Newsroom

Business As A Ministry

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is running a sketch of the history and purpose of the successful business ministry Partners Worldwide.

Retreat: A Time For CRC, RCA Unity

Sixteen members of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) gathered recently to address challenges they have faced — and the opportunities that they see — as participants in a specially-funded church-planting program between the denominations.

Karonese Culture, Christianity Blend

Church membership soared when churches in the Karo region of North Sumatra, Indonesia, began to integrate the traditional music, instruments and dances of the Indigenous Karo people into Sunday worship, says the head of the region’s largest group of Protestant churches.

Chasing an Impossible Dream

Ana Marisse Barahona has known and believed for many years that the cost of attending Calvin College was out of the reach for her hard-working parents.

Faith Helps Grow Health Food Business

Fafali Azaglo’s love for her business and employees comes out in a contagious smile. With the spirit of an entrepreneur, she employs 11 people fulltime within her food production business, “Selasie Farm and Groceries” in Accra, the capital city of Ghana.

Calvin Grad Awarded Hertz Fellowship

Cheri Ackerman, a 2011 Calvin Collge graduate, has been awarded a quarter-of-a-million dollar, 2012-2013 Hertz Fellowship to pay her graduate-school tuition at University of California, Berkley, as well as provide a sizeable stipend.

Church Plants Blossom in Arizona

Spurred by the Kingdom Enterprise Zone initiative that encourages church planting cooperation between the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA), new ministries are springing up all over the Phoenix/Tucson area in Arizona.

Faith Alive Magazines Win Top Awards

The quarterly journal Reformed Worship and the monthly magazine The Banner, two of the regular publications of Faith Alive Christian Resources, recently took home eight awards given by the Associated Church Press (ACP), including “Best in Class” for Reformed Worship in the Special Interest Magazine category.

Grant Will Fund Food Program in Kenya

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) will be able to launch a new program this month to address the health and nutrition needs of women and children in a coastal province in Kenya thanks to the Canadian government, the University of Manitoba, and the Canadian Foograins Bank (CFGB).

Missionary Appointed BTGMI Director

Former missionary Rev. Kurt Selles has been appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) to serve as the director of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), the electronic media ministry of the denomination.

Interest High In Lord's Supper Webinar

Titled "Children at the Lord’s Table," the webinar started at noon on April 25.

Guelph Students Pray In Rain, Snow

A group of students meets for worship every Friday at 7:30 a.m. in a grassy area in the middle of the University of Guelph campus.

Calvin President Signs Pledge

Calvin College President Gaylen Byker has joined nearly 30 past or current college or university presidents to form "The Presidents’ Pledge Against Global Poverty."

Borgdorff Tells Story About the Belhar

Rev. Peter Borgdorff recently told attendees of the Christian Reformed Church’s annual Black & Reformed Conference that he was among those who attended the meeting in South Africa on Oct. 13, 2011, when Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) delegates intensely debated and then voted on the Belhar Confession.

Church Communion Faces Challenges

The Executive Committee for the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) will meet in Indonesia in May to discuss cost-saving measures and also consider plans to launch a major fundraising program later this year.

New Article Features Bible Translation

How do Bibles get translated into English? What is the historical context of Bible translation?

Couples Provide Role-Model Training

The Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLT) says that the definition of the word “coupled,” as presented in the online Free Dictionary, refers to two items that are united and linked together in various ways.

L.A. Pastors Discuss Summit’s 'Fire'

Several Christian Reformed Church (CRC) pastors met for lunch at a restaurant in Los Angeles late last week to share their reactions to the first-ever CRC Prayer Summit that ended the previous day at All Nations Church in Lakeview Terrace, Calif.

Videos Show 'Seeking God’s Face'

A new video featuring images of people at prayer, and set to the beat of powerful praise music, gives a glimpse of Christian Reformed Church (CRC) members who gathered last week for the denomination’s first-ever Prayer Summit.

It's Always Time to Honor Volunteers

The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) recently celebrated National Volunteer Week by marking the significance and the wide range of work that volunteers from the United States and Canada engage in to further the work of the church.

Dordt College Names New President

Dordt College Provost Dr. Erik Hoekstra has been named the fourth president of Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Prayer Summit Ends in Joy and Grace

The Christian Reformed Church’s first-ever Prayer Summit came to a close on Wednesday morning after people participated in the Lord’s Supper and then heard a final prayer of blessing and encouragement.

Pastor Prays for Revival in CRC

Rev. Pildo Joung, founding pastor of a large church in Korea, closed the second day of the Christian Reformed Church’s first-ever Prayer Summit by praying for a great outpouring of revival and God’s grace to fall upon CRC congregations across North America.

Summit Opens With Praises to God

Powerful presentations and scripture readings, along with lively communal praise and singing, set the tone for the opening day of the first-ever, Christian Reformed Church (CRC) Prayer Summit.

Prayer Summit Pastors Seek God’s Face

Ten Korean pastors joined on Saturday morning to sing in powerful, full-throated voices, plaintively asking God to renew his church on earth and to especially pour out his grace onthe Christian Reformed Church.

'The Gig of a Lifetime'

Dordt College junior Vero Visser spent last semester looking for internship possibilities in the field of digital media production.

Synod Agenda, Other Reports Available

The Agenda for Synod 2012 is now available on the Synodical Resources page of the Christian Reformed Church in North America website.

CRC Agencies Help Mark Easter Season

"Something 2 Share," a collaborative, Easter-season effort between Christian Reformed Home Missions (CRHM) and Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM), has made available a range of worship materials for CRC congregations to use in the weeks leading up to Pentecost.

