Newsroom

Foods Resource Bank Marks 10 Years

The Foods Resource Bank (FRB), which raises funds in the U.S. through volunteer community "growing projects" to support overseas programs that help small farmers grow their own food, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

CRC Speaks Out on Tar Sands

June 26, 2009 — Rev. Bruce Adema, director of Canadian Ministries for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has been working to help congregations become aware of the impact that extracting oil from tar sands is having on the environment and the people in northern Alberta.

Q&A with Rev. David Koll

June 26, 2009 — Meet Rev. David Koll, director of the CRC’s Candidacy Committee, a group whose job it is to help define and oversee standards for ordination in the Christian Reformed Church.

CRC Asks Prayer for Post-Election Iran

The Office of Social Justice of the Christian Reformed Church is asking CRC members to keep the country of Iran, which just went through a controversial election, in their prayers.

CRWRC Part of Celebration in Indonesia

Last Saturday, Isnaeil Ihya Muhammad remembered his loss and began to celebrate with his whole community as he prepares to move into a sturdy new home built in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, by the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. Isnaeil is one of thousands of survivors who have benefited since December 26, 2004, from $18 million in donated and government funds received by CRWRC for tsunami response.

Highlights of Synod 2009

Synod 2009 wrapped up last Thursday night after a week of prayer, praise and careful deliberation, including several decisions that could have an important impact on the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Calvin Researchers Look at Teen Faith

Two Calvin College psychology professors are launching into a project this summer that they hope will help reveal more about the religious lives of American adolescents.

Breaking Barriers Goes Electronic

The latest edition of Breaking Barriers, the newsletter for the Christian Reformed Church’s office of Disability Concerns, will be published this summer only in an electronic form.

CRC Mega-Churches Follow a Trend

Mega-churches that are part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America generally mirror the results of a recent study that reported that these large congregations tend to attract more younger and unmarried members than smaller, more established Protestant churches.

CRWRC Helps Feed Pakistanis

The Christian World Relief Committee is continuing to respond to the needs of the homeless and hungry who have fled as the result of the offensive that the Pakistani government launched in early May in Northwest Pakistan against Taliban rebel fighters.

Norovirus Cause of Sickness at Synod

June 22, 2009 - The Cook County Department of Public Health has officially confirmed that the illness that last week sickened about 100 people, many of them delegates to Synod 2009, was due to "Norovirus subtypeG1."

Synod 2009 Wraps Up

June 18, 2009 -- Synod 2009 wrapped up on Thursday evening after handling a final group of issues, including the question of giving deacons in the Christian Reformed Church a greater voice in Synod.

Synod Approves India as BTGMI Mission Field

Synod 2009 on Thursday morning approved a request by Back to God Ministries International to expand its media ministry into the Hindi language into India.

Synod Approves Belhar Proposal

After nearly three hours of discussion, Synod 2009 voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday night to propose the adoption of the Belhar Confession to Synod 2012 as a fourth confession of the church. It passed 127-40.

CRC Needs to Innovate, ED Tells Synod

Rev. Jerry Dykstra told Synod 2009 that the church can learn something from things like the Canuck goat project. A few guys rollerblading in Canada during the hockey playoffs came up with an idea that led to the Christian Reformed Church being able to distribute more than 1,000 goats to needy people in Africa.

Faith Formation Committee Reports to Synod

Delegates to Synod 2009 heard a progress report on Wednesday from the committee that will eventually recommend how the Christian Reformed Church should address the process of faith formation.

Synod Approves Third Wave Report

Synod 2009 on Tuesday night recommended sending to Christian Reformed Church congregations for study a report that details the value of—and also offers some cautions on—the movement known as "Third Wave Pentecostalism."

Synod Seeks to Diversify Leadership

Synod 2009 instructed the Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church to take concrete steps toward developing a plan to increase ethnically diverse leadership in the denomination.

Synod Virus Update

Local health inspectors said today that they are 90 percent certain that the illness afflicting Synod 2009 delegates and staff was caused by a norovirus—a group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu” or gastroenteritis.

A Different Greeting for Candidates

Synod 2009 set guidelines for how congregations and their former pastors should relate, passed a series of recommendations on financial matters, watched a short video about faith formation in the church and, in a hastily revised ceremony, recognized the 48 men and women who were declared candidates for ministry of the Word.

Synod Hears Presentation on ‘The Network’

Delegates to Synod 2009 received an update Monday night from the Form of Subscription Committee, approved more than 60 candidates for Ministry of the Word, and heard a description of a new denominational office that would work as a resource to local congregations.

Synod 2009 Battles the Flu

As they wrestle with issues affecting the work of the Christian Reformed Church, delegates to Synod 2009 are also battling a flu bug.

Synod Hears Suggestions on Diversity

Rev. Leonard Riemersma, the lead chaplain of the Sea to Sea Bicycle Tour 2008, opened the Monday morning session of the Christian Reformed Church’s Synod 2009 with a brief description of the cross-country tour that raised $1.5 million for poverty-relief programs in North America and abroad.

Service Combines Hip-hop and Holy Praise

Delegates to Synod 2009 gathered at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church on Sunday afternoon for a service of prayer and praise that included rousing praise songs, a sermon on unity in the church, and a video that told the story of Christianity through rap and hip-hop music.

Exec. Director Addresses Minority Concerns

Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, pledged on Saturday night that he would stand with ethnic minority members of the CRC as they struggle for a greater voice in the affairs of the church.

Synod 2009 Officers Make History

For the first time in more than 50 years, a Canadian was elected as president of the annual Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Chaplain Copes with Closing of Center

Rev. Ronald Vredeveld came to Grand Rapids, Mich., recently for what will likely be the last time he attends the annual Christian Reformed Church Chaplains Conference as an active chaplain.

Translator of NIV Bible Version Dies

Rev. John Stek, a retired Professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and one of the main motivators behind and translators of the New International Version of the Bible and Today’s New International Version of the Bible, died recently at the age of 84 in Grand Rapids.

Next Stop “Unchurched” Portland

When Portland, Oregon native Jason De Vries and his wife Mishaela were considering sites for their new ministry, they knew their hometown would make the perfect location. Not because of its stunning natural beauty or proximity to family. But because of its residents’ need for Jesus.

Faith Formation Committee Posts Document

The Faith Formation Committee of the Christian Reformed Church in North America Synod has recently posted on its website the first draft of what will eventually be a four-part document.

Synod 2009 Starts Saturday

A slate of issues, including how the Christian Reformed Church wants to address a range of financial and confessional matters, will be discussed and debated when delegates to Synod 2009 meet at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill. Synod will begin on June 13 and meet through the following week.

Old-time Religion Needs an Upgrade

The 21st Century will see an unexpected resurgence in religion, the dying of fundamentalism, and the move away from creeds, beliefs, and unresponsive institutions.

Graphic Novels Teach Bible to Children

Crossroad Bible Institute, which is approved by the Christian Reformed Church for support, has launched a new program aimed at teaching the Gospel to children of people in prison.

Draft Constitution Set for New Body

Rev. Peter Borgdorff, executive director emeritus of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, says the draft constitution of the newly created World Communion of Reformed Churches is nearly finished and will be sent out on June 10, 2009.

NPR Features CRC Outreach

A three-minute segment on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition on Tuesday, June 2, featured a project begun last year by a staff person of Ellsworth Christian Reformed Church.

CRC Foundation Helps Many Do More

The Christian Reformed Church Foundation has released a list of the churches and other organizations that have been awarded final grants from the Sea to Sea Bicycle Tour 2008.

BTGMI Offers Program in New Formats

While dozens of radio stations have been airing Back to God Ministries International’s flagship program Back to God Hour at no cost, more than 100 stations required payment for airtime. That is now changing.

Abuse Prevention Director Earns Law Degree

Beth Swagman, director of the Christian Reformed Church's office of Abuse Prevention, will be sworn in as an attorney this week in a Grand Rapids, Mich., courtroom.

Food Tour to Stop at CRC Congregations

The Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice is helping to sponsor the “Eat Well Food Tour” that this summer will stop at churches in the Midwest to engage people in discussions about the connection between faith and food.

Sierra Leone Pastor Praises CRC

Pastor John Phiri this week thanked Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries for paving the way for him to help bring thousands of people to Christ in the small African country of Sierra Leone.

Book Focuses on Business Ministry

My Business, My Mission tells the story of a faith-based, business movement that is changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in the most impoverished nations on earth.

CRC Official Heads Council

The Rev. Bruce Adema, director of Canadian ministries for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has been elected as president of The Canadian Council of Churches.

Youth Unlimited Honors LaGrave

Youth Unlimited, a youth program affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church, will mark 20 years of ministry with LaGrave CRC at a special service in June in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Professor of the Year Named at Calvin

Calvin College professor of business Cal Jen is the class of 2009's pick for the Professor of the Year Award. The honor has been given out annually for the past 12 years.

Chinese Pastor Looks Toward Ordination

Now that he has graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary, Paul Wang is looking forward to the next milestone in his ministerial career.

Displaced Pakistanis Receive Help

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the relief and development agency of the Christian Reformed Church, is assisting several thousands of people who are displaced in camps in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province.

Calvin Institute Awards Grants

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), in Grand Rapids, Mich., recently awarded almost $500,000 in grants to support a variety of worship renewal projects in 43 churches and organizations, including several that are affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Spreading the Goat News

Even though hockey fan Joel Nagtegaal of Langley, BC, is sorely disappointed that a May 11 loss took the Vancouver Canucks out of the Stanley Cup playoffs, it’s not getting his goat. Or the more than 640 other goats donated to the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) so far since the playoffs began. What started off as a friendly wager among roller-hockey friends to buy goats while growing playoff goatees has spiraled into a viral philanthropic phenomenon.

CRWRC Taps Fresh Energy

Starting this summer, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee will enter into a new collaboration with a partner organization to continue the diaconal work that CRWRC does with churches in the United States.

Pow Wow Part of 2010 Merger

Planners for the inaugural meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches are inviting local and regional Native Americans to participate in a special Pow Wow planned for Tuesday, June 22, 2010, at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids.

Coffee Break Conference Held

Nearly 700 women gathered in Oakville, Ontario recently for The Amazing Race. But this wasn’t a taping for the popular television show of the same name (although that was some of the inspiration). It wasn’t even a real race.

ServiceLink Program Goes Bi-national

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is establishing a Bi-national ServiceLink Volunteer Program that will more easily serve and recruit volunteers in both the United States and Canada. Making the program bi-national is another example of the CRCNA in the two countries finding ways to work together more smoothly.

Faith Alive Publications Win Awards

The Banner, the monthly magazine of the Christian Reformed Church, and Reformed Worship, a quarterly periodical that provides practical ideas for worship planning and articles on current, worship-related topics, each received awards on Thursday night at the annual Associated Church Press banquet, held this year in Indianapolis, Indiana.

'Cradle of Faith' DVD Available

The Christian Reformed Church's Office of Social Justice is offering for free "The Cradle of Our Faith," a half-hour DVD that looks at the plight of Christians in modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, and Egypt.

Trinity Students 'Rescued' by Oprah

After nearly a week of standing in the rain, sleeping wherever they could find shelter and marching through the streets of Chicago hoping to attract the attention of someone who would aid them in raising awareness of their cause, Trinity students and hundreds of others assembled outside of Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios in early May.

Board Addresses Range of Issues

May 8, 2009 -- The governing board of the Christian Reformed Church met in Grand Rapids, Mich., recently and addressed a range of issues that include approving a pay freeze for CRC employees, electing officers for next year, approving budgets of CRC agencies and recommending that Synod 2009 not increase the ministry share rate.

Final Concert for Fine Arts Center

The Calvin College Fine Arts Center will host its final event – a concert on Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. – before it closes to undergo a substantial renovation starting this Spring.

Safe Church Team Advocates Get Training

More than 20 Christian Reformed Church in North America safe church team advocates were recently given two days of training in Grand Rapids, Mich., on how to best respond to and provide a range of assistance to claimants going through the advisory panel process – a synodically approved process for an individual who has made a claim of abuse against a church leader.

Scholarships Announced at Calvin College

Two Calvin College professors — one a geographer and the other a philosopher — and one Calvin senior in the honors program have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year to do research in their areas of interest.

Survey Tracks Changes in CRC

A recent membership survey by the Christian Reformed Church in North America revealed some declines in denominational loyalty and devotional practices, especially among younger members, while overall church attendance has remained steady and the number of college-educated church members is on the rise.

Pastor Graduates from New Online Program

Twenty years ago, Carlos Palacios traded the terror and violence of an unstable Peru for the hope and promise of a new life abroad. Although he wasn’t sure what he should do once he arrived in a new country, he felt God calling him to ministry.

CRC Employees Sing New Songs

The employees gathered in a conference room at the office Wednesday afternoon and, before starting to sing, were given a preview of Contemporary Songs for Worship, a new songbook published by Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the CRC.

CRC Asks Churches to Prepare for Flu

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is asking its congregations in the United States and Canada to draw up plans on how to respond to the growing threat of an Influenza H1N1 pandemic.

CRC to Celebrate EMBRACE AIDS Sunday

As EMBRACE AIDS Sunday approaches in the Christian Reformed Church, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and other church agencies are successfully working in a range of areas, with a variety of people around the world, to fight the disease that has inflected and killed millions of people.

GEMS Celebrates 50 Years

GEMS, a Christian Reformed Church-affiliated ministry for bringing girls across the world closer to God, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Ecumenical Rebuild in New Orleans

Twelve homes in the historic Little Woods area of New Orleans will be rebuilt in coming weeks thanks to 500 volunteers from 10 Christian denominations around the United States, including dozens of volunteers from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

Preaching the Message of the Belhar

Rev. Tommy Moore says the Belhar Confession, like the Bible itself, focuses on the crucial theme of reconciliation between God’s people.

White House Faith-Based Director Speaks

Joshua DuBois, the 27-year-old pastor who serves as the director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, says hope resides and lives in the halls of this country’s government just as it does in America’s faith-based organizations.

CRC Organizer Talks on Immigration

At the "Doing Justice in This Economy" conference held recently at Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., an organizer with the CRC’s Office of Social Justice spoke about many issues and challenges that immigrants face in a struggling national economy.

Suburban Church Reaches Out

April 22, 2009 -- Looks can be deceiving. Although Downers Grove is a middle-class Chicago suburb, it contains a sizable and growing high-needs population: the multi-ethnic working-class residents who labor in often low-paying jobs as janitors and foodservice workers.

Services Set for Former Banner Editor

A memorial service for Lester DeKoster, former editor of the Banner, will be held Thursday, April 23, at 2 p.m. at Calvin Christian Reformed in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Prayer the Focus of Spring 'Forum'

The longest chapter in the final edition of John Calvin’s Institutes, his masterpiece about Reformed doctrine, is on the practice of prayer, a topic that is the subject of the Spring 2009 edition of Forum, Calvin Theological Seminary’s quarterly magazine.

Calvin Prof Gets Federal Grant

A Calvin College professor of education has received a $50,000 planning grant from two federal agencies in the United States to support her work in developing reading programs in schools in Sierra Leone, Africa.

Long-time Pastor Challenged by New Job

Cecil Van Niejenhuis finds it odd to be sitting in the sanctuary and listening as the pastor gives the sermon on Sunday mornings.

