerde Gemeenten, our sister denomination in the Netherlands, for on January 13, 1927, their Curatorium and Theological School came into official existence. It is therefore our desire to express our sincere congratulations to them, wishing them also the further help and blessing of the Lord upon this means which He has provided for the instruction of students for the ministry. Quite a number of the ministers who have served our congregations on this side of the ocean have received training in the school, and therefore it has served for a blessing also here.

May the Lord of the harvest continue to send forth into His harvest laborers who may bring forth His Word, law and gospel, in all places where He may send them. Christ's command to the disciples, but thus also to His servants in particular and to the church in general is, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,” and may He enable us to that end. From an article written by Rev. A. Moerkerken regarding the development of the Theological School we have gleaned some particulars that we felt would be of interest to our readers. We quote the following:

Among our reformed forefathers the need of a sound preparation for the office of ministers of the Word was generally realized. When in 1559 the Academy of Geneva was opened, John Calvin's. life desire was fulfilled. However, we must not think that in the time of the Reformation everyone was in agreement. There was quite a group which felt that all knowledge of biblical languages was superfluous and even wrong, and that the direct, immediate influence of the Holy Spirit would be necessary and sufficient to serve in the congregation. They had their supporters. It is difficult to realize what an effect this had in process of time, also in our circles. Even to this day there is opposition against the name of Rev. G. H. Kersten for his struggle of many years in bringing about training for ministers of the Word in our congregations.

Our forefathers had different opinions from the opposers of this training! Well known is the passage in the Heidelberg Catechism explaining the fourth commandment of the law of God in Lord's Day 38, which states that the ministry of the gospel and the schools be maintained. It may also be known that our Church Order composed in Dordt speaks in various articles about the necessity of instruction for the ministry of the Word. Think only of Article 18, “The office of the Doctors or Professors of Theology is to expound the Holy Scriptures and to uphold sound doctrine against heresies and errors,” and Article 19, “The Churches shall make efforts to obtain students of theology which are to be supported by them (ex bonis publicis).”

Most of the “old writers” were educated men, having had instruction from men such as Gisbert Voetius and Herman Witsius. However, the Synod of Dordt, when writing the Church Order, also acknowledged another way by which men could become preachers of the Word. In Article 8 we read, “No school teachers, artisans, or others who have not studied shall be admitted to the ministry, unless there is definite assurance of their being exceptionally gifted, godly, humble, modest, and possessed of good sense and discretion, as well as gifts of public address.”

Our denomination in the Netherlands came forth from the so-called Ledeboerian congregations and the “Congregations under the Cross.” In prior years these elements had found it necessary to seek means for the instruction of future ministers of the Word, and this was therefore done by assigning certain ministers who were qualified to do so to instruct the students. At the general meeting in 1907 (the year of the formation of our denomination in the Netherlands), it was determined that in permitting men to the ministry the Classis was to examine these men regarding their knowledge in the principles of dogmatics, Bible history, exegesis, and church rules and history. They were to receive further instruction from designated ministers in their homes. The two named were Rev. A. Janse in the northern part of the country and Rev. G. H. Kersten in the central and southern part of the country.

However, as was mentioned, there was much opposition. When Rev. Kersten sought with persistent zeal to establish a theological school, seeking funds to do so, this opposition continued. Many were of the thought that the Lord qualified His servants directly, and this was also the opinion of many of God's people. This can be understood, since experience had taught what the effect was when men who were only intellectually qualified for the ministry were standing on the pulpits. In January 1927, when Rev. H. Kievit spoke at the opening of the theological school, he pointed out that higher education in the Netherlands lay in bands of unbelief, so that God's people for many years were receiving “stones for bread” from many highly educated ministers. The concern regarding “manufactured ministers” was quite strong.