Green Angels Go on Spring Break

Jesse Damsteegt was especially moved by how the woman in Canalou, Missouri, described the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Disaster Relief Services (DRS) volunteers who recently came during their spring break to do clean-up work in the woman’s flood-damaged town.

Pray Sunday For The Prayer Summit

Imagine thousands of Christian Reformed Church (CRC) members praying together during services this Sunday, April 15, and at “Watch and Pray” gatherings on Tuesday evening, April 17, for the same purpose.

Freshly Singing the Old-Time Hymns

Under the Radar, a radio, music-ministry of the Christisan Reformed Church (CRC), recently sponsored a 10-day tour in which three Nashville musicians performed a blend of remade, classic hymns and new original hymns for audiences at several, Chicago-area retirement communities.

Reformed Faith Forms Chaplain's Career

Col. Jack Van Dyken, Jr., conducted his final Easter sunrise service as a full-time U.S. Army chaplain on Sunday, April 8, 2012, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, aboard the USS Missouri, the battleship on which Japan surrendered at the end of World War II.

CRC Requests Prayer For Mali

All Christian Reformed Church in North America–related personnel and their colleagues are accounted for and unharmed following the recent military coup d'etat in the West African country of Mali

Striking the Water of Life in Kenya

The site was located in one of the areas of Kenya that was hit last year by the drought, the worst in six decades, that impacted millions of people in several parts of Eastern Africa.

Calvin English Grad Wins on Jeopardy

Cathy Guiles, a 2003 graduate of Calvin’s English department and reporter for the student newspaper Chimes, recently competed on the popular TV game-show Jeopardy, just as she pledged to do, when she graduated, in the pages of the Chimes. The shows in which she appeared aired in late March.

Many CRCs Using New Worship Styles

he Christian Reformed Church rates among the top Christian faith groups whose congregations say they offer their members “innovative and contemporary” styles of worship, according to the recently released results of a Faith Communities Today (FACT) study.

God's Blessings Help Couple to Adopt

Blest be the Tie is a new booklet that highlights how one of the Christian Reformed Church’s first missionaries to China became the great-great grandfather of a 14-year-old Chinese boy who was an orphan and now lives with his new family in College Station, Texas.

Prayer Summit Adds 'Watch and Pray'

Rev. Moses Chung says he pictures everyone in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), people of all ages and ethnic groups, coming together as one body for praise and prayer at this month’s first-ever, CRC Prayer Summit.

'Salaam Project' Kicks Off

The Salaam Project, the Christian Reformed Church’s new educational ministry focusing on Islam, will hold its first training conference on April 28 at Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.

All Nations Pastor Invites CRC to Pray

Pastor Tae Kim, one of the pastors at All Nations Church, the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) congregation hosting the CRC’s inuagural Prayer Summit, is asking people across the denomination to come and pray with him, members of his church and many others on April 16-18.

Being Missional in Montana

How does a small church with an average attendance of 40 people make a difference in its community?

CTS Offers Online M.Div Degree

Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) has received the “unqualified endorsement” from its academic accrediting agency, The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), to launch an online, five-year distance-learning Master of Divinity degree.

World Day of Water Highlights Crisis

Millions of people around the world get sick and at least two million die from preventable, waterborne diseases every year, top U.S. and Canadian officials said on Thursday, March 22, the day that many countries and organizations, including the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), recognize as World Day for Water.

Pastor Sees Church Grow in Kenya

Three years ago, two people attended Pastor Ngui Muithya’s church in Mariakani, Kenya.

New Video Shows How Lizarardo Works

A new video gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how ReFrame Media’s Kids Corner — a popular, 25-minute audio program that offers “great messages wrapped up in good stories” — is created and produced.

Report Details Japan 'Quake Response

Christian Reformed Church agencies responded quickly and in a variety of ways when a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami shook, shattered and swamped communities on and near the northeast coast of Japan, causing many deaths and widespread destruction last year on March 11.

CRC, RCA Celebrate and Cooperate

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) has recommended that Synod 2012 accept an invitation from the Reformed Church in America (RCA) to hold their synods at the same time and in the same place in 2014.

Healing One Broken Life at a Time

Rev. Mark Stephenson came away from last week’s “Michigan Foster Care Faith Based Summit” once again thinking of the ongoing need for churches to “help young people build on their special gifts and give them a sense of purpose.”

Board Tells Pastor "Yes, You Must Go"

Rev. Joel Boot, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, was delighted when he heard the story about the pastor who wanted to attend the Christian Reformed Church’s upcoming Prayer Summit in Lakeview Terrace, California.

Hardly Anyone Heard the Tree Fall

Mark Charles and a small but diverse group of partners are inviting people to gather and stand with them later this year in front of the US Capitol building for a public reading of the “Apology to Native Peoples of the United States.”

The CRC is Wonderfully Wired

Christian Reformed Church congregations can celebrate the results of a survey that finds they rate better than average among United States denominations when it comes to use of the Internet as part of their ministries, says Monte Sahlin, executive secretary of Faith Communities Today (FACT).

Seminary Prof Prepares for Transplant

Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) professor of pastoral care Ron Nydam and his family are in the process of preparing for a bone marrow transplant that could occur in late March at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Mich.

Peace Conference Ends As Bombs Fell

A painful irony was brought home on Friday to many of the 600 leaders and representatives of evangelical churches, including seven from the Christian Reformed Church, who attended a peace conference in Bethlehem on the West Bank of the Palestinian Territories.

Brazil's President Thankful for Gift

Brazil’s president Dilma Vana Rousseff was thankful for receiving the unexpected gift of a Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) publication during a young-scientist awards ceremony late last year.