Hockey Fans Asked to Buy Goats

In many parts of Canada, it is traditional for men to grow a beard, or goatee, while their favorite hockey team is in the playoffs. Joel Nagtegaal of Langley, BC, has decided to take this one step further and encourage people to buy a goat for a family in need for every time his team, the Vancouver Canucks, wins a playoff game.

Predestination Debated at Calvin Forum

When she was 10-years-old Laura Smit, a Calvin College religion professor, had an immediate reaction when she first learned at the dinner table of the doctrine of predestination, the teaching that some people are elected by God while others aren’t.

Campus Ministry Conference

Christian Reformed Church campus ministers from across North America will gather in New Jersey next month to celebrate and to learn methods to help support the diversity of God's kingdom.

Poster Deadline Nears for CRWM

Time is getting short for those young people interested in participating in the 2009 Christian Reformed World Missions Poster Contest. The deadline is Friday, April 17.

John Calvin Conference at Calvin College

Reformer John Calvin remains a controversial and frequently misunderstood figure, even as the anniversary of his 500th birthday approaches, says Karin Maag, director of the Meeter Center for Calvin Studies at Calvin College.

Calvin Professor Wins Book Award

A Calvin professor has been awarded a Juvenile Book Merit Award by the Chicago-based Friends of American Writers for her 2008 young adult novel.

Palestinian College President Speaks

Dr. Bishara Awad, president of Bethlehem Bible College, located in the West Bank of Palestine, will be speaking about challenges to peace between Israel and Palestine at a range of churches and in various venues over the next several weeks in Michigan and elsewhere in the United States.

Faith Alive Offers Book on Child Abuse

Faith Alive Christian Resources has published a book that in its updated version helps churches and other non-profit organizations to address the issue of child abuse, develop policies to prevent it, and deal with it when it does occur.

SON-BEAM is Hard at Work in Haiti

In early April, members of a Christian Reformed Church in Haiti congregation began hauling 150-pound rocks that they dumped in a heap outside the doors of the small building they used as a church.

Students Use Spring Break for Service

Hundreds of students are traveling this week to some of the nation’s hardest-hit disaster areas to do relief work.

Calvin College Receives Top Ranking

Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., has recently received a four-star, top-rating from Charity Navigator, one of America's largest independent evaluator of charities and non-profit organizations.

'Deeper Journey' Series Begins

The first retreat in the “Deeper Journey” series, sponsored by Christian Reformed Home Missions, offered the 26 participants a break from their normal routines and a chance to build a closer relationship with God and one another.

CRWRC Winding Down Zimbabwe Relief

The Christian Reformed Church World Relief Committee, the relief and development agency of the Christian Reformed Church, is nearing completion of an emergency food distribution program in Zimbabwe in response to the 2008 cholera outbreak.

John Calvin Event at Calvin College

Calvin College is paying tribute to its roots this April by hosting a conference devoted to the man for which the college was named.

Chaplaincy Ministries Has Interim Director

Rev. Mark Stephenson, currently director of Disability Concerns for the Christian Reformed Church, has been named interim director of Chaplaincy Ministries for the CRC.

Potential Church Planters Assessed

More than one dozen prospective church planters were evaluated on their gifts for ministry at a recent Christian Reformed Home Missions training event.

Celebrating Music ‘Under the Radar’

Dave Trout has on been a journey of a discovery in recent weeks as he searches to find and play music that often gets passed over by Christian media.

CRWRC Appeals For Flood Funds

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is appealing for funds for flood response in North Dakota and potential responses in Minnesota and Southern Manitoba, where the water—depending on winter storms passing through the area—is expected to crest in the next ten days, according to CRWRC international relief director Jacob Kramer.

Foundation Gives Sea-to-Sea Grants

The Christian Reformed Church Foundation has approved anti-poverty grants totaling nearly $100,000 from funds raised during last year’s Sea-to-Sea bicycle tour.

Art Auction Raises Funds to Fight AIDS

The Micah Action/Awareness Student Society at King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta, recently held an art auction in which it raised more than $1,000 to help the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS throughout the world.

Partners Worldwide on the Move

After operating for more than a decade from the Christian Reformed Church offices in Grand Rapids, Mich., Partners Worldwide (PWW) is on the move. Effective March 27, PWW will move into a new office building.

Website Focuses on 2010 Gathering

The Uniting General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches has put up a new website that focuses on the activities that will occur before, during and after the creation of new Reformed church body that will represent some 75 million Christians around the world.

Church Planters Celebrate "Harvest"

A diverse group of church members and church planters packed a southern California Christian Reformed Church recently to celebrate the lives that God has changed through new churches.

CRC Rally in Africa Brings Many to Christ

Now that 3,000 people in the Central African Republic have come forward to accept Jesus in their lives, the real work is just beginning, says Paul M’pindi, a Christian Reformed Church pastor who recent led an evangelistic rally in the town of Bangui in which these people committed their lives to Christ.

Aviles to Speak at Multiethnic Conference

Rev. Pedro Aviles, a former pastor and current professor of church and ministry leadership at Trinity Christian College, will be the keynote speaker at the biennial Multiethnic Conference for the Christian Reformed Church.

Hispanic CRC Launched in California

There is a new Hispanic Christian Reformed Church in California. Recently, Crossroads CRC of San Marcos, Calif., hosted a joint bilingual service with the Camino al Cielo (Highway to Heaven) congregation with which they have been sharing facilities for eight years.

Fair Trade Coffee Promotes Justice

Instead of buying coffee from supermarkets or plopping down money for a cup of java at the local coffee shop, why not consider becoming part of the fair trade movement?

Love in Every Nail

Grace Robertson is single-handedly raising more than a dozen children and grandchildren in Franklinton, Louisiana. Until last month, the Robertson family was still struggling to recover from losing their cramped mobile home to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Working "With" is New Wave

Jay Van Groningen says a storefront that a young Christian Reformed Church community developer has turned into a meeting place for young people in the gritty, Eucalyptus neighborhood in Bellflower, California, is an example of someone doing ministry with and not just for people.

Suggestions for Easter Outreach

As Easter approaches, Faith Alive Christian Resources is offering a range of materials and on-line discussions for teachers and youth leaders who want to help young people learn to appreciate and celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

Calling all Songwriters

Socially conscious songwriters in the Christian Reformed Church take heed. The Office of Social Justice, Reformed Worship, and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship are holding a songwriting contest, inviting CRC members to compose lyrics and even a tune on the topic of justice.

Jubilee Fellows Explore Call to Ministry

Every year, the Lilly Vocation Project gives students the opportunity to discern their vocation for Christian ministry.

New Initiative Aims to Help Congregations

The Christian Reformed Church is creating a network to help strengthen, sustain and support the health of congregations in North America and beyond.

Grant Links Religion and Science

The Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary has received $200,000 from the Templeton Foundation to help it develop resources for pastors and church leaders who want to incorporate developments in science into their preaching or teaching.

Timothy Institute Celebrates 10 Years

As the Timothy Institute celebrates 10 years of work, its director Rev. William “Bud” Ipema is excited to see its materials being used in more than 35 countries around the world.

CRC Congregation is ‘Model Ministry’

Even in difficult financial times, Pastor Juan Pablo Sanchez of Vida Nueva CRC (New Life Christian Reformed Church) is creating a model Christian community that sees its mission as reaching out to and serving the needs of its neighbors, says Javier Torres, regional leader for Latino ministries for the Christian Reformed Church.

Calvin College Makes Two Appointments

Rev. Mary Hulst has been named chaplain of Calvin College. Hulst, a Christian Reformed Church pastor, has spent the past two years teaching at Calvin Theological Seminary.

CRC Gives Green Grants

Two agencies of the Christian Reformed Church have announced that Covenant CRC of Sioux Center, Iowa, is the winner of the first annual U.S. Green Congregation Grant. To win the competitive $500 prize, congregations concerned about the environment had to demonstrate “effective and replicable ‘greening’ through education, lifestyle, and theological initiatives.”

‘Power of With’ Conference a Success

More than 250 participants, including many people from a range of Christian Reformed Church agencies and offices, attended a conference in the Chicago area last weekend that looked at ways in which churches and communities can work together more closely and fruitfully.

Young People Included in Synod 2009

For the first time, young people are being officially invited to attend a synod of the Christian Reformed Church.

CRC Board of Trustees Agrees to Cuts

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has approved a series of financial measures, including a pay freeze and cuts in pension contributions for denominational employees, that are geared toward helping the church to weather the current financial crisis.

Atheist Supports Evangelism

Self-proclaimed atheist Penn Fraser Jillette (of the eccentric magician team Penn and Teller) says he has no respect for Christians who do not share their faith.

CRCNA Lauds Disabilities Plan

Canada’s new Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) could serve as a model for other countries in offering financial help to people with disabilities, say disability advocates with the Christian Reformed Church.

Belhar Confession Available Online for Study

Congregations of the Christian Reformed Church are being offered an electronic version of the Belhar Confession so that they can to begin discussing it in preparation for Synod 2009.

Youth Hunger to Be Part of Worship

Teenagers who have some kind of role in leading worship in their church, such as presenting a prayer or even playing in a band, tend to be the ones for whom religiosity has more meaning, according to a study published in the most recent edition of Reformed Worship.

New Book Looks at Bioethics

The recent birth of octuplets to a California woman whose doctor used in vitro fertilization techniques raises a variety of ethical questions. These and other questions are addressed in Bioethics: A Reformed Look at Life and Death Choices.

Agencies Help New Church Buy Building

Financial support from two Christian Reformed Church agencies played a big role in helping a new congregation whose focus is on serving the needs of Spanish-speaking people to purchase and move into an old Methodist church in the Patterson, N.J., area.

CRC Holds Prayer Vigil for Gaza

The Christian Reformed Church is helping to put on a special service and prayer vigil for people—Palestinians and Israelis alike—who have been affected by the recent war in Gaza.

Documentary Shows Plight of Slum Dwellers

Ten Dordt College students and their instructor recently traveled to the Philippines to capture in interviews and images the work of Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) and its partners.

Multiethnic Conference Set

Despite some financial challenges, the biennial Multiethnic Conference for the Christian Reformed Church is set to occur in conjunction with the start of Synod 2009, which will be held in mid-June at Trinity Christian College south of Chicago.

Hopeful About Faith-based Program

President Barack Obama’s creation of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships could go a long way toward helping transform the lives of people in needy neighborhoods across this country, says Andrew Ryskamp, director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in the U.S.

Ministry Leader Wins NRB Award

The National Religious Broadcasters has awarded its Individual Achievement in International Broadcasting Award to Rev. Celsino Gama, Back to God Ministries International Portuguese media leader.

CRC Represented at Peace Gathering

In hope of finding ways to collaborate with other churches and to promote the cause of peace in a warring world, a representative of the Christian Reformed Church in North America recently participated in an interfaith peace conference in Philadelphia, Penn.

Ministry Reaches Out To Migrant Workers

The small, rural community of DeMotte, Ind., is marked by dozens of huge dairy and cattle farms. And while that might not seem, at first glance, an obvious place to plant a Hispanic church, some local farmers knew why it would work perfectly -- a growing number of the workers on their farms are Mexican immigrants.

BTGMI Launches "ReFrame Media"

At its recent meeting, the Board of Back to God Ministries International endorsed moving to “ReFrame Media” as the new name for its English-language ministry as a way of reaching out to a broader audience.

Faith Alive Launches New Website

Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the Christian Reformed Church, has launched a new website that offers an updated look, better navigation and search capabilities, and easier ordering of resources for its customers.

Father Speaks of Effect of War on Hospitals

A little more than a week ago, the young Muslim family lived in the middle of a war zone in Gaza.

Prayer Service for Immigration Reform

The Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice has prepared and posted on its website a prayer service and litany for use by churches and others interested in immigration reform.

CRC Sends Out Letter on Economy

Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, sent a letter today to CRC leaders across the United States and Canada, assuring them that the denomination is well aware of the difficult economic times and their impact on both local and international ministries.

CRC To Be Represented at Prayer Breakfast

Andrew Ryskamp, director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in the U.S., will attend the 2009 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. on Thursday, February 5, with President Obama and national leaders from each branch of government.

Consider the Suffering, WARC Official Says

Pastors, teachers and liturgists need to think about and address the suffering in the world, as well the challenges facing people in the pews, as they plan worship services, says Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Race Relations Seeks Ties

As part of its recently announced commitment to forge and maintain closer connections to the Arab community in North America, the Race Relations office of the Christian Reformed Church recently sponsored a trip to the Arab-American Friendship Center in Dearborn, Mich.

Ontario Churches Challenged

A recent conference presented by Christian Reformed Church Home Missions Central and Eastern Canada Ministry Team challenged more than 200 people to focus on the communities outside their congregations’ walls.

Working For Peace in the Middle East

Hope seems to be fading for a truce to hold between Israel and Hamas, according to reports in the news. Yet as the world struggles to help bring peace, Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) Arabic outreach has seen God at work in amazing ways.

Calvin Worship Symposium Begins

The annual Calvin Symposium on Worship kicked off Thursday morning with a stirring and yet reflective worship service in Calvin's College's Fine Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Forum Magazine Details Renewal

The renewal of teaching and learning at Calvin Theological Seminary are the subject of the Winter 2009 Forum, the magazine that offers reports and commentary on developments at the Christian Reformed Church's seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich..

Forty One Years—One Day at a Time

David and Janice Entingh Dykgraaf have just retired after more than 40 years with Christian Reformed World Missions in Nigeria.

Faith Formation Committee Calls For Input

A committee set up by Synod 2007 is asking classes and congregations to join in a continuing dialogue about how the CRC ought to address the biblical teaching and current pastoral practices around participation in the Lord's Supper, public profession of faith and infant baptism.

Home Missions Sponsors Speaker

Christian Reformed Home Missions is already doing many of the things to connect churches to their neighborhoods that author and researcher David Kinnaman suggested in his presentation on Thursday at the January Series at Calvin College.

Pastor/Church Relations Fills Open Slot

Rev. Cecil Van Niejenhuis, pastor of First CRC in Edmonton, Alberta, has been hired to fill a position left open in the Pastor/Church Relations office following the retirement of Rev. Duane Visser.

CRC Addresses Economic Challenges

Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, told CRC staff on Tuesday that the church is aggressively examining its current budget and will be making adjustments in response to worldwide economic difficulties.

Assistant Dean Attends Inauguration

A Calvin College College staff member is taking a long weekend to visit her brother and niece in Washington D.C. and to attend a historical event: the January 20 Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Helping Families Rebuild Their Lives

Once a month, Simon Kalotum stands in a long line and waits his turn to receive maize, peas, and vegetable oil from relief workers. While relying on food aid is nothing new for Simon and his neighbors in Turkana, he is discouraged to be back in this situation after working for a better life just a short while ago.

CRC Agencies Breaking Barriers

Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed Home Missions have recently launched joint efforts to revitalize the work they do by working more closely together.

CRWRC Helps Stage Refugee Simulation

A small group of high school students worked from September through January to put together a refugee simulation experience for a larger group of Grand Rapids Institute for Leaders' students.

CRC in Sierra Leone Villages Blossoms

More than 20 years of hard, patient work, coupled with what had to have been a few interventions by God, have led to the blossoming of the Christian Reformed Church among the mostly Muslim population of a few villages in northern Sierra Leone.

Calvin College Official Takes Job with CRWRC

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee announced on Thursday that Tom McWhertor, currently vice president for enrollment and external programs at Calvin College, has accepted the position of Director of Constituency Relations and Development for the CRC's relief and development agency.

