On June 16, 2013, about 80 people attended the first worship service of Providence Reformed Church at its new location in Des Moines. The beautiful sanctuary was filled with filtered light during a celebratory service emphasizing the lordship of Christ and the blessing of His completely accomplished atonement. As part of a continuing series on … Continue reading New location for Providence in Des Moines
New exhorter for Reformation Italy
On May 16, 2013, Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia church leaders examined Mark Patterson for his license to exhort. Having successfully sustained his exam, Patterson exhorted on May 19. Rev. Andrea Ferrari relates that Mark and Sonia Patterson and their 12-year-old son, Daniel, began attending Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia in Milan about a year and half ago. Both … Continue reading New exhorter for Reformation Italy
Carbondale URC’s Open Closet clothing ministry
Twice a year Covenant Reformed Church in Carbondale, PA, opens its doors to help meet physical as well as spiritual needs in a free clothing ministry called Open Closet. “This free clothing ministry allows us to build bridges between the church and the community,” explains organizer Maryann Wilcox. “The Open Closet is a ministry … Continue reading Carbondale URC’s Open Closet clothing ministry
Messiah’s ordains church planter for Jersey City
Ten years ago, Sam Perez was searching for something more evangelical than his Pentecostal tradition. Passing through broadly evangelical and then Reformed Baptist churches, he found his ecclesiastical home at Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in New York City. “Listening to Christian radio everyday, I came across a gruffy, deep, booming voice that was preaching in a … Continue reading Messiah’s ordains church planter for Jersey City
Bittersweet beginning in Boise
When Classis Pacific Northwest of the URCNA met on April 16, 2013, it salvaged a difficult situation by concurring that a church plant in Boise, ID, was the best solution. As reported earlier in Christian Renewal, the October 2012 meeting of Classis had encouraged Cloverdale URC in Boise, ID, and its pastor, Rev. Jonathan Van … Continue reading Bittersweet beginning in Boise
Hope for survivors and churches
The Hope of Survivors, a ministry of compassion that provides support, hope and encouragement to victims of pastoral sexual abuse, offered a balanced and biblical presentation in the Joan Kuyper Farver Auditorium in Pella, IA, on April 22, 2013. About 40 people from the community and about that same number from Covenant Reformed Church attended … Continue reading Hope for survivors and churches
Medicine Hat preaching station closes
After a six-month trial period, the consistory of Trinity Reformed Church (URCNA) in Lethbridge, AB, has decided to discontinue its preaching station effort in Medicine Hat. The work began in September of 2012, primarily out of consideration for four families from the Medicine Hat area, who regularly drove two hours to worship in Lethbridge. It … Continue reading Medicine Hat preaching station closes
One-year internship in Pella for Ecuadorian seminarian
While one-year internships are common in the OPC and one-year vicariates are standard practice in the RCNZ, such arrangements are rare in the URCNA. But Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Pella, IA, is planning a one-year internship with Pablo Landázuri. Pablo, who is from Quito, Ecuador, anticipates graduating from Mid-America Reformed Seminary on May 16 … Continue reading One-year internship in Pella for Ecuadorian seminarian
Award winning documentary sheds light on “blind spot” in Canadian society about aboriginal culture
Although the problem of absent fathers is well-recognized in the United States, even being powerfully addressed by President Obama, the problem of missing aboriginal fathers in Canada has been so overlooked that it represents a national blind spot.That’s exactly why Geoff Leo called his award-winning documentary “Blind Spot: What Happened to Canada’s Aboriginal Fathers?”Leo directed … Continue reading Award winning documentary sheds light on “blind spot” in Canadian society about aboriginal culture
Songbook Committees complete provisional Psalm proposal
During a March 5-6 meeting at Faith URC in West Olive, MI, the URCNA and OPC songbook committees were able to complete a provisional Psalm Proposal. The Proposal includes at least one full metrical version of all 150 psalms with the exception of Psalm 119, which appears in 22 separate selections corresponding to each section … Continue reading Songbook Committees complete provisional Psalm proposal
Glenda Faye Mathes 