Basketball Fans Join Tornado Clean-up

Dordt College alumni and friends who traveled to Missouri to watch the college’s basketball team play in the national finals also had the chance this week to help clean up after a recent tornado leveled homes and downtown buildings in the popular resort town of Branson.

Re:kindle Deadline Extended

YALT, the Young Adult Leadership Taskforce of the Christian Reformed Church, has extended the deadline to March 15 for young adults to be nominated to attend re:kindle 2012, the CRC’s Young Adult Summit.

Report Highlights CRWRC Programs

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee contributed two case studies to a report being released today by an international humanitarian organization that concludes that gender equality is central to meeting the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

All Books of the Bible Point to Jesus

Michael Williams, who started studying the Bible while serving on a US Navy submarine, will speak in person and live via livestream on Thursday, March 6, about his new book How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture.

Prof To Study Expert On Early Heresies

Calvin College history professor Young Kim has been awarded a Fulbright Research Grant that will allow him to study and write a book on the life and work of Epiphanius of Salami, the late 4th-Century bishop of Cyprus who was an expert on early-church heresies.

CRWRC Assesses Tornado Damage

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) disaster relief managers are assessing and determining how to best respond to the widespread death and damage caused in Harrisburg, Ind., as well as in other communities, following last week’s deadly outbreak of storms in 11 Midwest and southern states.

Daily Prayer Begins Before Summit

The Christian Reformed Church’s office in Grand Rapids, Mich., has launched a daily work-day prayer meeting to be held over the next six weeks leading up to a first-of-its-kind, denomination-wide Prayer Summit in California.

Lovers of Literature Coming to Calvin

Nearly 100 authors and some 1,900 other lovers of literature are expected to participate in Calvin College’s upcoming, biennial Festival of Faith and Writing.

'Fourth World' Shows Life in the Slums

After attending school in the mornings, Jovelyn helps her parents and her four brothers dig through garbage in a slum near Manila, the Philippines, searching for recyclable items to sell or barter so the family has food to eat.

Granberg-Michaelson Lectures on Belhar

The Belhar Confession became the fourth standard of unity for the Reformed Church in America (RCA) in 2010 only after long years of discussion and debate, the RCA’s general secretary emeritus Wes Granberg-Michaelson said in prepared remarks for a lecture this week.

Conference Focuses on Erasing Racism

The Christian Reformed Church was among the more than 80 denominations and faith-based organizations represented at the recent, sixth-annual conference of Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT).

Summit Leaders Seek People To Pray

Pastors of Korean Christian Reformed Church congregations in California are meeting frequently for prayer and helping to cast a vision for the first-ever Christian Reformed Church Prayer Summit.

Prayers Asked for Peace in Nigeria

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is asking people to pray for the safety and ministries of denominational missionaries and mission personnel who work in and near Jos, Nigeria, where a bomb exploded on Sunday at the church where some CRCNA personnel worship.

Traveling the Tricky Road of Sex

The Christian Reformed Church's Safe Church Ministry has made available an accessible, story-driven resource to help parents and teens better grasp and live out biblical teachings on sexual temptation, gender roles, intimacy and the overall topic of human sexuality.

Prof Leads Promising Statistics Effort

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $180,000 grant to Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, for a textbook project that could revolutionize the way statistics is taught across the country.

Plantinga To Give Princeton Lectures

Rev. Cornelius “Neal” Plantinga Jr., the retired president and a professor emeritus of theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, is busy preparing a series of six lectures for Princeton Theological Seminary about the life-enhancing value of extensive reading for preachers and others.

Le Roy Receives BOT Endorsement

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America on Thursday unanimously endorsed the recommendation of the Calvin College board that Dr. Michael K. Le Roy be appointed as the next president of Calvin College.

Resources Available for Lenten Worship

The Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary and the Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice are making available a variety of resources for churches to use in observing the penitential season of Lent, which began today.

'Church Between Borders' Is Available

Christian Reformed Church groups and congregations interested in addressing immigration issues in a fresh way can now sign up to participate in "Church Between Borders," a new curriculum of four participatory 60-90 minute sessions.

Book Features American Worship History

A new book published by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship presents case studies and commentaries on the history of worship among several seemingly disparate religious groups in America.

Calvin Physician Testifies At Hearing

Calvin College medical director Dr. Laura Champion was among the 10 representatives of various faith traditions who testified last week at a U.S. congressional hearing that focused on a proposed federal mandate requiring church-affiliated employers to cover birth control in their health plans.

Volunteer Experiences God in Many Ways

After going to Cambodia during Calvin College's January Interim break two years ago, Amanda Hayes felt God pulling her to return for a longer time.

Program Bolsters Business in Haiti

Twenty Haitian business owners have graduated from a Partners Worldwide business-training program offered in Leogane, Haiti, which was the epicenter of a devastating earthquake in January 2010.

Video Will Show CRWM Work in Mexico

Jeff Cooke always had at least two cameras with him, one a video camera and the other for still photos, as he recently filmed and photographed family parties, Bible studies, church services and interviews with Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) missionaries in Mexico.

Hundreds Meet, Discuss RCA's Future

More than 500 Reformed Church in America members gathered last weekend in Orlando, Fla., seeking to discern how God wants the denomination to move forward into the 21st Century.

Calvin To Hike Tuition, Increase Aid

The 31-member Calvin College Board of Trustees this weekend granted tenure to six faculty members, approved for reappointment 26 faculty members, and approved a 4.5 percent increase in tuition, fees and room and board for 2012-2013.

Trinity Grads Publish Stories of Grace

Two recent Trinity Christian College graduates have just released Voices of Redemption, a book featuring the stories of people on the South Side of Chicago whose lives have been changed by the work of Roseland Christian Reformed Church and Roseland Christian Ministries.