Rehoboth Featured in National Publication

An essay and photographs by James Calvin Schaap, professor of English at Dordt College, is the cover story for two consecutive issues of Books and Culture magazine, a bimonthly publication of Christianity Today International.

Deadline Nears for Worship Symposium

Registration is well underway for the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship, January 29-31, 2009, at Calvin College and Seminary. Online registration remains open until Jan. 20. At that point there will be a limited, walk-up registration for those workshops not at capacity.

Ontario CRC Opens Ministry Centre

Since its formation in 2005, The Journey, a growing Christian Reformed congregation in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, has achieved a certain level of “success.” Now at 170 members, the church still enjoys a steady stream of newcomers most Sunday mornings.

CRCNA Helps Sponsor Art Show

The Indian Metis Christian Fellowship of the Christian Reformed Church of North America has joined with an art gallery in the Saskatchewan Legislative Building to sponsor a showing of art work by Ovide Bighetty.

Cross collection at Dordt art gallery

An exhibit of crosses throughout history will be on display at the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery January 15 through February 15.

CRC Workers Safe After Quake

Christian Reformed Church personnel in San Jose, Costa Rica, reported to CRC officials via phone that none of them were injured by the estimated 6.1 magnitude earthquake that shook the area late last week. The phone call to Central America took place at the Grand Rapids office of the CRC.

WARC Asks For End To Violence in Gaza

As the number of deaths in Gaza rises, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) is calling on all parties involved in the fighting to end the violence and agree to an immediate cease-fire.

Sea to Sea Riders Cross Nicaragua

Twenty-four bicyclists completing a ride across Nicaragua this week are raising funds and awareness for the victims of Hurricane Felix, which made landfall on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua as a category 5 hurricane on September 4, 2007.

Church Coaching Part of CRWRC Series

As part of its Lunch & Learn program, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee will offer a webinar on January 13 that looks at how specially trained coaches can help local Christian Reformed Church congregations get more involved in global outreach mission's programs.

Talk on John Calvin Starts January Series

Protestant reformer John Calvin, whose 500th birthday will be celebrated around the world this year, believed in a separation between church and state, but not a separation between religion and politics, said John Witte, Jr., on Wednesday in the opening presentation of Calvin College's annual January Series.

Preaching a Focus of Annual Symposium

The annual Symposium on Worship will take place on the campus of Calvin College and Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., from January 29-31, and, among the many workshops and presentations, learning how to become a better liturgist and preacher is a focus.

Calvin College's New Fieldhouse Opens

A milestone in Calvin College athletics will be marked on Wednesday as the men’s and women’s basketball teams return to campus for their first games in the new Van Noord Arena.

A Look at CRC News in 2008

Rehoboth Christian School Buys Bus

High school choir members from Rehoboth Christian School in New Mexico normally have to pile into four vans when they take their music on the road. Every year, they travel to Native American reservations, rural Christian Reformed Church congregations and elsewhere across the United States to perform.

CRC Director Calls for Ceasefire in Gaza

Rev. Gerard Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has written a letter to state and national leaders expressing “deep concern over escalating violence between Israel and Hamas."

Iowa Pastor Feels Gratitude at Christmas

When Rev. Frank Pott looked out his bedroom window and saw the deadly funnel cloud forming in the sky over Parkersburg, Iowa, on Sunday, May 25, he was scared.

In Tough Times, Ministry Remains Focus

Like many churches, Imlay City Christian Reformed Church, about 25 miles (40 kilometres) northeast of Detroit, Mich., is not exempt from these difficult financial times.

CRWRC Still Walks With Tsunami Survivors

Four years after a horrific tsunami tore through parts of Southeast Asia you can still hear the pounding! Houses are being rebuilt, livelihoods rehabilitated, and communities restored.

Karla's Dream Fulfilled

Schaap's Books Re-Published

Three books written by Dordt College professor James Calvin Schaap have been republished and released for a new round of distribution.

Conference To Explore 'Missional Living'

An upcoming conference sponsored by Christian Reformed Home Missions will delve deeply into how churches can impact their communities through outreach and evangelism.

Bush Weakens Protections for Migrants

Comprehensive Immigration Reform will be one of the topics addressed at the "Power of With 2009 Ministry Conference: Building Justice in Your Community" that is to be held in late February and is being sponsored by a variety of Christian Reformed Church agencies.

Emergency Food Aid is Rushed to Zimbabwe

As the government of Robert Mugabi appears to unravel by the day, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has been part of a coordinated effort that has raised $7 million (in US dollars) in food aid for Zimbabwe's already desperate citizens.

Calvin Center Awards Research Grants

The Governing Board for the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship recently awarded six grants totaling $151,434 to Calvin College professors and others to conduct research on a range of faith-related topics.

Expanded Ministries Center Set to Open

Christian Reformed Church employees gathered on Monday morning for a short prayer service to celebrate the near-completion of a 20,000-square-foot renovation that has transformed a former printing plant and bindery area into a colorfully painted, openly lit ministries center at the CRC office in Grand Rapids.

Dordt students Shine a Light on Website

Dordt College students in Sioux Center, Iowa, were selected to "shine their lights" in a new web initiative by the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).

Nigerians Honor Johanna Veenstra

Out of love and respect for their "spiritual mother," four members of the Kuteb tribe in northern Nigeria made a trip recently to clean and better mark the grave of Johanna Veenstra, the first Christian Reformed Church member to go as a missionary to that African country.

Lou Tamminga Retires

Rev. Louis Tamminga is a gentle, soft-spoken minister who has dealt over the years with many delicate and sometimes difficult situations involving Christian Reformed Church pastors as well as with missionaries around the world.

CRC Loan Fund Sees Black

The bad news is rife, reminding us of faltering financial markets, bailouts, plant closures and lay-offs. Read just about any story or watch just about any TV news shows about economy and gloomy thoughts abound.

Webinars Feature Faith Alive Programs

Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing arm of the Christian Reformed Church, has started to offer free Webinars for people who are interested in learning how to better use and apply a range of scripturally-based educational materials in youth ministry and faith formation programs.

Pray for Peace and Unity in Nigeria

Christian Reformed Church officials are prayerfully waiting and watching developments in Jos, Nigeria, after more than 400 people were killed and hundreds injured in violence triggered by a disagreement over a recent local election. This week, the church has sent out a letter to all CRC congregations, giving an update on the situation.

New Church Hopes to Use Simple Approach

When Rev. Randy Ledeboer launches a new church near Cutlerville, Mich., sometime next year, he hopes to provide a simple approach to worship. “The world is very complicated, and people want something simple,” he says. “We want to just focus on worship, small groups, and service in the community.”

Former Calvin College President Dies

An era ended early Wednesday for many people in the Christian Reformed Church when Dr. William Spoelhof, 98, president of Calvin College from 1951-1976, died peacefully in his sleep.

CRC Offers Christmas Gift Options

If you are looking to buy meaningful and affordable gifts for friends and family during this economically tough holiday season, Christian Reformed Church in North America agencies have a lots of ideas.

CRC Marks Advent in Different Ways

Not everyone considers the CRC as a trendsetter. But when it comes to Advent this might be the case.

CRC Workers Gear Up to Help Riot-torn Jos

A Christian Reformed World Relief Committee worker says the church near his home in a compound in Jos, Nigeria, was burned down by rioters who then in turn tried to burn down his home.

CRWRC Launches New AIDS Website

As a way to mark World AIDS Day, which is today, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is launching its new iEmbraceAIDS.com website to provide young adults with a way to get involved in the rally to embrace people living with AIDS.

A Century of Ministry in Manitoba

Nov. 24, 2008 -- Rev. Peter van Vliet preached from the Gospel of Matthew to the small group gathered in an old blacksmith's shop for a church service that day 100 years ago in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Calvin Seminary Wins Templeton Grant

The Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation to help develop a website offering resources for preachers interested in addressing issues of science from the pulpit.

Thanksgiving Can Come from Confession

The Spiritual Leadership Committee at Unity Christian High School led a special chapel service in which prayers of thanksgiving were coupled with confession. It was a way of linking gratitude with willingness to admit one's shortcomings before God.

CRCNA Seeks Nominee for Ecumenical Group

The Canadian office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America wants to find one good person to appoint to the "Christian Interfaith Reference Group (CIRG)," a new group founded by the Canadian Council of Church that seeks to build bridges between people of different faiths.

BTGMI Launches New Radio Program

To help launch a new music-based radio program called Under The Radar, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson performed a special concert this week at the studios of Back to God Ministries International.

Theology is “On Tap” for University Students

Like most campus ministers, Rev. Michael Wagenman is always looking for new and compelling ways to make a case for Christianity to university students. That search led Wagenman to create an unorthodox event: a theological study group that meets at the local student pub.

Sea to Sea Rider Competes in Triathlon

A week before his fellow Sea to Sea Bike Tour 2008 riders made it to the New Jersey shore late this summer, Sylvan Addink had already arrived there ahead of the others. He needed to finish Sea to Sea so he could prepare for an Ironman competition coming up soon in Florida.

An Aboriginal-Style Christmas Story

Various aboriginal images and symbols surround the figure of Mary cradling the Christ child in the Woodland Cree-style painting that was recently part of an exhibit of seventeen paintings at the Indian Metis Christian Fellowship (IMCF), a Christian Reformed Church in North America-supported center in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Sea to Sea Funds Disbursed to Fight Poverty

The Christian Reformed Church on Friday morning disbursed funds to denominational agencies and organizations that played an important role in helping to coordinate and to participate in the Sea to Sea Bike Tour 2008. After expenses, the tour raised more than $1.5 million.

CRC Establishes Prison Church

After many months of dreaming, planning, negotiations and meetings, the Ionia Bellamy Creek “Celebration Fellowship” Prison Congregation--the first of its kind in Michigan--has begun to hold Bible/book study and worship services.

Tents of Hope Being Sent to Darfur

Today, a shipping container carrying 350 brightly colored, hand-painted canvas tents--some colored by members of the Christian Reformed Church--is in transit to western Sudan where they are slated for use as portable classrooms in refugee camps near the Darfur-Chad border. There, a generation of child survivors of ethnic and religious conflict is growing into adulthood under blue roof tarps from the United Nations.

One Degree Is Growing By Great Degrees

Filipino pastor Jon Espanola started Y-Rock Church in 2004 with great expectations. He had been pastor of other churches, but this time he was ready to use all of his training, ideas and the programs he knew would work.

Dordt Video Wins International Award

Dordt College's video production company, Prairie Grass Productions, has won a Platinum Award on its very first entry in the international MarCom Film Competition.

New Book Collects Calvin Worldview Lectures

For the past ten years, Christian Reformed Home Missions has partnered with Calvin College to send Calvin professors on speaking tours of secular university campuses. Now, many of those lectures are being published in a new anthology.

Tents Sprout to Focus on Darfur

More than 300 colorfully painted peace tents were sent to the Lutheran Church of Reformation from all over the county in recent days and then erected by volunteers from the District of Columbia church in colorful rows on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. over this past weekend.

Praying Key to CRC Mission

Prayer has taken on a new dimension in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church.

Turning Disciples into Loving Leaders

Several years ago, Michael Johnson was starting a church in Texas with Christian Reformed Home Missions. Things were going pretty smoothly. The church was growing, but after a while different people started leaving for different reasons.

'Third Wave' Report Sent to Churches

A Christian Reformed Church committee has completed a study of the Third Wave Pentecostalism movement and sent its reports to pastors and church councils for study and reflection.

Son Follows Father’s Footsteps into Mission

James Zwier recalls the many times he tagged along when his father, Joel, would take him to see how the Christian Reformed Church was helping people in the Dominican Republic.

Dying for their Faith

In Yemen a group of people meet in secret to worship, whispering their songs of praise. To worship openly would lead to discrimination, imprisonment and even death.

BTGMI adds ThinkChristian Blog

In the wake of Gospel Communications International (GCI) closing down operations, their Internet property ThinkChristian.net has been transferred to Chicago-based Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI).

Reformed Faith Comforts Soldiers

Army Battalion Chaplain Capt. Peter Hofman says he preached many times about his Reformed faith—and especially his rock-solid belief in the sovereignty of God—during his recent stint in Iraq.

Youth Take Center Stage at Coit CRC

The future success and health of the CRC lies in engaging its youth in relevant ministries and in giving them ownership of those ministries, says Rev Jerome Burton, pastor of Coit Community Church in urban Grand Rapids, Mich.

A Gathering of Peace Tents

Many activist groups and faith-based organizations, including representatives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, will soon be uniting on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for three days of advocacy for the people of Darfur.

Picking Questions from the Pickle Jar

Even if you aren’t a teenager, page through any part of Ron DeBoer’s new book, “Questions from the Pickle Jar: Teens and Sex,” and it is likely you will be intrigued  by the conversational writing style that the longtime educator uses as he takes on the challenging and yet acutely personal topic.

Web Links Students with Preaching Opportuniti

On its website, Calvin Theological Seminary has just uploaded a new program to make it easier to link seminary students with churches that need someone to preach for a service.

Response Crews Help to Heal Bridge City

Wearing a helmet for protection, Joe Treffers started his chain saw and went to work on the tree that had been blown down by Hurricane Ike and onto a small white house in Bridge City, Texas.

CRC Staff Pray MICAH Litany to Cut Poverty

People from all over the world, including 42 employees at the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America recently took time out of their day to recite a litany, asking that whoever wins the upcoming presidential election in the United States makes sure to keep fighting poverty high on his agenda.

Partners Volunteer Given Presidential Award

Cindy Leep, a Partners Worldwide volunteer, was recognized for her work in Uganda by President George Bush, who this week gave her the President's Volunteer Service Award during Bush's visit to West Michigan.

CRC Going Google

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is moving its current Groupwise and Exchange email systems to Google Apps, a popular, inexpensive, web-based email and files storage system, in order to streamline and build collaboration and communication between all parts of the church.

Home Missions Taps Interim Leader for Canada

Home Missions church planter Adrian VanGiessen has accepted the invitation to serve as interim Leader for Home Missions’ Central and Eastern Canada Ministry Team. Beginning November 3, VanGiessen will assume the role previously held by Ben Vandezande, who is now director of Home Missions.

Houston CRC Thanked for Hurricane Ike Help

Standing at the pulpit of Hope Christian Reformed Church in South Houston on Sunday, Rev. Roger De Young read a significant letter of thanks from a Galveston woman whose home was battered and property damaged by Hurricane Ike.

Conference on Giving in Times of Turmoil

The third annual Christians and Money Conference co-sponsored by the Barnabas Foundation and Calvin Theological Seminary, probably couldn't come at a better time.

The Green Shirts Get a Special Anointing

When Christian Reformed World Relief Disaster Response Services workers went out to work on Monday morning to continue their clean-up work in the hurricane-devastated community of Bridge City, Texas, they left with a spiritual boost and renewed confidence that came from a special service they attended the day before.

A Visit to Ike’s Total Devastation

News and Media Director Chris Meehan is visiting a crew of CRWRC emergency-response and reconstruction workers who are working the wake of several hurricanes to hit the Gulf Coast of the United States in recent years. This is his first report.

World Reformed Body Plans Merger Details

Plans to form a new global grouping representing 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide have taken a step forward, following discussions at a meeting in the Dutch city of Utrecht.

Booklet Outlines CRC’s Positions

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has published a new booklet explaining the church’s positions on a range of contemporary issues including abortion, the authority of the Bible, gambling and homosexuality. The material in the booklet is gleaned from several decades of discussions, debates and decisions by the CRC synod.

