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
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
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
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
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
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
When Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary built its colonial style building in 2004, the school had about a dozen students. Counting part-timers and distance learners, the school now has around 150 students on its list, of whom 54 are taking courses this semester. The PRTS building also houses Reformation Heritage Books, a publishing enterprise that continually … Continue reading Expansion plans for Puritan Seminary
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
Rev. Brian Najapfour was installed as the pastor for Dutton United Reformed Church in Caledonia, MI, on October 19, 2012. Rev. Brian Vos of Trinity URC in Caledonia, MI, preached from 1 Timothy 2:1-7 on a faithful ministry. Rev. Jeph Nobel of Eastmanville URC in Coopersville, MI, read the installation form. Dr. Joel R. Beeke … Continue reading Introducing Dutton URC’s new pastor
Glenda Faye Mathes 