CRWRC Responds to West African Drought

A growing food crisis has put between five and nine million people at risk of going hungry in the Sahel region of West Africa, the Christian Reformed World Relief Commitee and other international relief agencies are reporting.

Ways To Weave Donation into Worship

Many members of a Christian Reformed Church in Ontario, Canada, are under 40 years of age and make their weekly donations to the church through their smart phones.

Youth Unlimited Again Offers 'DoIt!'

Youth Unlimited, a long-time, non-denominational youth ministry, is calling on North American teens to spend a few days this summer helping to restore and revitalize the poverty-stricken city of Marion, Ind.

Elsie's Quest for Inclusion

The daughter of devout Calvinist parents, Elsie Vander Weit was born with cerebral palsy more than years 60 years ago in the Netherlands.

Schaap To Retire from Dordt College

James Schaap, author of many award-winning books of fiction and non-fiction that frequently feature people and places in the Christian Reformed Church, is retiring at the end of this academic year as a professor of English at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Speaker Seeks 'Prophets' for Development

Faith-based development specialist Christopher Heuertz called on participants at the seventh annual Calvin Conference on International Development to use contemplative prayer and other faith practices to cultivate a “prophetic” sense of how Jesus wants them to be involved in a hurting world.

CRWRC Invites Feedback on New Name

As CRWRC considers a name change, it invites feedback on the proposed new name, logo, colors and tagline.

Conference Assessing 'Mistakes'

Hundreds of students, teachers, authors, mission workers and others have gathered this week on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., to discuss, among other things, approaches that work and those that don't in the field of international development.

Japanese Church Delegates Issue Cry

Delegates from churches in Korea and Japan this week called for the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and other ecumenical organizations to become more actively involved in bringing “critical attention” to issues related to nuclear energy.

Kabetu Brings Post-Colonial Perspective

Steve Kabetu, the newly-named director for Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) in Canada, was born in Kenya on a land reserve where members of his family had been transplanted in the 1950s by British colonial authorities.

CRC to Restructure Leadership Exchange

The Christian Reformed Church in North America will reassess and reconfigure The Leadership Exchange, the denomination’s current approach to leadership development, Rev. Joel Boot, executive director of the CRCNA, announced this week.

Closing Service Celebrates Psalms

The 25th annual Calvin Symposium on Worship ended Saturday afternoon with an expressive, psalms-filled service in the Covenant Fine Arts Center on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

CRWRC History of Aid to Cuban Refugees

In 1959, Fidel Castro led a revolution to overthrow the government of Cuba. In the succeeding years as Castro adopted a philosophy of communism, hundreds of thousands of Cubans left Cuba and came to the United States to begin a new life. As they arrived in Miami, Florida, many were greeted by and received assistance from members of the Christian Reformed Church through a ministry known as the Good Samaritan Center.

Mission of Hope For Trinity Students

Students from Trinity College were working with the people of Leveque, Haiti, as a way to mark the two-year anniversary of the massive earthquake that devastated parts of the impoverished country, when the actual anniversary occurred.

Psalm 8 Says 'Pay Attention'

The opening day of the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship finished Thursday evening with a worship service as well as a sermon by Mark Labberton, a seminary professor who spoke on Psalm 8 and its lessons of God’s attentiveness and all-encompassing majesty.

'Digital Magazine' is Launched

Back to God Ministry International's Think Christian—an online collaborative community that discusses faith, culture, and what it means to be a Christian in today’s society—has launched a newly revised website. The site is essentially a collaborative digital magazine that makes it easier for people to join in conversations on topics such as music, movies, politics, world events, the church and more.

Egyptians Mark Revolution

Many Egyptians will fill Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, this week to mark the one-year anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution that broke out on Jan. 25, 2011, and eventually drove long-time Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak, from office, said Anne Zaki, Middle East coordinator for the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice (OSJ).

Registration Opens for Prayer Summit

People can now register to participate in the inaugural Christian Reformed Church (CRC) Prayer Summit, which is set for April 16-18 at All Nations Church in Lake View Terrace, Calif.

Deadline Nears for 'Facing Your Future'

Christian Reformed Church pastors, youth leaders, high school administrators, and Bible teachers have the opportunity to play a role in helping to shape the future of the denomination by encouraging and then nominating young people to participate in Calvin Theological Seminary’s Facing Your Future (FYF) program.

Freedom's Fire Engulfs Middle East

When Mohammad Al Bouazizi lit himself on fire in central Tunisia in December 2010, the young street vendor also sparked a fire of political upheaval that continues to burn across North Africa and the Middle East, said writer and religion scholar Reza Aslan.

Calvin Offers Musical on King David

Opening on Jan. 26, Calvin College’s production of "David: A Play with Psalms" aims to dramatically portray through words and music the extraordinary and complex life of King David, the revered Old Testament political leader, miltiary hero and poet.

Micah Challenge USA is Reborn

Micah Challenge USA, a faith-based organization committed to cutting worldwide poverty in half by 2015, is once again in operation after being dissolved for a lack of funding early in 2011, says Peter Vander Meulen, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice (OSJ).

CRC Response Shows Results in Haiti

Following the deadly earthquake that hit Haiti two years ago, Christian Reformed Church in America agencies have worked in powerful and various ways to meet the needs and bring the love of Christ to people who were affected by the disaster.

Dordt College Exceeds Campaign Goal

Even in the midst of a serious global economic downturn, Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, has raised more than $57 million during its seven-year Beyond Jubilee: Vision 2010 Capital Campaign, acccording to a news release from the college.