CRC Agencies Plan Radio Ministry in Haiti

Lesley Millar has been crisscrossing Canada in recent weeks to raise financial support for a radio ministry in Haiti that will involve several Christian Reformed Church agencies working together.

Grad Student Takes on Campus Ministry

An Ontario graduate student has stepped in to lead the Home Missions-supported campus ministry at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, for the 2008-09 school year.

Dordt Roommates to Run Marathon for Mission

Three Dordt College roommates have decided to use what they have (the ability to run) to raise what they don’t have (cash) to support a recent Dordt graduate who is doing agricultural mission work in his home, Ivory Coast, West Africa.

Calvin Profs Talk Politics to People in Pews

Brookside Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., was packed on Thursday night with people who came to hear two Calvin College professors discuss how the Reformed faith can inform their vote for the next United States president.

Peace Bus Stops at CRC Office

The colorfully painted "Wheels of Justice" touring bus made a stop this week at the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church, bringing peace activists who spoke about the plight of Iraqi refugees and the life of the Palestinians under Israeli rule.

New Wisconsin Faith Community Takes Shape

The recently established Fond du Lac Christian Fellowship traces its roots to three couples ministering through a divorce-care program.

Nigerian Diplomat Thanks CRC Missionaries

Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Nigeria's top-ranking diplomat to Canada, says he would not be where he is today without the Christian Reformed Church missionaries who were his teachers at a Christian boarding school.

Reformed Ecumenical Groups Meet in Utrecht

Members of the governing bodies of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) will meet in joint sessions for the first time starting Oct. 6 in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Former Zondervan Exec to Head Faith Alive

Mark Rice, a former marketing executive with Zondervan Inc., has been named director of Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Colombian Woman Has Special Needs Ministry

Elizabeth Rodriguez traces her choice of a career back to when she was a teenager attending a church youth group and became involved in ministry to disabled persons at a refugee camp in Columbia.

CRC Participates in World Hunger Meeting

Two leaders from the Christian Reformed Church were in New York City this week to take part in an interfaith discussion on how to translate commitments into effective action to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

CRC Director Visits Victims of Kenya Violence

Visiting a camp for displaced persons in Kenya, Rev. Jerry Dykstra saw first-hand the life-saving role that the Christian Reformed Church has had in helping to feed thousands of people who fled violence in the East African country following a disputed election last year.

Sea to Sea Takes On Nicaragua

Lynn Groen will be among the 19 for sure – and 20 hopefully --- participants who will ride their bikes across Nicaragua later this year to raise money for seeds for farmers who lost their livelihoods and homes to Hurricane Felix in 2007.

Breaking Bread Before Breakfast

Considering that college students are notorious for sleeping in after late nights studying (and socializing), who would actually turn up for a eucharist service at 7:22 on Tuesday mornings?

Booklet Focuses on Healthy Clergy Marriages

The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has just published a new booklet whose focus is on helping pastors and their spouses, with the backing of church councils, to find healthy ways to balance the demands of their marriage with ministry.

Sponsors Needed for Ecumenical Meeting

Christian Reformed Church congregations in North America are being asked to consider hosting delegates to the inaugural meeting of the General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in 2010.

CRC Chaplain Gives Sandals to Iraqi Children

A Christian Reformed Church military chaplain has helped to organize a humanitarian mission in which soldiers handed out hundreds of sandals to school children in northern Iraq.

Volunteers Head for Storm Area

Before heading south to help people affected by Hurricane Ike, a group of volunteers in bright green T-shirts gathered to pray in the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee's Disaster Response Services warehouse in Grand Rapids, Mich.

CRC Responds in Haiti, Cuba

The Christian Reformed Church is stepping up efforts to help people in Haiti and Cuba who continue to suffer from several storms that tore through the Caribbean recently.

Heartland Christian Educators to Meet

The annual Heartland Christian Educators’ Convention will take place on Oct. 2-3 on the Dordt College campus in Sioux Center, Iowa. More than 450 educators from Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Nebraska are expected to attend.

Old Mission, New Ministry

Susan LaClear grew up in a Christian home in Holland, Mich., and attended Christian schools from kindergarten through high school. But she never understood God’s call on her life until she went to a secular college, the University of Michigan.

CRWRC Disaster Team Responds to Ike

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) disaster response staff met on Monday to plan the agency's response to Hurricane Ike, which came ashore in Galveston on Saturday and ripped through Texas, causing severe damage.

Faith Alive Publishes Spiritual Gifts Course

Everyone has spiritual gifts, and God wants us to use them. In some of us, certain gifts are obvious, such as teaching, leadership, and hospitality. Other gifts that people have may be less noticeable but are just as important.

CRWM to Use Cows for Teaching Preachers

Christian Reformed World Missions plans to integrate dairy cows into seminary training for prospective pastors in East Africa. The cows will be housed on a 10-acre farm near the theological college of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church in Uganda.

Upcoming Events at Center for Preaching

Rev. Scott Hoezee, director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., has announced a partial line-up for events as well as a series of sermon-related products that are coming or will be available this fall. They range from seminars on creative preaching to an audio library of sermons people can check out and use while excercising, walking or riding in the car.

Urban Pastors Follow Jesus into the Streets

Clarence Presley and Rik Stevenson are a pair of Christian Reformed Church pastors who are building their congregations by following the lead of Jesus who took his message to the people where they lived, worked and relaxed.

CRWRC Continues Hurricane Response in Haiti

Christian Reformed World Relief workers continue to assess and respond to the needs of the thousands of Haitians whose lives have been disrupted by a series of hurricanes and tropical storms that have killed hundreds of people and battered the island in recent days.

Calvin Grad Writes Bestseller for Youth

Lisa Gort McMann is a 1990 graduate of Calvin College and author of WAKE, which made The New York Times Bestseller list for young adult literature this spring. Lisa lives in Mesa, Ariz., with her husband and two children. She recently answered the following questions by e-mail from Lynn Rosendale, managing editor of Spark, the college's alumni magazine.

Haitian Missionaries Heed Call to Prayer

On Friday, Rev. Bruce Adema, director of Canadian Ministries for the CRCNA, asked churches across the denomination to include the churches and people of the hurricane-ravaged Caribbean and Gulf Coast of Louisiana in their prayers this Sunday.

CRC Advocate for Justice to Speak on NPR

The first half-hour installment of an interview with Dean Koldenhoven, the former mayor of Palos Heights, Ill. who fought to give Muslims the right build a mosque is his city, will take place at 7 a.m. on Sunday on WGVU, the National Public Radio station in Western Michigan.

Lessons Flow from Sea to Sea Tour

Many Sea to Sea cyclists exercised more than their legs during the recently completed summer trek across the United States and part of Canada that raised more than $2.1 million to help fund poverty-fighting programs of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America.

Home Missions Co-Sponsors Worldview Lecturer

Calvin College French professor Otto Selles will be the speaker at this year’s Calvin Worldview Lectureship, a lecture series that seeks to communicate a Reformed Christian perspective on academics and culture.

CRWRC Responds in Wake of Gustav

As soon as the roads reopen, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee workers will be entering the city of New Orleans as well as visiting communities along the Gulf Coast to assess damage and needs left in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, CRWRC officials said on Tuesday.

Sea to Sea Celebrates God’s Work Through Tour

Amid cheers, tears and hugs, Sea to Sea riders and supporters celebrated the conclusion of their nine-week cycling trek across North America on Saturday. Hundreds of family and friends gathered on the side of the road in Liberty State Park and applauded as the 190 cyclists—guided and guarded by a 9-mile, 55-minute police escort—made their way to the final destination on the Sea to Sea Bike Tour.

As Tour Concludes, Justice Emphasis Continues

Setting out on their third last day of the tour Thursday, Sea to Sea riders will have a chance to reflect on the highlights of their cycling adventure across North America this summer. But one highlight – the dipping of tires into the Atlantic Ocean – is still to come.

Worship Conference at Redeemer

During the past decade, many congregations have made significant shifts in their manner of worship, and many church members have begun to provide worship leadership in new ways. These shifts tend to come with both delightful blessings and growing pains. Recognizing this, Redeemer University College, in collaboration with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, will host a one day worship equipping conference on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Sea to Sea Finish Line in Sight

The end of the Sea to Sea 2008 bicycle tour is in sight and on the minds of many cyclists as they began their final week of riding yesterday. Monday’s leg – the 57th day of the tour and 49th riding day – started in St. Catharines, Ont., and ended at an RV park in Byron, N.Y., just west of Rochester.

Laotian Church Planter Finds ‘New Life’

In the late 1970s, Phonh Sinbondit and his family were living in Laos when Communists took over the country. Considered a possible subversive because of his facility with languages and his work in film narration, Sinbondit was immediately arrested and shipped off without trial to a concentration camp deep in the jungle.

Sun Shines on Niagara Sea-to-Sea Rally

Sea to Sea riders and support crews made their way back into United States this morning after five days of Canadian hospitality as they passed through southern Ontario.

CRWRC Responds to Florida Deluge

CRWRC Disaster Response Services (DRS) is responding to flooding in Florida caused by tropical storm Fay, say managers from who returned from the Lake Okeechobee area last week.

Sea to Sea Welcomed into Canada

Sea to Sea cyclists were all smiles after crossing into Canada by ferry on Wednesday morning. They were greeted by about 200 supporters with a reception that included plenty of baked goods and Tim Horton’s coffee.

Sea to Sea Tour Remembers Pastor

Sea to Sea participants will pay special tribute to Rev. Mark Van’t Hof today on the tour’s last day in Michigan. The 47-year-old pastor of Grosse Pointe Park Christian Reformed Church near Detroit would have loved to join the Sea to Sea Bike Tour but felt he couldn’t spare the time from his work. Instead, he supported the rides of others. In February he died suddenly of a heart attack.

Home Missions to Fund 20 New Churches

More than a dozen multicultural ministries are among the 20 new churches that Christian Reformed Home Missions will help to start in the fiscal year 2008–09.

Agencies Link Missions to Creation Care

Two agencies of the Christian Reformed Church in North America joined with Calvin College this summer to develop approaches that will ensure that care for creation is included in the work they do at home and abroad.

Huge Rally Launches Final Leg of Tour

Families, friends and supporters of Sea to Sea tour riders turned out in droves on Sunday to take part in a high-energy, more than 90-minute-long celebration rally at Fifth Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Riders Get a Glimpse Into Cycle of Poverty

A handful of Sea to Sea riders will have an opportunity on Wednesday to see just what their bike tour is really all about when a local resident leads them through impoverished neighborhoods in Gary, Indiana.

Cadet Camporee Evacuated

More than 1,300 teenage boys and youth leaders from churches across the United States and Canada had to be evacuated this week from a park north of Toronto due to heavy rain that turned the ground at their remote campsite into a sea of mud.

WARC, Disciples of Christ Talk Unity

A meeting of World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council (DECC) leaders should pave the way for a closer relationship between the two organizations.

Office of Social Justice Gives 'Green Grants'

As more attention is given every day to environmental concerns, many Christians are beginning to discover a connection between their faith and their relationship to the created world – consumption, stewardship, and caretaking.

Conference Offers Christ to Urban Youth

Pastor Jeffrey Hough opened the first morning of the annual Urban Youth Conference with a rousing, roof-rattling request.

Finding Faithfulness on the Journey

Sea to Sea riders continue their cross-country trek on Monday that this week will take them from Wisconsin, through Illinois and part of Indiana before moving into Michigan, where next weekend's Celebration Rally will occur at a minor league baseball park in Grand Rapids.

Sea to Sea Riders Aided by Tailwind

A good night’s sleep, cooler temperatures and a tailwind was the right mixture to boost the morale of the Sea to Sea cycling troupe.

Calvin Professor Views Writer's Legacy

Edward Ericson, Jr., a Calvin College professor of English emeritus, has been answering calls from news outlets all over the world since the death on Sunday of Russian writer Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn, whose works are widely credited with influencing the downfall of the Soviet regime.

CRWRC Celebrates $48 Billion for AIDS Relief

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is joining with the AERDO HIV/AIDS Alliance to celebrate President George W. Bush’s reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

BGMI Focuses Beyond Olympic Gold

Many of the world's news outlets will be focusing on China with the start of this week's Beijing Olympics.

Chicago Pastor Offers New Approach To Worship

Pastor Ed Rockett has a vision of using music, dance, drama and theater as a way to address the needs of people attending Sunday worship at his new Christian Reformed Church congregation on the south side of Chicago, Ill.

Sea to Sea Celebration Set for Dordt College

Having left Nebraska in their wake on Monday, Sea to Sea riders were to arrive in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Tuesday in time to participate in a ministry fair and community celebration on the campus of Dordt College.

Sea to Sea Riders Reach Halfway Mark

The Sea to Sea Bike Tour will pass its midway point across North America today and cyclists and support crew members are still going strong.

Sea to Sea Riders Leave the Rockies

Sea to Sea cyclists have officially put the Rocky Mountains behind them and today are pedaling 93m miles across fairly flat landscape to McCook, Colo.

Youth 'Field Test' New CT Curriculum

Almost two dozen young people, a few of whom asked tough questions about the role of religion in their lives, helped to field test a new curriculum for "Living Your Faith in a Messed-up World: A Look at the Contemporary Testimony."

Calvin College Makes Top-College List

Calvin College has been included in the 2009 edition of The Princeton Review's annual college guide Best 368 Colleges. Only about 15 percent of the U.S.'s four-year colleges are included in the guide which was first published in 1992.

Stewardship is 'Giving to a Friend'

Popular musician Ken Medema and has joined with Pastor Mark L. Vincent to offer an approach to giving that is helping to revolutionize the way in which people think about stewardship.

Here Comes the Sun

Under a sweltering, Colorado sun, Sea to Sea riders and others attending a service in a high school stadium in Englewood, Col., heard a message from Rev. Jerry Dykstra about facing life's challenges.

CRC Praises Zimbabwe Progress

A coalition of church organizations that includes the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), of which the Christian Reformed Church in North America is a member, has congratulated the signatories of an agreement that paves the way for the sharing of power in Zimbabwe.

Interim Director for Home Missions Named

The Christian Reformed Church in North America on Friday announced that Ben Vandezande will take over this fall as interim director of Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Next Stop Denver

After a grueling, seven-mile climb, Sea to Sea riders reached and rode over Rabbit Ears Pass on Thursday and then took a steep downhill journey along the east side of the pass into Kremmling, Colo., where they spent the night.

20 Summers for SERVE

For the last 20 summers, a ministry program called SERVE has helped thousands of young people enhance their Christian faith by involving them in service projects in communities across the United States and Canada. They have also done volunteer work abroad.

Service Offers Relief from the Road

Between 30 and 50 Sea to Sea cyclists and support staff gather each week in a circle around a candle-lit cross. Some read Bible verses. Some play instruments. All participate in worship and prayer.

The Spirit 'Rains' at Evangelism Conference

It poured rain all day this past Saturday outside of the conference center in Lombard, Ill., at which 500-plus people gathered for an event presented by Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Calvin's Huizenga Center Nears Opening

In late August 2008, Calvin College will open for limited use its new Huizenga Tennis and Track Center, the first completed component of the college’s $50 million re-envisioned athletic facility: the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex.

CRC Calls Attention to Abortion Rhetoric

The Canadian Ministries Office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has sent a letter to its constituent church councils, calling attention to the "most unfortunate" decision to award the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgantaler, a prominent abortion rights activist.