However, it was stressed that God's ordinary way is the way of means. Rev. Kersten struggled to convince our congregations that it was God's ordinary way to instruct by these means, pointing also to the schools of the prophets in old Israel. There were then exceptional prophets who had no need for schools, but also the common prophets, who needed to be formed by education and preparation. Rev. Kersten said, “He who dares to do so may condemn these schools of the prophets; however, God's Word does not do so. These schools do not supply an argument against an institution of learning. One may speak of the sovereign sending forth of the prophets, among whom were certainly very intellectual ones, but among them there was also found a herdsman; yet it must be remembered that the prophetical ministry is no longer found in New Testament times. God remains the same, just as free and powerful as in the times of the prophets. He can qualify with gifts and ability for the ministry of the Word. However, it is still true that He holds us to the means. Who dares to deny this? Then we could also discontinue church services, for God can convert as well without them. He does not need you or me. However, He works by means, and woe unto us if we slight the means. The church shall stand or fall with the school, even though I must continually acknowledge that the best of schools without the Lord's blessing will never benefit us.”

Thus it is evident to all that Rev. Kersten had a difficult time, but on January 13, 1927, the school finally came into existence. A service was held on that day in the church of Rotterdam (Boezemsingel), and, the Lord willing, on January 26, 2002, a service will be held in this same church in commemoration of these seventy-five years in which the school has served in the preparation of future ministers of the Word. Throughout the years many storms have passed over the school, but until this day it may yet exist in our congregations with its ecclesiastical instruction. Notwithstanding all the shortcomings, we may not deny that, under the blessing of the Lord, the school has been a blessing in the midst of our congregations. May it prove to be so also in the future! However, with this in view, the Curatorium, instructors, and students need the continual prayer of the congregations. May especially the Lord's people, who have been taught by the Lord to pray, not forget our school.

Curatorium Announcement

This is the first announcement of the Curatorium meeting which will, the Lord willing, take place on May 29, 2002, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The purposes of this meeting are to examine student Evert Adams upon completion of his first year of study in the theological school, and also to hear those who receive a consistorial attest with respect to either (1) a ministerial calling, or (2) a ministerial- missionary calling.

In the cases of vacant congregations, the consistory must invite their moderator to the meeting at which a member presents himself to be heard. If the consistory decides to give an attest, they are to inform the clerk of the Curatorium as soon as possible. In general, we ask that this be done no later than April 30, 2002.

May it please the Lord to remember our student in the completion of his first year of study, and may it also please Him, in whose hands all things are, to send out more laborers into His harvest. How necessary that it be true in our hearts that we have no rights in ourselves for such blessings because of our sins, but may our prayer be that He will provide what is most profitable for His church upon earth, for His covenant's sake (Ezekiel 34:15-16).

A prayer service will be held in the Grand Rapids (Beckwith) congregation at 7:30 P.M. on the evening of May 28, the Lord willing, with Rev. J. Spaans officiating.

On behalf of the Curatorium, Rev. G. M. de Leeuw, clerk

OBITUARIES

DE MAAGD, John - Age 80, December 5, 2001; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Wife - Jeanette; Children - Louis & Jan De Maagd, George & Daneen De Maagd, and Marilyn De Maagd; Sisters - Jeanette Berman, Louise (John) Stoutjesdyk, Elizabeth Van Ree, and Edith (John) Bazen; 5 grandchildren. (Rev. C. Vogelaar, Psalm 31:15a.)

JANSEN, Top - Age 90, December 9, 2001; Norwich, Ontario; Husband - Reindert (deceased); Children - Dorothy & Arend Van Lagen, Dick & Tina Jansen, Marsha & Kees Van Manen, John & Ria Jansen, and Reynold & Henny Jansen; 19 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren. (Rev. J. Spaans, Mark 13:33.)

HOOGMOED, Elizabeth - Age 91, December 11, 2001; Mineola, Texas; Husband - Leonard (deceased); Son - Jacob Hoogmoed; Daughters - Johanna Kelly and Nellie Capko; Sister - Julie Jackson; 11 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren. (Rev. H. D. den Hollander, Acts 20:38a.)

RIETVELD, Johanna - Age 53, December 19, 2001; Burgessville, Ontario; Husband - Willem; Children - Anneke Rietveld & finance Douwe De Boer, Margriet, Wendy, and Eric; 5 sisters, 1 brother, 1 grandchild. (Rev. J. Spaans, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.)

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