Christian Education Modules Complete

Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) missionaries have finished writing and field testing the last of its six Educational Care modules for training teachers on a biblical perspective of education. The curriculum is made for underserved areas where teachers are undertrained, where there are few opportunities for teacher training, and next to no training opportunities for Christian training,” says Albert Hamstra, CRWM’s Global Impact Director.

Why the Need For a New Hymnal?

Rev Joyce Borger is often asked why Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRNA) and resource provider for the Reformed Church in America (RCA), is going to release a new hymnal next year.

Churches to Pray for Gathering

Next week’s Crown-First Nations Gathering in Ottawa, Canada, has the potential of setting the tone for relations between the Canadian government and First Nations People for the foreseeable future, say Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and Reformed Church in America (RCA) leaders.

Planning Starts for Sea to Sea 2013

A group of veteran bicyclists are planning an anti-poverty, fund-raising bicycle tour that will pass through and stop in several North American communities where Christian Reformed Church and Reformed Church in America congregations are located.

Canada Awards CRWRC $7 Million

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has announced that the Canadian government will award more than $7 million to support several of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s life-saving aid and development programs around the world.

Christians Must 'Fix What is Broken'

Gabe Lyons says young people in their late teens and 20s give some sobering comments on the current state of Christianity in UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity and Why It Matters.

Kabetu Appointed as CRWM Canada Director

Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) announced today that Steven Kabetu has been appointed as CRWM’s Canada director.

Providing Gospel Resources for China

Rev. Jimmy Lin, Chinese media outreach leader for Back to God Ministries International, was among the more than 5,000 pastors, church leaders, and new believers who gathered to support and encourage one another at December’s Gospel For China Conference.

'Webinar Wednesdays' Set for 2012

The Communications office of the Christian Reformed Church is launching a series of ministry-related webinars in 2012 as a way for people to learn, share, and grow together in their faith.

Board Appoints New Calvin President

The Calvin College Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Saturday to appoint Dr. Michael Le Roy as the ninth of president the Christian Reformed Church’s liberal arts college in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Helping Hondurans Purchase Mahagony

Ken Van Zee didn’t want to stop working when he retired in 2005 after spending many years in the production industry.

CTS Focuses on New Programs

They come from all ages and various backgrounds to Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) to attend courses in the seminary’s new certificate programs in such areas as pastoral care, theology, English Bible, and missions, or to participate in CTS’s new Diploma in Ministry Program.

Group Engages in Ministry of Prayer

Rev. Jon DeBruyn left the church he served for more than 25 years to guide teams to pray for and with Christian Reformed Church missionaries and relief workers who are based in such countries as Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Haiti.

Fifty Years of Hard Work and Blessing

As the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the disaster relief and development agency of the Christian Reformed Church is presenting videos and stories that chronicle the astonishing amount and types of aid it has provided and outreach it has engaged in since 1962. Here is a video and two stories.

Volunteer Reflects on Durban

"I can no longer look at countries in Africa as a series of statistics and problems," said Ryan Geleynse of Hamilton, Ontario. The young man recently spent six weeks traveling from Nairobi, Kenya to Durban, South Africa as a representative of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). He was joined by 180 other young people from a variety of Christian backgrounds. "Now I see African countries as the homes of many of my friends."

A Year of Changes in the CRC

Stories on natural disasters, resignations and appointments of top denominational leaders, the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, actions of Synod 2011, and the death of a beloved ministry leader were among the most-viewed stories this year in the newsroom of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA).

Singing Psalms in All Seasons

Looking ahead to the new year, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, along with other denominations and institutions, has undertaken several efforts to help promote and integrate “the faithful and fruitful use of the biblical psalms” into the life of worshiping communities.

Ministry Report 2011

A printed version of this annual ministry report appeared in the December 2010 issue of The Banner.

Ignoring the Devil's Advice in Uganda

Pastor Robert Opila was re-reading the "My Own Bible" discipleship lesson on Christian giving in May of this year when he suddenly felt the Holy Spirit at work, filling him with the conviction to donate his prized motorcycle.

CRC Korean Institute Director Honored

The Candidacy Committee of the Christian Reformed Church recently presented Dr. Jay Shim, a professor of theology at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, with an award of appreciation for the work he has done in Korean ministry.

CRC Prayer Summit Set for Next Year

Korean Christian Reformed Church leaders are organizing for next year a denomination-wide, three-day prayer summit.

Aid Needed For Philippines Disaster

After Tropical Storm Washi struck the Island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines early Saturday, causing widespread damage, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has been busy making plans for an initial aid response.

Korean Media Feature Psalter Hymnal

A Korean television team arrived in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church this week to interview Rev. David Koll about his involvement in helping to include “Arirang,” a popular, traditional Korean folk song, in the 1987 edition of the Psalter Hymnal.

January Series Thriving at 25 | Calvin

In preparation for January, staff in the student life division are reading Mobilizing Hope, a book by Adam Taylor that challenges Christians to a new species of activism in the post-Civil Rights era. Meanwhile education faculty are reading The Trouble with Black Boys, Pedro Noguera’s examination of the impact of racism on the schools and society. And the computer science department is excited about welcoming Sherry Turkle to Calvin. “She was the person to get back when the internet was new,” said Kristi Potter, director of the January Series. “And she’s still the person to get when it comes to how technology is affecting us as people.”

Donations Replace Stolen Items

Donations began flowing into the Indian Family Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, soon after the Canadian media reported that thieves broke in about a week ago and stole children’s books and toys from the Christian Reformed Church in North America-supported drop-in centre.