Meditations for Baby-Boomers at 60

James C. Schaap weaves together personal history, commentary, and reflections on the psalms in his new book Sixty at Sixty, a heartfelt rendering of how God has accompanied the writer through six decades of life.

Altitude Affects Some Cyclists

The thin air high in the Rocky Mountains took its toll on some Sea to Sea cyclists yesterday as they reached almost 10,000 feet about sea level.

God Shines on Sea to Sea Riders

Storm clouds massed in the sky outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday afternoon as Sea to Sea riders got ready to worship in a state park with members of two local Christian Reformed churches.

Safe and Sound

So far so good, in terms of injuries, for Sea to Sea riders.

CRC Missionaries Undergo Orientation

More than 20 men and women who plan to serve on a range of overseas mission fields underwent several days of in-depth orientation and training this week in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

CRWRC Official Applauds G8 Commitments

Andrew Ryskamp, director of the CRWRC's U.S. office, says he was relieved to see leaders of the world's wealthiest countries, the G8, recently pledge to maintain their commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.

Wrong Turns in the Right Direction

A few Sea to Sea cyclists took wrong turns on desert roads on Tuesday. But it wasn’t long before they found the right route, which took them to Gooding, Idaho, where they spent the night.

Calvin Prof Focuses on Faith and Politics

Recently, reporters from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and USA Today have sought the opinion of Calvin professor of political science and director of the Paul B. Henry Institute, Corwin Smidt.

Pastor Works to Open Doors in East Harlem

New York City’s East Harlem, also know as “El Barrio,” is a working-class community in northern Manhattan marked by poverty, crime, drug and alcohol abuse, and a high teenage pregnancy rate.

Biking Across the 'desolate' Desert

Riding through the hot, desert landscape of western Idaho on Monday, Nathan Beach says he was able to appreciate more fully the green landscape of Michigan, where the Sea to Sea rider lives.

Riders Work, Rest and Play in Boise

Along with Sunday's Celebration Rally in a downtown park, the Sea to Sea tour’s weekend stop in Boise had two other special events on its schedule: a volunteer service project and a time to distribute mail from home.

Full-steam Ahead for the Rockies

Sunburned but gaining in strength, stamina and fellowship, Sea to Sea riders have begun the third week of their tour across the United States and part of Canada to raise awareness of and funds to fight poverty.

Sea to Sea Riders Trek Through Tough Terrain

Sea to Sea riders, plagued by technical problems that prevent some of them from connecting as frequently with the outside world as they would like, continue their trek east, traveling on Friday from Huntington to Ontario, Ore.

Entrada Students Await Graduation

For the past four weeks 64 high school students from Grand Rapids and across the continent have lived at Calvin College as part of the 2008 Entrada Scholars Program. On Friday, July 11, at 11 a.m. in Gezon Auditorium, those students will be part of an emotional Entrada graduation ceremony.

Three Cyclists Join for an ‘Epic Ride’

Sea to Sea riders continue heading southeast today on course for Boise, Idaho this weekend. Today’s 46 mile (74 km) leg from Baker City to Huntington looks to be a short, fast ride along the rolling hills of Oregon.

Conversation with Philosopher Alvin Plantinga

Alvin Plantinga holds the John A. O’Brien Chair of Philosophy and is director of the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame. He taught at Calvin for twenty years and is a '54 graduate of the college. Plantinga returned to campus last week for a seminar on science, philosophy and belief hosted by Calvin College.

Synod 2008 Made History

Synod 2008 was something of a paradox. It was historic and ordinary at the same time, says Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

CRC Asks Prayers for Zimbabwe

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is asking its congregations to join with fellow Christians in Africa this weekend to pray for a resolution to the ongoing political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Sea to Sea Riders Volunteer to Fight Poverty

Even as they are battling the heat and hills and the weariness, some Sea to Sea riders are also aiming to work this weekend at a rescue mission in Boise, Idaho.

Pastor Forms Bible Study at Barbershop

Rev. Rik Stevenson didn’t simply use his time in the barber chair to get a wash and trim. Instead, he took the opportunity to witness to the young men hanging around the place.

Sea to Sea Cyclists Tackle the Desert

Sea to Sea rider Gayle Harrison was up by 5 a.m. on Tuesday and getting ready for the 57-mile trip through the flat desert landscape of western Oregon on the way to La Grande, where she and the other riders will spend the night.

Sea to Sea Riders Head for Oregon

Packing up and leaving their camp site near the banks of the Columbia River, Sea to Sea cyclists headed off Monday morning on the second week of their cross-country tour that today will take them into Oregon.

Sea to Sea Riders Travel Yakima Valley

After two days of steep climbing through the Cascade Mountains, Sea to Sea riders were looking forward to a fairly level ride on the 42-mile trip from Ellensburg to Yakima, Wash.

Sea to Sea Riders Tell of Stunning Beauty

After a grueling day Tuesday in which Sea to Sea riders had to conquer their first mountain pass, they hit the road on Wednesday morning for the 58-mile trek to Ellensburg, Wash.

Sea to Sea Riders Face First Challenge

Sea to Sea cyclists left their camp on a baseball diamond in Sultan, Wash., early on Tuesday and began their trek up a winding road toward Stevens Pass, the first major challenge on the cross-country bicycle tour that began Sunday with special prayers and a service in Seattle, Wash.

Kids Corner Gets a Lizard Facelift

Children are bombarded with messages and images that promise fun, happiness, friends and toys. The Internet, radio, and television provide any and all kinds of information that help shape children.

Congregations Reflect Worship Trends

An array of innovative Christian ministries in the United States and Canada were featured recently on poster-board displays on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Pastor-Church Director Worked for Healing

As director of Pastor-Church Relations for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, Rev. Duane Visser had the role of trying to intervene and, if possible, help to heal rifts between a church and its pastor or other ministry staff.

Sea to Sea Riders Begin Cross-Country Trek

Clad in bright yellow jerseys, 144 cyclists dipped the tires of their bicycles in the Pacific Ocean on Monday morning before pedaling off on the first leg of the Sea to Sea 2008 Bike Tour.

Two CRC Congregations Win National Grant

The Fund for Theological Education has given a $12,000 leadership development grant to a pair of Christian Reformed Church in North America congregations that have been working together in youth ministry, according to a press release sent out this week by the FTE.

CRC Asian Pastors Seek Connections

One of the biggest challenges facing many Southeast Asian congregations in the Christian Reformed Church in North America is finding a way to maintain traditional values while making the transition from a first-generation church into one is relevant for youth.

Home Missions Helps Conferees Fight Fuel Cost

Even though gas prices continue to climb at an alarming rate, plenty of people will still be heading to Lombard, Ill., next month for In Community, Christian Reformed Home Missions' Small Group & Evangelism Conference.

CRC/RCA Join in Disability Concerns Outreach

By early next year, The Christian Reformed Church in North America will be providing office space at its Grand Rapids location for a new specialized ministry of the Reformed Church in America.

Executive Director Discusses State of the CRC

The Christian Reformed Church in North America will be able to face the challenges of an uncertain future as long as it continues to rely on God's grace for guidance and direction, says Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the CRCNA.

Synod 2008 Wrap-up: Decisions at a Glance

A summary of the key decisions, discussions, and stories that made up Synod 2008.

Synod Speaks

Synod isn't just a group of delegates meeting to make decisions. It is men and women who love the Lord, from various cultures and ethnicities, coming together to speak their minds and hearts. Here are a few of the memorable quotes from Synod 2008.

Synod 2008 Closes a Week of Unity

Synod 2008 came to a close on Thursday night with prayer and songs and gracious words for all who attended what Rev. Joel Boot, synod president, called an historic occasion in the life of the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Urges Action to Resolve Zimbabwe Crisis

Synod 2008 today passed a resolution urging the governments of Canada, of the United States and of South Africa, and church leaders across Africa and North America, to take emergency diplomatic action.

Synod Votes to Redefine Relationship with PCN

Synod 2008 voted on Thursday to try to redefine and perhaps rebuild the relationship between the Christian Reformed Church and what was the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (GKN), now a part of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PCN).

Synod 2008 Seeks Balance on Women in Office

Synod tried to show sensitivity to both sides of the women-in-office issue as it made decisions this week.

Synod Asks for Revision of Abuse Report

While acknowledging that it is important to minister to victims of abuse, Synod decided on Thursday morning to send the report of the Abuse Victim Task Force back for further refinement.

Synod Hears from Fraternal Delegates

Synod yesterday received greetings from a number of fraternal delegates, representing denominations with which the Christian Reformed Church is in ecclesiastical fellowship.

Synod Calls for More Work on Revising FOS

Synod last night called for more work on updating of the Form of Subscription, a document that members must sign to hold office as pastors, elders or deacons in the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Appoints Vanden Berg to Seminary Post

Synod 2008 last evening approved the appointment of Mary Lynn Vanden Berg to a position as assistant professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Synod Asked for Input on Faith Formation

Synod heard today from the Faith Formation Committee, which is studying the biblical teaching and current pastoral practices around participation in the Lord's Supper and public profession of faith.

Synod Adopts Revised Contemporary Testimony

Concerned about the need to speak to the issues of the day in strong but biblical language, Synod 2008 adopted a newly revised version of "Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony."

CRWRC Responding to Iowa Floods

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee disaster relief workers are helping to assess the damage caused by wide-spread flooding in large parts of Iowa.

Back to God Name Goes International

After nearly 70 years as The Back to God Hour, the electronic media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has changed its name to reflect the growing diversity in the ways it brings the gospel message to people around the world.

Synod Celebrates 53 Candidates for Ministry

Delegates to Synod 2008 this morning celebrated the declaration of 53 new candidates for ministry of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Changes Name of Back to God Hour

Synod 2008 last night approved changing the name of The Back to God Hour, the media outreach ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, to Back to God Ministries International.

Synod Invited to Celebrate God's Work

Rev. Paul Mpindi helped to open the plenary session of Synod 2008 on Monday morning by calling on delegates to focus on God’s wide-ranging mandate to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.

Nigeria Peace Taking Hold, Church Leaders Say

A 2006 peace agreement, brokered with help from the Christian Reformed Church in North America, continues to help bring stability and hope to the tribal people living in Takum, Nigeria, African church leaders say.

Retiring Chaplaincy Director Honored

Rev. Herman Keizer, Jr. told the crowd gathered around him on the campus of Calvin Theological Seminary about a dying man with whom he prayed on the battlefield many years ago in Vietnam.

Synod Holds Service Prayer and Praise

A mixture of praise music, hymns and a simple but challenging message about God's love for his people filled the Calvin College Chapel during Sunday's service of prayer and praise for Synod 2008.

Synod 2008 Opens Historic Session

Synod 2008 made history today by welcoming omen as delegates and then by electing a woman to its executive.

Faith Alive Director Marvels at the Mystery

Gary Mulder helped to guide the Christian Reformed Church in North America's publishing ministry through a plethora of changes over the last 24 years. He says he found the experience fascinating and fulfilling.

CRC Students Discuss Their Faith on Campus

Once a month, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) campus ministers Neil and Virginia Lettinga entertain about a dozen students at their home for lunch. In addition to breaking bread together, the group studies the Bible and shares their experiences as students.

Young Couple Speak of Africa Ministry

Although they are both under the age of 30, Phil and Christa Grabowski are seasoned community-development workers in the African countries of Malawi and Mozambique.

What to Watch for at Synod 2008

For the first time in the 151-year history of the Christian Reformed Church, women will be among the delegates to the denomination's annual synod.

Protestant Voters Show Democratic Shift

Evangelical Christians in the United States, including members of the Christian Reformed Church, have historically tended to vote for the Republican candidate in presidential elections, according to a recent survey.

Synod 2008 Starts on Saturday, June 14

The annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America will take place June 14 to 21, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

BTGH Responds to Earthquake Survivors

Rev. Jimmy Lin and his Back to God Hour (BTGH) ministry team have been reaching out to the people who live in Sichuan, the Chinese province that recently was devastated by an earthquake.

Luncheon to Honor Retiring Directors

Back in the late 1960s, Rev. John Rozeboom was thinking of a career that would likely have led him into the classroom to teach theology to would-be ministers.

BTGH Supports New Pop-Radio Strategy

A Christian Reformed congregation in New Hampshire is using advertising to spread the gospel via the Web site of a popular, Top-40 radio station, with support from The Back to God Hour, the media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Cyclists Excited to Ride and Serve

Many of the 221 cyclists riding in this summer’s cross-country "Sea to Sea Bike Tour" will also participate in community service projects in cities and towns along the route once they've finished putting in their miles for the day.

Partners Worldwide Earns 'Exceptional' Rating

Partners Worldwide, a faith-based business development ministry based in Grand Rapids, Mich., has earned its fifth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.

Book Chronicles 'Sea to Sea 2005' Ride

Rev. Peter Slofstra writes about battling heat, bugs, exhaustion and truck traffic in his new book, "A Sea to Sea Odyssey," the compelling account of the bicycle trip that he and more than 150 other riders took across Canada in 2005.

Deadly Tornado Kills CRC Couple in Iowa

Two members of Parkersburg Christian Reformed Church in northeast Iowa were killed on Sunday when a mile-wide tornado - the deadliest twister to touch down in the area in 40 years - tore through their town of 1,900 residents.

Calvin College to Host 22 Chinese Scholars

A group of 22 Chinese graduate students and professors will be traveling to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to attend a four-week seminar from June 23 to July 18 on science, philosophy and belief.

Synod Asked to Bolster Abuse Program

A report coming to Synod 2008 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America "has significant implications for how we minister to victims of abuse," says Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the CRC.

Campus Chaplains Work on the 'Front Lines'

Christian Reformed Church in North America campus chaplains who serve in public universities are on the front lines of advocating for the Christian faith, a Calvin College philosopher and writer told a group of campus chaplains this week.

CRC Posts Answers for Aid to Burma

In the wake of the devastating cyclone that hit Burma/Myanmar earlier this month, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has posted a list of questions and answers to how people can donate to the cause of helping the thousands of victims of the storm.

Calvin Board Wraps Up Spring Meeting

The 31-member Calvin College board of trustees concluded its spring meetings late last week by, among other things, approving a new policy that allows certain public safety employees to carry a firearm.

Home Missions Starts Church in Florida

Carlos Palacios left his native Peru after serving in the army during a dangerous and volatile time of terrorism and chaos.

Walls Going up for Ministry Center in Brazil

The pilings are in and the walls are starting to take shape at a new, more than $1 million ministry center that will serve the outreach efforts of The Back to God Hour in Brazil. The BTGH is the media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Having Fun with Ministry Shares

The just-released Ministry Shares video shows only a hand drawing simple, stick-figure images to help explain what for many people can be a confusing program for raising funds in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Church-Plant Planned for Michigan Prison

Several Christian Reformed Church congregationsin West Michigan are working with Christian Reformed Home Missions to plant a new church—and possibly two congregations—in Michigan correctional facilities later this year.

Sea to Sea Riders Take a Practice Run

Sea to Sea bicyclists bowed their heads to pray before they got on their bikes to take part in a weekend training session along hilly country roads in Allegan County, Mich.

Dual Disasters Keep CRC Staff Busy

Assistance from international relief agencies, including the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is beginning to trickle in to help hundreds of thousands of people who were left homeless by Cyclone Nargis, the devastating storm that hit the coast of Burma/Myanmar on May 3.