CRWRC Responds to Philippines Storm

In the early hours of December 17, strong winds and heavy rains caused massive destruction in coastal communities in the southern Filipino island of Mindanao. The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is responding. The storm, named Tropical Storm Washi, caused flash floods and landslides across Mindanao. According to government reports, more than 970 people have been killed and approximately 146,000 people have been affected by the storm. In addition, more than 4,400 homes have been damaged and 51,035 people have been forced from their homes and are now living in evacuation centers.

Cancer: Battles and Victories | BTGMI

When Maisey was diagnosed with an unusual form of cancer in her central nervous system, she found Groundwork to be a great source of spiritual nourishment. What she didn’t realize was that as she was fighting her battle with cancer, Groundwork’s host, Bob Heerspink was losing his own fight against pancreatic cancer.

Indonesian Angklungs Herald Christ's Birth

The Angklung Players began to shake their traditional, Indonesian instruments, ringing out "Away in a Manger" during the Christian Reformed Church’s Christmas Chapel and Luncheon this week in the Prince Center at Calvin College.

New Calvin President Nominated

A presidential search committee has unanimously recommended  that  Dr. Michael K. Le Roy be appointed as the ninth president of Calvin College, the Christian Reformed Church’s liberal arts college in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The 'Epic Story' Comes to Rosewood CRC

Rosewood Christian Reformed Church members of all ages say that they were challenged to grow in their faith by using WE: The Epic Story, the faith-building intergenerational curriculum recently released by Faith Alive Christian Resources.

Durban Talks Had 'Mixed Results'

Worldwide reaction has been strong but mixed to decisions made last weekend by delegates to the U.N. climate conference in Durban, South Africa.

Transforming The Dominican Republic

Over the last five years, the Strategy of Transformation in the Dominican Republic has offered theological and spiritual formation for about 1,500 leaders, played a role in helping a group of prostitutes start a jewelry-making business, and translated several book chapters and articles from English into Spanish to be used by such organizations as Christian schools.

The 'Good Wife' and the CRC | Banner

Viewers of CRC persuasion were highly surprised when a character in a recent Sunday’s episode of “The Good Wife” identified herself as a member of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.Rev. Pieter Pereboom, pastor of First CRC in London, Ontario, said his reaction was, “Wow! I am not used to anyone other than Paul Schrader recognizing the CRC in the mass media.”

Rescuing 'Edward' From His Uncle

The Rescue team in Honduras was called in to help in the investigation of a case involving the sexual abuse of Edward (not his real name) by one of his relatives.

Hope and Future in Kenya | CRWRC

Teraza Akai is struggling to find a shred of hope. Uprooted by post-election violence in Uganda and forced to return to Kenya, her homeland, Teraza and her husband and seven children are now deeply affected by the famine. For some time they managed on one meal a day; now, as beneficiaries of CRWRC’s food distributions, they have two meals a day--peas and maize, plus any vegetables they can afford to purchase. Depending entirely on aid is something that has been difficult for her and her husband to accept. In Katale, Uganda, they herded for a wealthy family and were self-sufficient. Here in Kenya circumstances have rendered them beggars; the food aid they receive now helps them to survive, but Teraza is frustrated that they have nothing to do, and no way to earn the school fees needed for their children. When asked what keeps her going, Teraza was quick to answer, “God keeps me going. My faith carries me through this difficult time.”

Miracles Sprout in Troubled Egypt

During this season of Advent, God is doing something miraculous in the politically turbulent country of Egypt by bringing Egyptians from different backgrounds together to pray and provide for one another’s needs.

The Network Launches Ministry Q&A

Can a lay person, not an elected elder or deacon, bring God's greeting at the start of a worship service? This is just one question asked by a church member in the new Ministry Q&A feature of The Network.

A Missionary to His People | CRWM

Almost six years ago, Christian Reformed World Missions partnered with the Reformed Church of Zambia to send one its pastors, John Phiri, as a missionary to Sierra Leone. Since then, Rev. Phiri has mentored and trained Christian Reformed Church of Sierra Leone (CRCSL) leaders in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership. Maxwell Kanu is one leader impacted by Pastor Phiri’s work.

Church Members Asked to Study Belhar

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee (EIRC) of the Christian Reformed Church has sent out a letter, asking church councils to provide congregations the materials necessary to either start, or continue to discuss, issues related to the Belhar Confession.

Durban Talks Continue

The United Nations climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, have yet to reach decisions on key issues affecting millions of the world’s people, says Peter VanderMeulen, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice.

Alvin Plantinga Returns to Calvin

Following his retirement from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., philosopher Alvin Plantinga has not quite retired.

Joint Church-Planting Effort Bears Fruit

Christian Reformed Church and Reformed Church in America representatives met recently to discuss successes and challenges they have experienced in a new, collaborative church-planting project involving four "Kingdom Enterprise Zones" (KEZ) across the United States.

New Society To Translate Kuyper's Work

Scholars from Calvin Theological Seminary, Calvin College, and Kuyper College, all in Grand Rapids, Mich., have helped form a new organization whose focus will be to translate and promote books, articles and other materials written by Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper.

Reaching Mothers With a Healthy Message

Nancy TenBroek walks many miles on narrow, muddy roads and crosses streams on rope bridges in order to reach tribal villages in Bangladesh, where she helps train workers to care for mothers who are at risk of delivering seriously ill, low, birth-weight babies.

Three Important Reports Now Available

A Christian Reformed Church study committee has recently completed and submitted a report that formally asks Synod 2012 to accept the Belhar Confession as a fourth standard of faith for the CRC.

Free Advent Devotionals | CRWRC

This Advent, CRWRC and the Christian Reformed Office of Social Justice (OSJ) invite you to read stories of love enacted, to hear what Scripture says about doing justice with love—to let love orient your Christmas season. Starting November 27, CRWRC and OSJ are providing a devotional series for Advent 2011 called “Greater Love.” Join us in prayer and reflection each day through these convenient emails that include a meditation, suggested prayer, and a note with some details about how the Christian Reformed Church is working to bring God’s great love to a world in need.

Being a Chaplain on the Sidelines

Mike Wissink’s campus ministry for Christian Reformed Home Missions often occurs in locker rooms, on the sidelines of football fields and basketball courts, and on buses taking Ferris State University teams to games.

Grocery Shopping and Community | BTGMI

Does your faith have anything to do with where you buy your groceries? For various reasons, it certainly seems this is a topic on the minds of many people. Groceries and where you buy them turn out to be a hot topic. This was made evident when ThinkChristian.net recently posted an article entitled “Grocery Shopping and Community,” which resulted in a very lively discussion.

A Powerful Plea: 'Return to the Garden'

Climate change may be of grave concern to many people, but that would have been hard to tell by the sparse size of the crowd that attended a faith-based rally Sunday in King’s Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

Still Giving After 115 Years

As best church members can tell, Grant Christian Reformed Church -- an unassuming, spiritually vibrant congregation located 35 miles northeast of Grand Rapids, Mich. -- is a CRC congregation that has paid its full, yearly portion to the Ministry Share program for more than 100 years.

Mentoring Group Renews Pastors | CRWM

“B4 - it’s the name we gave to our peer-mentoring group,” say Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries Abe and Elaine Lee. “It reflects our goal to make ourselves move away from the old being - be-fore.”

A Surprise Visit by Robin Mark | Banner

The Revival in Belfast artist helped lead Sunday worship at Immanuel CRC in Hamilton.

Ten Years of Jubilee | Calvin College

One wants to work as a youth minister. Another wants to work as a military chaplain. Others want to work with women, the developmentally disabled, in social justice, ecclesiology, overseas missions and other ministries. All 14 students, all juniors, have recently been named 2012 Jubilee Fellows: Chan Min Anh, Daniel Camacho, Eunsub Cho, Amy Hinkle, Grant Hofman, Nathan Korstanje, Annamarie Koster, Karlie Krieger, Jessica Lamer, Matthew Mulder, Joella Ranaivoson, Joel Sytsma, Robert Van Zanen and Daniel Weeden.

Former Chaplain Writes of Moral Injury

President Obama recently announced that all the troops serving in Iraq will return home by the end of this year. He said that ensuring the success of a complete troop withdrawal in Iraq has been one of his top national security priorities.

Volunteer Missionaries Commissioned

Nearly 20 people were commissioned this week to serve as volunteer mission workers for either Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM), the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), and partner ministries with ServiceLink, the office that helps to recruit and train volunteers for the denomination.

Using 'Stepping Stones' to Prevent HIV

In some African countries, HIV and AIDS are growing fastest among married couples, said Nema Aluku, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s HIV and AIDS response coordinator for eastern and southern Africa.

Caravan Headed to Durban Meeting

A team of three, young volunteer journalists being sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice are currently traveling with a caravan of about 200 young people through several African countries en route to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa.

Social Media Webinar Set For Churches

Christian Reformed Home Missions will present a one-hour webinar on social media for church leaders on December 1.

Nehemiah Center Topic of Book | Network

Sometimes a short-term mission trip is just a beginning. At least, that’s what it was for Carol Van Klompenburg. In 2008, a team leader asked members of a 2008 service and learning team to the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua what each of them was seeking from the trip. Carol answered, “A bigger world—mine is too small.”

Two Views Offered on Belhar

Two members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America recently held a wide-ranging discussion in which they presented opposing views of whether Synod 2012 should adopt the Belhar Confession as a new standard of faith for the denomination.

CRWM Helps Open Prison Ministry

Christian Reformed World Missions and the CRWM-supported Strategy of Transformation have helped Crossroad Bible Institute (CBI) of Grand Rapids, Mich., open a new satellite campus in Guatemala.

How CRWRC Helped Me To See

After their morning chores are complete – the water drawn, the children dressed, the fire started and stoked, and the lentils set to soak for the meal later in the day – women in the Outfall slum of Dhaka Bangladesh begin to make their way to a small classroom. The room has wood walls, an aluminum roof, a single fluorescent bulb, and looks just like all the other homes in the crowded slum neighborhood, but there is one key difference. This room holds a sense of promise and hope for all that enter… it is here that the women are learning to read.

Lectures Offer View of Heaven

Donald Sinnema, professor of theology at Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, IL, recently gave a lecture in which he challenged the popular Christian conception that heaven is an eternal spiritual or celestial realm that is outside of creation, a realm that includes God, angels, and the souls of deceased believers.

Reformation Library Expands its Reach

The Post-Reformation Digital Library (PRDL) at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., has expanded from providing online data on 700 authors to now including information on nearly 2,000 figures.

Deacon Task Force Will Propose Changes

Many deacons in the Christian Reformed Church do a good job of reaching out and performing such acts of mercy and benevolence as finding food and clothes and shelter for needy families. And that is an important part of their calling.

Watching the Wall Encircle Bethlehem

Bishara Awad feels very disheartened as he watches the final pieces of a 23-foot-high, cement wall being built. When it is finished, the wall will then totally encircle Bethlehem, the town in which Jesus Christ was born and where Bethlehem Bible College, where Awad serves as president, is located.

Bus Driver and Teacher Plant Church

For seven years, Doug Kennedy was a youth and family pastor at Crestview CRC in Boulder, Colo., while also working as a school bus driver. Adie Johnson, also a Crestview member, was a local school teacher.