CRC Assessing Needs in Burma

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is joining with other faith-based relief agencies to help the hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by last week’s devastating cyclone in Burma/Myanmar

Kenyans Returning Home

Nyamuhu Kabogo is pleased that the Kenyan government has begun to resettle thousands of the people who fled their homes after violence swept the country following a controversial presidential election.

Non-traditional Church Moves to New Building

When Rev. Michael Laird started North Shore Chapel in Danvers, Mass., in 2002, he wanted to find a worship location that would attract people who had given up on church or religion.

Sea to Sea Devotional Book Coming

Riders, organizers and supporters of the Sea to Sea Bike Tour 2008 are more than halfway toward the goal of raising $1.5 million to fight poverty worldwide. A new devotional book titled “Shifting Gears” will soon be available for purchase to help support riders on the trek. Also for sale are shirts and wristbands to commemorate the event.

New Director for Pastor-Church Relations

The Board of Trustees for the Christian Reformed Church in North America has named Rev. Norman Thomasma as the new director of the Office of Pastor-Church Relations.

The Banner Wins Awards

The Banner, the monthly magazine of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, received four awards from The Associated Church Press for editorial and design excellence.

CRC Collaborates in New Ministry

A group of Christian construction specialists has linked with the Christian Reformed Church in North America to help congregations in countries such as Haiti and Honduras construct church buildings using volunteer labor and donated materials.

Reaching out to the Romas

Conference Looks at Belhar Confession

More than 100 Christian Reformed Church in North America pastors and others gathered in Kalamazoo, Mich. late last week to reflect on the themes of racial unity, justice and reconciliation contained in the Belhar Confession.

Home Missions Seeks to Grow Campus Ministry

Christian Reformed Home Missions is seeking to expand its campus ministry program on the campuses of colleges in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Running a Good Race in Boston

The cramps hit as Rev. Jon Huizenga began jogging downhill on the final six-mile section of the Boston Marathon earlier this week.

Finding God's Guidance in Politics

Just in time to spark discussion during the 2008 presidential election season, Calvin College political scientist Steve Monsma has come out with a new book titled "Healing for a Broken World."

Healing in Kenya

Reformed Christians in Kenya are asked to help heal the nation following the violence that stemmed from a disputed presidential election.

Calvin Receives $1.1 Million Science Grant

Calvin College announced Tuesday morning that it has received a $1.1 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to help the college expand opportunities in the sciences for its students and faculty as well as local high school students.

CRC Preparing Response to Food Crisis

Christian Reformed Church in North America agencies are busy working to develop a coordinated response to the crisis of rising food prices which is causing increasing hunger and political unrest in countries worldwide.

Korean-American Pastors Visit Graafschap CRC

When 16 Korean-American pastors toured Graafschap Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Mich., several weeks ago, the significance of the visit was not lost on Rev. Tong Park.

Erasing the Stain of Racism

In a presentation on Friday at Calvin College's Festival of Faith & Writing, author Edward Gilbreath said breaking down racial barriers requires that Christians be committed to opening themselves to the reality that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.

A Festival of Faith & Writing

Calvin College's Festival of Faith & Writing began on Thursday. Running through Saturday, it features presentations by novelists, poets, journalists, artists and musicians from around the world.

Sierra Leone CRC Sees Rise in Baptisms

Pastor John Phiri reports that March and early April were a busy time for baptisms in a handful of communities in a far-flung portion of northwest Sierra Leone.

CRC Launches 'Edgy' Radio Spot

The Back to God Hour, the media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has launched a new radio spot that features a daily message and an online video-blog conversation.

CRC Presents Black & Reformed Conference

"Reconciliation" is the theme of this year’s Black & Reformed Conference presented by Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Calvin College Approves New Gun Policy

Calvin College has approved a new Use of Force policy that includes allowing, for the first time in school history, select members of the campus safety staff to carry guns.

Rallies Set for Sea to Sea Bike Tour

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is finalizing its plans to host a series of spirit-packed Celebration Rallies in different cities during this summer's 2008 Sea to Sea Bike Tour.

Christian Reformed Church Urges Prayer

The Christian Reformed Church in North America called on Thursday for its church members to pray for Haiti, where skyrocketing prices of food and fuel have led to an eruption in violent protests, deaths, and an increase in the number of kidnappings.

Lighting the Olympic Flame

As the traditional torch for the upcoming summer Olympics in Beijing is being carried from country to country towards China, the Back to God Hour of the Christian Reformed Church in North America is working to bring another more enduring light to China.

New Testament Published in Pular

Christian Reformed Church missionaries have been busy in recent months distributing copies of a newly translated version of the New Testament to remote villages in the West African country of Guinea.

Cambodian CRC of Utah Looks for Support

Now that the burnt shell of their church structure has been demolished, members of the Cambodian Christian Reformed Church of Utah plan to move ahead to build a new home for themselves.

Terror Rises in Green Zone, says CRC Chaplain

Christian Reformed Church Army chaplain Rev. Gordon Terpstra says the horrible sound of rocket and mortar fire fills the air nearly every day in the Green Zone in Baghdad.

Iraqi Christians Face Mounting Violence

Jacob Kramer says the kidnapping and subsequent death of a Chaldean Catholic archbishop has made Iraq "even more unsafe and unwelcome for his followers and other Christians."

CRC Churches Connect to Campus Ministry

When University of Calgary campus pastor Paul Verhoef started his Wednesday Dinner Fellowship several years ago, he usually made a pot of soup for the small gathering of students.

CRC Executive Director Welcomes Papal Invite

Rev. Jerry Dykstra will be representing the Christian Reformed Church in North America at an ecumenical prayer service led by Pope Benedict XVI on April 18 in New York City.

Festival of Faith & Writing Coming to Calvin

Novelist Michael Chabon, Yann Martel, author of the “Life of Pi,” and children's author Katherine Paterson are among the constellation of novelists, poets, playwrights, illustrators, screenwriters, memoirists, graphic artists and others featured at the 2008 Festival of Faith & Writing, to be held April 17-19 at Calvin College.

A Spark of Divine Connection

Dale Dieleman recalls the day in 2005 when his work as Africa director for Worldwide Christian Schools of Grand Rapids, Mich. took him to a one-room apartment outside of Kampala, Uganda.

Refugee Sunday Focus Is on Iraq

Robart Farho and his family arrived in Toronto recently from Damascus, Syria, where they had been living for several years after fleeing from the war in Iraq.

Women Delegates to Serve at Synod 2008

For the first time in the more than 150-year history of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, women will serve as delegates to the denomination’s annual synod. Twenty-four of the 188 delegates who have been appointed to participate in Synod 2008 this June in Grand Rapids, Mich., are women, including seven female pastors.

Is God Calling You?

Trying to determine what career, vocation or even relationships God is calling a person to can be a difficult and confusing process, says Rev. Heidi DeJonge, pastor for discernment at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Seven Die in Nigeria Van Crash

Seven members of a Nigerian church with close ties to the Christian Reformed Church died in a traffic accident just before Easter when the van in which they were riding lost control and crashed into an embankment.

Christianity in Peril in Middle East

The worlds' oldest community of Christians is quickly dying off in the Middle East, and that is making it harder to build a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Calvin Professors Pen Guide to China

Two Calvin professors have written an unconventional travel guide to China, just in time for those going to the games of the XXIX Olympiad, to be held August 8-24, 2008, in Beijing.

Home Missions Holds Assessment Center

Christian Reformed Home Missions recently re-launched its Assessment Center for church planters, a three-day training event that had not been held for several years.

New Book on Ministry to the Chronically Ill

A new booklet titled "A Compassionate Journey" is available for churches that are interested in learning how best to support people in and outside of their congregations who are chronically ill or disabled.

Being Dutch and Christian Reformed

People inside and outside of the Christian Reformed Church have in recent years told the CRC to "burn its wooden shoes" and to become a multicultural and multiracial Reformed denomination, says Henk Aay, professor of Dutch Language and Culture at Calvin College.

Doctor Leaves $2 Million Legacy to CRC

Dr. Anne F. Oostendorp lived a quiet, low-key life as a physician and dedicated member of LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.

SPE Project Sparks Movement of Excellence

A culture of sharing, friendship and commitment to life-long learning is developing among pastors in the Christian Reformed Church, says a report that evaluates the denomination’s Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) program.

Calvin Hosts Art Exhibit

An exhibition of the work of renowned African-American artist and illustrator Kadir Nelson opens March 17 in the Center Art Gallery in Calvin College.

Small Group Ministry Leader Appointed

Christian Reformed Home Missions has appointed Canadian pastor and church planter Karen Wilk to lead its Small Group Ministry Development efforts.

Youth Exchange Program Plans ‘Mystery Trip’

North American youth have a chance to join with Ugandan young people next year to take a cross-cultural “mystery trip” to an undisclosed location in Africa.

Calvin College Offers Korean Lecture Series

A lecture series beginning later this month at Calvin College reflects the college's growing connections to the continent of Asia and specifically to North Korea.

Proposed New Form of Subscription Now Online

The Christian Reformed Church has posted on its web site a proposed new version of its Form of Subscription, the document that preachers, professors, evangelists, elders and deacons are asked to sign before beginning work for the church.

Calvin Professor Studies Drinking Water

News this week that pharmaceuticals can be found in the drinking water of 41 million Americans came as no surprise to Calvin College professor David Wunder.

A Dance of Recovery in Aceh

Watching the children of Blang Mee dance made Grace Wiebe realize that recovery from the devastating tsunami of 2004 is truly taking hold in the region of Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

CRC Home Missions Seeks Young Board Members

The Christian Reformed Church's Board of Home Missions has decided to look for two people under the age of 23 to serve as members on its board of directors.

Pizza Brought Them to Christ

You might say it was pizza that first brought them to Christ. Well, okay, it wasn't exactly the pizza, but God is using the Spotlight ministry in amazing ways to reach people with the gospel.

CRWRC Welcomes Committee Passage of HIV/AIDS

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee recently passed a bill that will help to continue the fight to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS around the world, say staff of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).

Missions Conferences Set

More than 50 people interested in learning more about cross-cultural missions work recently attended the first of three, one-day “IN the GO” missions conferences being put on across North America by Christian Reformed World Missions.

New History of Layman's League

John Gunnison was serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces in the central highlands of Vietnam in mid-1970 when he was given a plastic bag full of items sent overseas by the Christian Reformed Layman’s League. At the time, the Layman’s League, based in Grand Rapids, was busy every year shipping to soldiers in Vietnam thousands of bags that contained packages of Kool Aid, medicated hand wipes, a clean pair of socks, writing paper, a pencil, a copy of one of the Psalms and a portion of the New Testament.

Sierra Leone Gets New Bible

A dedication ceremony was held recently in Sierra Leone to celebrate the translation of the Bible into Kuranko, the language of people living in the northeast part of the West African country.

Pastor and Writer Rev. Jake Eppinga Dies

The Rev. Jacob Eppinga, a revered columnist for The Banner, popular speaker, and long-time Christian Reformed Church pastor, died Saturday at his home in Grand Rapids.

Calvin Professor Wins Grant

A Calvin College professor of Spanish has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study language acquisition in Chile and Mexico City.

Calvin Celebrates Women's History

Calvin College and the Grand Rapids Humanities Council are partnering on "Great Women, Great Voices," a project that will allow women to tell and preserve their important stories during Women's History Month.

CRC Officials Applaud Kenya Agreement

Rev. Mwaya Wa Kitavi's cell phone began ringing soon after the news broke this morning that the warring factions in Kenya had forged an anxiously awaited 50-50 power-sharing agreement.

CRC Members Travel to Jungle Outpost

People flocked to the banks of Nicaraguas Coco River as a group of Christian Reformed Church members from Canada sped by in two boats on their way to visit remote Miskito Indian villages.

Calvin Students Use Spring Break to Serve

Calvin College students and mentors will spend their upcoming spring break doing everything from urban ministry to hurricane relief.

Back to God Hour Reaches Millions in 2007

The Back to God Hour, the Christian Reformed Church’s worldwide electronic ministry, continues to grow its global reach as it shares the gospel, as evidenced by 6.5 million who reached out in various ways to contact the ministry in 2007. That’s an increase of 2.5 million contacts over 2006.

CRC Chaplain: More Prison Ministry Needed

Rev. Raymond Swierenga says he sees a great need for Christian Reformed pastors and congregations across the country to get more deeply involved in prison ministry.

CRC Releases Final Report on Eucharist

After 10 years of study, dialogue, and debate, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has released its final report that clarifies the CRC’s stance on the Lord’s Supper as it relates to the Roman Catholic Church.

Tents of Hope Draws Attention to Darfur

Multicolored hearts and other images of peace have been hand-painted on the exterior of the canvas “Tent of Hope” that currently sits in the atrium of the Christian Reformed Church offices in Grand Rapids.

Calvin College to Honor Missionary Couple

Scholar Discusses 19th Century Controversy

CRC Scholar Discusses 19th Century Controversy over Freemasonry

Partners Worldwide Provides Economic Support

Partners Worldwide Provides Economic Support

Booklet on Dangers of the Internet Available

Booklet on Dangers of the Internet Available for CRC Churches

Kenya Travel Re-Opened for CRC Constituents

CRC officials are again allowing church members to travel to Kenya for church work.

CRC Congregation Reaches out to Mayans

Inocencia had been bleeding on and off for many days before the medical missionary team from Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids arrived in the Mexican community of Xocenpich last year.

Institute Calls for Grant Applications

Christian Reformed Church congregations that are interested in bolstering the quality of their worship may want to consider applying for a Calvin Institute of Worship grant for 2009, says John Witvliet, the institute’s director.

One Campaign Official Offers Support

An official with the One Campaign, the global anti-poverty program backed by the rock star Bono, says the group strongly supports the Christian Reformed Church’s Sea to Sea Bike Tour 2008.

CRC Workers to Assess Tornado Response Needs

Christian Reformed Church disaster relief workers left Friday to assess the damage caused on Tuesday by fierce tornadoes that killed nearly 60 people and destroyed more than 500 homes and businesses in five Southern U.S. States.

Calvin College Names Top Teacher for 2008

A Calvin College professor of speech pathology and audiology has been named the college's 2008 recipient of the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Calvin Prof Earns Newbery Award

Calvin professor Gary Schmidt has won his second Newbery award for children’s literature.

CRC Staff in Kenya Are Safe, Unable To Work

CRC staff in Kenya is safe, but relief and development work has come to a halt or been cut back because of the violence.

Borgdorff Appointed President of REC

Rev. Peter Borgdorff, former executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, has been named president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council.

Churches Urged to Remember Heroism

Christian Reformed congregations are urged to take a moment this Sunday to remember four chaplains who died 65 years ago aboard the Dorchester, an army transport ship that sank in the frigid North Atlantic.

CRC in Canada urges Healing in Afghanistan

The Christian Reformed Church in Canada is ramping up its efforts to push for peace and reconciliation and an end to the war in Afghanistan.

CRC Reports Increase in Visa Problems

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has recently been faced with a range of immigration-related issues that have made it difficult for a few of its workers to move freely between the United States and Canada.

CRC Officials Fearful But Prayerful

Christian Reformed Church relief officials say they remain very concerned by the level of violence that continues to ebb and flow across parts of Kenya.

Calvin College to Join National Teach-in

Calvin College to participate in national teach-in on Thursday.

CRC's Executive Director Joins Ride

CRC executive director Jerry Dykstra and his wife, Linda, are joining the Sea to Sea bike tour, a CRC-sponsored event to fight global poverty.

Calvin Worship Institute Receives $7 Million

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship received $7 million from the Lilly Foundation to support programs for worship renewal.

BTGH Reaches Out To Chinese Hungry for Gospel

People hungry for the gospel lined up to receive gifts of Christian literature from The Back to God Hour during a recent conference in Hong Kong.

Calvin to Hold Entrada Open House

Calvin College will hold an open house on Jan. 29 for its summer program for high school junior and senior students of color.

CRC Relief Workers Distribute Food

CRC relief workers are distributing food, water and other necessities in one of Nairobi's largest slums, where people are suffering from the violence that has wracked Kenya.

CRC Scholars Win Awards from Nagel Institute

Two scholars with ties to the Christian Reformed Church's mission efforts have been awarded fellowships to further their work in studying Christianity's impact on various cultures.

Worship Symposium to Offer Live Webcast

For the first time, the Calvin Symposium on Worship is offering Web visitors the chance to view a live video feed of one of its events.

Chaplain Asks Churches to Send Packages

CRC Chaplaincy director Herm Keizer is encouraging churches to send care packages to soldiers serving overseas in Afghanistan or Iraq.

CRC Africa Mission Leader Optimistic

Pastor Mwaya Wa Kitavi, a Christian Reformed World Missions leader for Africa, is optimistic that his homeland of Kenya will weather its current political crisis without plunging further into turmoil and violence.

Child Soldier Tells of Horror and Redemption

Calvin's January Series hears from best-selling author who fought as a child soldier during the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Situation in Kenya Remains Tense

As tension in Kenya remains high, the CRC is asking for prayers for an end to the conflict and donations to help those who have been displaced by the violence.

Registration Deadline Nears for Symposium

The 2008 Calvin Symposium on Worship will feature worship leaders, musicians and liturgical specialists from across the United States and Canada. Registration for the event ends Jan. 16.

Calvin to Debut New Lecture Series

On Jan. 18, Calvin College will debut a new lecture series about the just and merciful treatment of animals from a faith perspective.

CRC Provides Aid to Victims of Kenya Violence

The Christian Reformed Church is launching a long-term relief effort to assist thousands of people displaced by election-related violence in Kenya.

Calvin Interim Offers Unusual Courses

Calvin philosophy professor Kevin Corcoran's January Interim class in England attracted a surplus of applicants.

CRC Loan Fund Helps Make Ministry Happen

The CRC Loan Fund is celebrating 25 years of "helping ministry to happen" by offering low-interest loans to Christian Reformed congregations.

CRC Reaches Out in Prayer and Deed to Kenya

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is mobilizing its resources to raise support for persons whose houses were burned and looted—and in some cases whose family members were killed or raped—in the election-related violence that has swept Kenya in recent days.

CRC Creates Special Team to Monitor Violence

With several of their staff members in harm's way, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee officials on Monday called into action a special Emergency Response Team to monitor the unstable, and increasingly violent, situation in Kenya.

Joy Comes Out of Pain for Two CRCs

Members of Community Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids say they got the best Christmas gift ever—and it came in an unexpected, even miraculous way from Godwin Heights CRC, their mother church.

CRC Printing Plant Employee Retires

Tim Reitsma's more than 40-year tenure at the Christian Reformed Church in North America's printing plant comes to an end on Dec. 31, less than a month before the operation itself is scheduled to close its doors for good.

CRC Celebrates 150 Years of Ministry in 2007

The Christian Reformed Church in North America celebrated its 150th birthday in 2007—a year in which the denomination reached out and responded to a range of local and world events in a variety of ways.

Australia Churches Launch Evangelism Campaign

A national advertising campaign sponsored by several denominations aims to renew public interest in Christianity, says the Australian Bible Society.

Congregations Use Special Advent Liturgies

In recent decades there has been a huge increase in the number of Christian Reformed churches that make special preparations to celebrate seasons of the church year, especially Advent and Lent.

Congregation Turns Parsonage into Group Home

A wonderful—perhaps even groundbreaking—example of a church reaching out to people with disabilities came to life this year at Westview Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Savilla's Christmas

Savilla is a young girl in Indonesia who knows the real meaning of Christmas.

Chaplains Reach Out To Many at Christmas

Christian Reformed Church chaplains will be ministering this holiday season to people facing many challenges in a wide range of settings.

Helping the Needy—With Humility

Walk humbly, put yourself in the background and have faith in others if you want to work successfully with needy persons, Benedict and Kathleen Schwartz told a group of supporters at the Christian Reformed Church offices in Grand Rapids.

Calvin to Host Faith & Development Conference

Calvin College will welcome 400 young people from around the country next month for the third annual Faith and International Development conference.

Glorifying God by Creating Better Software

A Calvin computer science professor has created a professional journal that focuses on the link between Christian faith and software development.

CRC, RCA Join Hands for Sea to Sea Tour

The Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America are asking members of their respective denominations to help fight poverty by supporting next summer’s Sea to Sea Bike Tour across North America.

Calvin Oratorio's 'Messiah' to Air on PBS

One of the country's longest-running performances of Handel's “Messiah” will be seen across the United States for the first time ever this month thanks to an evolving relationship between Calvin College and WGVU Television.

Student's Bible Web Site Reaches Worldwide

A Calvin College student’s religious Web site, begun when he was in middle school, has hundreds of thousands of visitors a year from around the world.

Activists Take Up Cry for Justice

Human rights lawyer Dioniso Diaz Garcia was shot to death a year ago as he drove to court to in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to seek justice for workers being employed and, he contended, exploited by private security companies.

Fair Trade Figurines Tell the Nativity Story

Jolanda Malburg was struck by the beauty and joy of the Christmas season as she gazed at the Nativity scenes inside Global Gifts, a CRC-supported, fair trade business in West Michigan.

CRWRC Launches 'Embrace AIDS' Campaign

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee on Friday announced a wide-ranging, two-year "Embrace AIDS" Campaign with a goal of raising $3 million to help curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and ease the suffering.

Calvin Presents Fair-Trade Fair

Vendors of fair-trade goods will sell their wares on the Calvin College campus December 4-5, including a woman who crochets handbags out of plastic grocery bags from Meijer.

CRC Seeks to Help Church Rebuild after Fire

Two Christian Reformed Church agencies have sent a letter to pastors and others, asking churches to give an offering and muster volunteers to help the Cambodian CRC in West Valley, Utah, recover from a fire that gutted its building in October.

Leaders Hone Skills at HM Workshop

A group of Christian Reformed Church ministers are honing their speaking skills by attending a series of seminars on a wide range of topics.

CRC Prepares to Stage Bike Tour

Cyclists will begin the Sea to Sea tour—a fundraiser to fight poverty—on June 28 in Seattle, Wash., and end nine weeks later in Jersey City, N.J. on Aug. 30, 2008.

CRC Offers Christmas Gifts with a Difference

During this time of tinsel, Christmas lights and celebrations, the Christian Reformed Church is once again offering some unique gift-giving choices.

More Food Aid Going to Cyclone Survivors

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is extending its response to the devastating cyclone that struck Bangladesh on Nov. 15.

Calvin Staff Member Wins Equity Award

A Calvin College staff member has earned an award from the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO).

Faith Alive Adjusts To Higher Canadian Dollar

Faith Alive Christian Resources will soon begin a new billing system that makes automatic monthly adjustments to Canadian prices based on the rate of exchange with the U.S. dollar.

Pastors Explore Role of Media in Evangelism

A group of Christian Reformed Church pastors and communications specialists met recently at Calvin College to discuss fresh, media-savvy ways of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

CRC Staff Join in Nigeria Peace Walk

Together with many other believers from across Nigeria, two Christian Reformed Church workers are taking part in an unprecedented, 10-day peace walk. The walk, which began today, commemorates the first anniversary of the Takum Peace Agreement.

Calvin Prof Authors Advent Meditations

A Calvin professor of English has written a book of meditations for the Advent season.

The Forgotten Church

A reflection by Bob Heerspink, director of the Back to God Hour.

Calvin Prof Wins Kenyan Literature Awards

A Calvin faculty member has won a duo of prestigious Kenyan literature awards.

Grant to Fund Integrating Spiritual Practices

A $56,000 grant to Calvin College will fund a project on integrating spiritual practices into the Christian classroom.

CRC Works with Mexican Partner to Aid Victims

The Christian Reformed Church is working with the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, the CRC’s largest partner in Mexico, to provide aid to families affected by severe flooding in the city of Villahermosa.

CRWRC Responds to Mexico Floods

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) plans to provide food aid to 500 families affected by heavy flooding in southeastern Mexico.

CRC Prayer Line Goes Online

People with a heart for the Christian Reformed Church and its ministries can now read the latest prayer requests posted on the CRC’s Prayer Line simply by checking their e-mail.

Exhibit Spotlights Women and HIV/AIDS

Three Calvin organizations are teaming up to host a walk-through photo exhibition that spotlights the gender inequity inherent in global HIV/AIDS.

CRC to Close Its Grand Rapids Printing Plant

The Christian Reformed Church in North America announced today that it will close its Grand Rapids printing plant operations effective mid-January 2008 and move much of the work to RBC Ministries, also in Grand Rapids.

Fire Destroys Cambodian CRC Building in Utah

hree young people have been arrested for setting a fire that gutted a large house that the Cambodian Christian Reformed Church in West Valley, Utah, was transforming into offices and classrooms.

CRWRC Plans Response to California Wildfires

While exhausted firefighters continue to fight deadly wildfires that burned in California this week, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee's Disaster Response Services (DRS) is assessing ways to help.

Calvin Students Organize GuluWalk

Calvin students were among 30,000 people from 100 U.S. cities and 15 countries taking part in GuluWalk recently to raise awareness about the 20-year civil war in Uganda.

CRC Names Pastor as Director

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has picked a veteran pastor to lead the work of finding and training its future ministers.

Reformed Groups to Create New Global Body

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches has agreed to unite with the Reformed Ecumenical Council to create a new “global entity” that will group 80 million Reformed Christians.

Calvin Board Concludes Fall Meetings

The Calvin College Board of Trustees wrapped up its fall meetings on Oct. 20, concluding two-plus days of business that included both plenary sessions and committee meetings and reports.

CRWRC Receives $1.5 Million to Fight Malaria

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is among the first five relief and development agencies to receive a $1.5 million Malaria Communities Program grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Chicago Pastor to Lead CRC Church Planting

Rev. Jul Medenblik will lead the newly-created bi-national church planting team for Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Book Helps Spiritual Development of Kids

A new book from an education professor at Calvin College is aimed at helping the church nurture the spiritual development of children.

Calvin Gets Grant to Inspire Entrepreneurs

Calvin College has landed a $50,000 grant to inspire entrepreneurship in engineering students.

Calvin 'Unlearn Week' Targets Racism

Calvin College is planning a variety of activities for October 7-12 to educate Calvin students, faculty and staff about anti-racism and diversity.

Three Generations of Listeners 'Down Under'

Australian Richard Geluk receives weekly Back to God Hour messages in a way his grandparents could not imagine - via the Internet.

Seminary Receives $2-Million Gift

Calvin Theological Seminary has received its largest single gift ever—$2,050,000—and it’s all going to students.

Trinity Christian College Names New Chaplain

Trinity Christian College has appointed Dr. Bill Van Groningen to be its new campus chaplain.

Book by Calvin Profs Sheds Light on Origins

A new book from Calvin professors Deborah and Loren Haarsma is intended to help Christians who want to better understand the often controversial issues connected with life’s origins and development.

January Series to Hit the Road in 2008

Calvin College’s award-winning January Series will hit the road in January 2008.

New CD Celebrates Calvin’s Gospel Choir

The Gospel Choir at Calvin is releasing a new CD, celebrating 10 years of live performances.

Haitian Church Leader Killed

Odenor St. Cyr, the long-time director of the Haitian Program for Training Diaconal Organizations (PWOFOD), was shot to death in Port au Prince last Tuesday, Sept. 18.

Calvin's $150 Million Fundraising Campaign

Just the second fundraising campaign in Calvin’s history will kick off next week with a $150 million goal that includes significant dollars for endowment, a new campus commons, a renovation of the venerable Calvin Fine Arts Center and much more.

Calvin Gets $50k for DNA Research

Calvin College has received almost $50,000 to purchase a state-of-the-art DNA sequencer.

Calvin Appoints Director of Campus Wellness

Calvin has hired a veteran wellness expert to lead its expanding programs for faculty and staff.

Calvin Receives Grant to Build Supercomputer

A Calvin computer science professor has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to build a supercomputer.

Calvin Prof Writes Book on Deadly Sins

A Calvin course on the seven deadly sins is being turned into a book for teens and young adults.

$1 Million Needed for Katrina Reconstruction

CRWRC reports that it has requests for another $1 million in additional Katrina reconstruction work that are not yet funded.

Spotlight Brings the Gospel to Albania

When you think of the English ministry of The Back to God Hour, the Balkans in southern Europe might not come to mind. But Albania is one of the places where Spotlight, the BTGH’s Specialized English programming, is being heard.

Partners Worldwide Plans National Conference

Partners Worldwide will hold its 10th annual National Conference on Oct. 4 – 6, 2007 at the Vermeer Global Pavilion in Pella, Iowa.

Survey reports US youth find happiness in God

A newly-released survey by The Associated Press and MTV, the music channel aimed at young people, has found that religion and family are two of the strongest components contributing to the happiness of people aged 13 to 24 in the United States.

Calvin Preps for Annual Streetfest

More than 1,000 Calvin College first-year students will take part in an orientation project that sees them serving and learning at sites all over Grand Rapids.

Calvin Earns Kudos From Princeton Review

Calvin College has again been named one of the top colleges in the country by The Princeton Review.

150th Conference Features Excellent Speakers

Renowned Christian philosopher, ethicist and author Richard J. Mouw will be the keynote speaker at the Christian Reformed Church’s 150th anniversary conference.

Peru Quake Survivors to Receive CRWRC Aid

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is responding to the needs of survivors of last week’s devastating earthquake that struck south of Lima near Pisco and Ica, Peru.

State Ranks Teacher Prep Programs

A ranking of the performance of the state’s colleges and universities in preparing future teachers contains good and bad news for Calvin College.

Darfur Relief Effort Gets $1.4 Million Boost

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee will ramp up relief for war-torn Darfur with the help of a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. government.

Students Research Kent County Congregations

A summer-long research project at Calvin College surveying hundreds of Kent County congregations is nearing an end.

U.S. News & World Report Rankings Released

A change in categories has meant a change in the rankings for Calvin College in the annual U.S. News & World Report guidebook.

CRWRC Provides Asia Flood Relief

As international aid organizations hurry to respond, flood survivors in Pakistan are in need of shelter, food, medicine, blankets, and daily necessities.

Calvin Unveils New Approach to Math

A new math curriculum project at Calvin College is complete and ready to be used by middle school and high school teachers across the United States and beyond.

Kids Corner Ministry Speeding Forward

Sean Matthuis and the Kids Corner race car are at it again, but this time with stiffer competition and more opportunities to spread the gospel.

Food Aid Needed in Chiapas Town Hit by Storms

With 70 percent of crops destroyed, the infrastructure compromised, and their insecticide stock depleted, a hundred farm families in Miguel Aleman, located on the Suchiate River and the Guatemalan border, are in crisis.

Intern Finds Value in Malawi Food Investments

Joel Lautenbach, a CRWRC Program HOPE! Intern, reflects on his year-long term of service in Malawi.

Budding Scientists Training at Calvin

Budding scientists work alongside faculty at Calvin to develop their research knowledge, skills and questions.

Harry Potter Ties Hot Again at Calvin

With the newest Harry Potter movie opening this week, Calvin's Brenda Hoeksema reports another run on neckties at the Campus Store.

Calvin Professor Becomes New Dean

Michelle Loyd-Paige reflects on her new role as dean for multicultural affairs.

Camps to Address Computer Science Shortages

A pair of upcoming camps at Calvin College will try to address a shortage of computer scientists, especially among women.

CRC Gets Second Pastoral Excellence Grant

The Christian Reformed Church has received a second grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to continue developing pastoral excellence within its churches.

Calvin's Entrada Becomes National Model

Educators from across the country will come to Grand Rapids to study a Calvin program aimed at helping students of color succeed in college.

Calvin Begins Wait List for 1st Year Class

Calvin College has begun a wait list for first-year students hoping to enroll at the college this fall.

Back to God Hour Goes “YouTube”

YouTube is one of the hottest websites in today’s media world. Potentially within hours of posting a new video, email links are flying through cyberspace attracting viewers to the latest posting.

Calvin to Host Talks on Primal Religion

Calvin will host a seminar and two public lectures in July on primal religions and Christianity.

Calvin Event to Focus on Exotic Topics

An upcoming workshop at Calvin College will touch on some rarefied topics.

Synod 2007 by the Numbers

A quick look at interesting numbers about Synod 2007.

Synod Wrap-Up: A Look at Important Decisions

An overview of the important decisions made at Synod 2007.

Synod Concludes with Meditation on Unity

Synod 2007 wrapped up its deliberations this afternoon.

CRC Affirms Commitment to Infant Baptism

Synod voted today to “discourage the practice of infant dedication,” but asked a committee to guide churches that wrestle with the issue.

Committee to Study Child Communion

Synod 2007 decided not to adopt the proposal of Synod 2006 that would have opened the way for all baptized children to take part in communion.

Multi-Ethnic Conference: Building for Future

More than 90 people gathered in Grand Rapids for the 2007 Multi-Ethnic Conference hosted by the Christian Reformed Church office of Race Relations.

Synod Repents the Sin of Racism

Synod decided today that the Christian Reformed Church will publicly repent for a 1920 decision that synod said “was motivated in part by racist values.”

Synod Hears Greetings from Other Churches

In his first official act as president of the Reformed Church in America, Rev. John Ornee warmly greeted the CRC’s synod yesterday.

Delegates Applaud Appointment of Hulst

Synod 2007 delegates gave a standing ovation to Rev. Mary Hulst Wednesday night, after interviewing and confirming her as assistant professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Synod Sends Third Wave Report Back for Study

Synod 2007 decided today not to act on reports from the Committee to Study Third Wave Pentecostalism.

Synod 2008 May Include Women as Delegates

Synod decided this morning that women will be allowed as delegates to Synod 2008. The action followed last night’s decision to delete the word “male” from the Church Order as a requirement for office bearers in the Christian Reformed Church.

Entrada Program Starts at Calvin on Sunday

Calvin College will host 77 high school students of color for almost four weeks as part of the annual Entrada Scholars Program on campus.

Synod Removes 'Male' from Church Order

Synod 2007 made a historic decision last night, voting to remove the word “male” as a requirement for holding ecclesiastical office in the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Encourages Dialogue on Belhar

Synod today encouraged Christian Reformed churches to become familiar with the Belhar Confession, a declaration focusing on justice, unity and reconciliation.

CRC to Review Formula for Collecting Ministry

Synod 2007 told the Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church to take a careful look at how contributions to ministry shares might be divided among congregations more equitably.

Synod Welcomes Candidates for Ministry

Synod warmly embraced 30 new candidates for ministry of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church with prolonged applause.

Synod Approves Proposal for New Hymnal

Synod 2007 last night approved plans for a new hymnal, scheduled to hit the pews in 2013.

CRWRC Nairobi staff safe after bombing

An explosion ripped through a cafe in downtown Nairobi at eight o’clock (0500 GMT) this morning. Reports said that a suicide bomber detonated a bomb two blocks from the location of the U.S. Embassy attack in 1998, causing concern that history may be repeating itself, the BBC reported.

Of Sergeants and Shepherds

Synod opened this morning with delegates convening for worship and a brief plenary session before spending most of the day in advisory committees.

Remembering the Past, Looking to the Future

Twelve thousand worshippers gathered in the Van Andel arena Sunday afternoon, plus about 2,000 more in an overflow venue, in the largest worship service ever held by the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod 2007 Elects Boot as President

The annual synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America began its week-long meetings today at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Running for Clean Water

Everyone knows that water is critical to survival. Yet while most people in North America take safe, clean water for granted, in some other parts of the world people know that it is a luxury.

No Lone Rangers

The CRC doesn’t want “lone ranger” pastors – or lone ranger leaders of any kind, says its executive director, Rev. Jerry Dykstra.

Synod 2007 starts Saturday

The annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America will take place June 9-16 in Grand Rapids, Mich. Agenda materials and an invitation to prayer are posted on the Christian Reformed Church’s website in advance of Saturday’s opening session.

Calvin Alumnus Nominated as U.S. Ambassador

U.S. President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate five individuals and designate two individuals to serve in his administration, including William J. Garvelink, a graduate of Calvin College who this month was honored as one of two winner's of Calvin's 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Harnessing the Learning Explosion

Learning materials originally developed for Sunday schools are being embraced by pre-school programs too.

Selah to Perform Benefit Concert for CRWRC

Five-time Gospel Music Association award-winning group Selah, will perform a benefit concert in support of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) next month.

Relief Agencies Sign Partnership Agreement

Relief agencies from two Reformed denominations have agreed to work more closely together when disasters strike in North America.

CRWRC To Plan for Different Type of Response

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is planning its emergency response to aid the survivors of a devastating tornado that demolished Greensburg, Kansas, Friday.

CRC Appoints New Director of Ministries

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church has appointed Sandy Johnson to be the Director of Denominational Ministries (DDM).

Calvin College Buys Rare John Calvin Book

A small book from long ago will make a big impact at Calvin College for years to come.

CRWRC Provides Aid to Iraqi Refugees

For families in Iraq, every day has the potential of being filled with terrorizing acts of violence, murder, kidnapping, and bombing. For Iraqi Christians these horrors are even more common.

Award-winning Calvin Show Shifts Timeslot

Inner Compass, the award-winning televison show shot on the Calvin College campus, is moving to a new timeslot and the first show to air then will feature former January Series director June Hamersma.

No Longer Homeless

Peter walked into The Back to God Hour follow-up center in Bangui, Central African Republic and announced, “I am homeless and a cast-off from society. I am a thief."

Virginia Tech Tragedy Hits Close to Home

Last week’s tragic shooting at Virginia Tech University had an impact on a nearby Korean Christian Reformed church and campus ministry.

Minister Runs for AIDS in Boston Marathon

For Rev. John de Vries Jr., of London, Ont., his 13th Boston Marathon was different than the previous 12. De Vries ran this year’s 26.2 miles yesterday (April 16) in honor of John Bara, an AIDS orphan...

Telling the Old Story in New Ways

For 68 years, The Back to God Hour has been an important media voice in response to Christ’s command to go and make disciples of all nations.

Earth Day Puts Focus on How We Live

Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day 2007, a day for environmental awareness around the world when millions of people consider how to live healthier, live better, and live more efficiently.

Calvin Brings Wind Energy to Campus

A wind turbine funded in part by a state of Michigan grant will be raised this Saturday, April 21, on the Calvin College campus--weather permitting.

Church in El Salvador Celebrates New Building

When an earthquake struck El Salvador in 2001, the Christian Reformed Church in Santa Tecla was so badly damaged that it had to be torn down. But the congregation itself was not destroyed.

Tanzanian Harvest Increases Nine-fold

For many Tanzanian farmers, this year’s planting season—the first in a while with good rains—has produced a large harvest.

BTGH Remembers Pioneer Work of Minister

Rev. Wilson Castro Ferreira, former Portuguese language ministry leader for The Back to God Hour, passed away in Brazil last month at the age of 94.

Churches Mark Slave Trade Anniversary

Christians in Toronto have commemorated the 200th anniversary of the law abolishing the slave trade in the then British Empire, at a service in a church founded as the city's first black congregation in 1826.

CRC Appoints Advancement Director

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter M. Harkema as director of denominational advancement, effective July 2007.

Under African Skies

Five days in the life of a development worker in rural Uganda.

CRC's Featured Web Site Gets Exposure

As part of its recent Web redesign, the CRC's Office of Communication (CRCcom) introduced a new regular feature to the denomination’s home page at www.crcna.org.

CRWRC Responds to Food Crisis in Burundi

Rains in drought-ravaged Burundi were not a welcome sight this year.

Christians, Republicans and the Environment

The Calvin College Republicans hosted a conservative advocate recently for an issue that is not typically associated with Republicans: environmental protection.

BTGH Sows Seeds at Agricultural Expo

What do Rudy Guiliani and The Back to God Hour have in common?

Missionaries Return Safely to Guinea

Missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM), returned to Guinea on March 7 after evacuating the country last month due to violent strikes and political turmoil.

Students Supported in Facing Their Future

On Sunday, March 18, Christian Reformed churches are encouraged to receive an offering in support of Calvin Theological Seminary—in particular, its Facing Your Future program.

Anti-Hunger Advocates Plan to Sow Seeds

Faith-based organizations across the country are working together to gain an audience with U.S. presidential candidates on issues of global hunger and poverty.

CRC Plans Major Cycling Event for 2008

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is planning to hit the road again next summer, pedaling bicycles and a message of hope across much of the United States.

Joy Surpasses Grief in Tsunami's Wake

“Many leaders in Blang Mee are still asking how they can get past the grief of seeing their whole community literally washed away,” said Andrew Ryskamp, director of CRWRC-US.

Calvin Hosts Michigan Governor

A Calvin College engineering professor and six students presented a seminar on wind energy to a very special guest on February 20 at the college's Bunker Interpretive Center.

Media Contacts Top 1.7 Million in 2006

The Back to God Hour’s ability to reach people with the gospel through media has increased—and it shows in the number of people who are connecting with the Chicago-based electronic media ministry.

Missionaries Escape Guinea Safely

All missionaries serving with Christian Reformed World Missions in Guinea were able to safely leave the strife-torn country Saturday.

American Idol at Calvin? Sort Of

The Festival of Faith & Music at Calvin College is introducing a new twist for 2007: bandspotting.

CRWRC Affirms Link Between AIDS and Injustice

Without treating justice, there is no treatment of HIV/AIDS. That’s the bottom line after 56 staff and partners from around the world met together for the CRWRC Africa Convergence on HIV/AIDS, Feb. 12-14 in Limuru, Kenya.

Missionaries in Guinea Relocated

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has relocated three of its missionaries in Guinea, West Africa to a safer location due to violent protests that began Saturday, Feb. 10.

CRWRC Staff Converge on AIDS in Kenya

Fifty community development workers from across Africa and around the world are meeting in Limuru, Kenya this week for a three-day summit on AIDS.

CRC Calls for Reconciliation in Afghanistan

In a letter to the Canadian prime minister, the Christian Reformed Church is asking that Canada make reconciliation and development a top priority in Afghanistan.

CRWRC Responds to Destruction in Florida

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) and other local emergency organizations are planning a response to the destruction caused by a tornado that ripped through Central Florida early Friday morning.

Calvin Receives Grant for Program with China

Western capitalism has made big inroads in China in the last two decades. But the philosophical foundations of western society have been less explored. A new grant to Calvin College from the John Templeton Foundation hopes to change that.

Worship, Websites, Conflict Affect Growth

Contemporary worship, geographic location, a website and the absence of conflict are key factors in why some congregations in America are growing, according to the latest national survey of U.S. faith communities.

'Miracle' Project Underway

Too expensive to be renovated and too historically significant to be torn down, Pamela Bolar's West Fourth Street house in Hattiesburg, Miss., was deemed a total loss after Hurricane Katrina had done its worst.

Meeting the Challenge of Small

In a world of mega-churches, the small church can get lost, especially when it comes to education.

Calvin Announces New Center

An innovative new center at Calvin College will bring fresh resources to beleaguered Christian school administrators.

CRWRC Distributes Gifts in Romania

"The Lord is with me; I am blessed! And I am blessed to be a blessing." These were the comments of CRWRC intern, Sharon Bemis, after she had the opportunity to distribute over 5,000 Christmas boxes to children in Romania in December.

Goats, Literacy More Popular Than Ever

More donations were given through the Christian Reformed Church’s Christmas Gift Guide this year than ever before.

Broadcaster Comes Full Circle

Thirty years ago, Hirotsugu Mochida was struggling. Just 13 years old then, he and his family were experiencing great trouble and needed hope. Hirotsugu found it through The Back to God Hour radio program.

Calvin Festival Includes Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris has joined a stellar line-up of singers and speakers at Calvin College's biennial Festival of Faith & Music.

Needs Assessment is Key to Recovery

Imagine interviewing hundreds of people, maybe even thousands, about their needs after a disaster and then entering all of that into a database. That's something Ken and Mary Geurink do on a regular basis on behalf of CRWRC--and they couldn't be happier. In fact, their dedicated work is helping survivors of Hurricane Katrina see hope for rebuilding their lives.

CRC Rings In New Year with New Website

CRC Communications is ringing in 2007 with a new denominational website for the Christian Reformed Church.

Calvin Professor Studies Famous Speech

A Calvin College communication professor has a new book coming out next month on the history of voting rights in the U.S., the civil rights demonstrations in Selma, Alabama, and the efforts of President Lyndon B. Johnson to create a more just society.

Seminary Announces Two Faculty Openings

Calvin Theological Seminary is inviting applications for two faculty openings, commencing September 2007 or 2008.

What Can I Give?

Calvin Students Plan Second Development Conf.

The second annual Faith and International Development Conference will be held at Calvin College Thursday through Saturday, February 1-3, 2007.

CRWRC Responds to Typhoon in the Philippines

As search and rescue teams continue to retrieve bodies from the mud and debris following Typhoon Reming, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is preparing to respond with food, shelter, and hope.

CRWRC Receives $2.5 Million for AIDS Programs

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) received two grants on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, for a total of almost $2.5 million (all figures US) for AIDS programs in East Africa.

Church Plant Member's Song Recognized

Pathway Community Church, a Christian Reformed church plant located in Newport, Maine, knew that it had a talented worship team on its hands. But the level of that talent reached new heights when a song written by the team’s leader, Amy Brown, was given honorable mention in the CRC’s recent song contest.

Last January Series for June

The 2007 edition of the January Series at Calvin College will be a little like a reunion. The series marks the 20th under the guidance of January Series director June Hamersma, who announced last spring that 2007 will mark her moving on.

CRWRC Responds to Mexico Floods

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) plans to provide food aid to 500 families affected by heavy flooding in southeastern Mexico.

CRWRC Responds to Mexico Floods

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) plans to provide food aid to 500 families affected by heavy flooding in southeastern Mexico.

More Food Aid Going to Cyclone Survivors

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is extending its response to the devastating cyclone that struck Bangladesh on Nov. 15.

Nigerian Diplomat Thanks CRC Missionaries

Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Nigeria's top-ranking diplomat to Canada, says he would not be where he is today without the Christian Reformed Church missionaries who were his teachers at a Christian boarding school.