Interview with Joel Boot | Calvin Chimes

Calvin is the college of the Christian Reformed Church, but the relationship between the two is complicated and sometimes minunderstood. To help students learn more, Op-Ed editor John Kloosterman of the Calvin College student newspaper, the Chimes, met for an interview with Rev. Joel Boot, the interim executive director of the CRC. Boot took the position this June after 39 years in ministry, most recently at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church.

Next Phase of Japan Relief Work Starts

The Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ) continues on a daily basis the arduous task of restoring homes, counseling, and praying for and healing families and individuals who were wounded in many ways following this year’s Great East Japan Earthquake.

CRWM Holds Medical Camp in Kenya

More than 500 people were waiting when the Christian Reformed Church-led medical team from the United States arrived this summer in Kathiani, Kenya, to conduct a six-day health care camp.

Marking a Life Lived for Justice | CRWRC

Zakka Chomock, leader of the South Africa Ministry Team for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and an "extraordinary man of God," passed away from liver cancer on Oct. 29. Zakka Chomock served with CRWRC since November 2000, for seven years as Justice Education Coordinator in West Africa and then, most recently, he served as Team Leader for the Southern Africa Ministry Team.Colleagues say Zakka was passionate about justice.

Task Force Seeking Responses

CRC members, ministry workers, and employees are being asked play a role in helping the denomination as it moves forward and faces the challenges of re-shaping its structure and culture to address the changing religious landscape in the 21st Century, especially in North America.

Faith Leaders Urge No Cuts to Funding

Rev. Joel Boot, the interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has joined other church leaders who are urging U.S. lawmakers to maintain “robust” funding for aid programs that fight hunger, disease and poverty around the world.

Timothy Training Starts in Cuba

One Cuban church leader recently reported how the Timothy Leadership Training Institute’s resources helped him to draw 16 new members to his church and another reported a 40 percent increase in tithes and offerings.

CRC Office Has Green Roof

A green roof, replete with plants, bushes and grasses native to Michigan, was installed late last week and now greets people who approach the front doors of the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s office in Grand Rapids, Mich.

CTS Center Offers Advent Resources

-- The penitential, anticipatory season of Advent too often slips by and the meaning gets lost in the hurly-burly of activity that individuals and families experience as they prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas, according to the Center for Excellence in Preaching (CEP) at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Joke Turns into a 'Big Apple' Trip

What started as a class joke between a photography professor and his class at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, led to a productive, once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York City with a renowned photographer.

Calvin Prof. Researches Dutch Films

A trove of digitized films, written materials and maps chronicling the Netherlands Information Bureau’s program to document and promote various aspects of Dutch culture and history in the United States is now available for public viewing in the Holland Museum in Holland, Mich.

A New Ecumenical Movement Meets

Joel Boot, interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, recently came away from what is being called a "watershed" ecumenical meeting in Indonesia convinced that Christianity of all types and denominations is flourishing outside North America and Europe.

Telling Yemen's Story | Calvin Spark

In Yemen last November, James Robin King, a Calvin College graduate in 2004, saw little reason for hope in the country’s future. Nor did his Yemeni friends and colleagues. “There are a million and one reasons for despair,” King said, “a perfect storm of crises that includes desperate poverty, food and water shortages, an oil economy that’s running out of oil, two longstanding political conflicts and the presence of an al-Qaeda affiliate.” But then came the revolution in Egypt.

Serving the Grieving in Japan

With the words of Romans 12:15 in mind, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn,” volunteers from the Reformed Church in Japan’s (RCJ) East Kanto Presbytery and teams of North American volunteers traveled to northeast Japan this summer and fall to minister to people affected by the March earthquake and tsunami.

Helping to Heal Church Conflict

One Christian Reformed Church (CRC) congregation in Ontario is taking part in a pilot program to see if using “restorative practices” will make a difference in the functioning of the church and, especially, in the lives of church members.

Symposium Will Pray the Psalms

The annual Calvin Symposium on Worship in January of 2012 will focus on the Book of Psalms – the ancient, poetic prayers of the church - in plenary sessions, seminars, sermons, worship services, and in several other formats.

CRWRC Responds to Latin America Flood

Since October11th a tropical storm has been hammering much of Latin America with torrential downpours that are causing extensive flooding and damage in countries including Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Mexico. The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is responding to those who are in most in need in these developing nations with emergency food aid and medical supplies.

Revised Reformed Standards Available

Revised translations of the Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism are now ready for study and use by both the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA).

Rev. Heerspink's Final Program To Air

The last Groundwork radio program that Rev. Robert Heerspink recorded, “Memo to Self: Don’t Forget God,” will be available online on Friday, Oct. 21.

CIDA Grant To Bolster Child Health | CRWRC

Thanks to a $688,881 contribution from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee will scale up its maternal and child health programs in Malawi and Bangladesh over the next three and a half years. The funding is part of CIDA’s Muskoka Initiative that was introduced by Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, at the G-8 Summit in June 2010.

Faith Alive Book Cited As 'Essential'

Christian Century magazine in its current issue cites two books, written by authors associated with the Christian Reformed Church, as being among five "essential books on children’s ministry."

New Chimes Will Ring at Dordt College

Dordt College students, administrators, and others will gather on Friday night to dedicate a new 54-foot, free-standing clock tower that has been in the college's plans for many years.

New Curriculum Addresses Immigration

The Office of Social Justice and the Office of Race Relations for the Christian Reformed Church are looking for 10 churches that are willing early next year to help pilot Church Between Borders, a new training curriculum that focuses on immigration issues.

World Hunger Sunday Resources Available

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has made available a range of resources for churches to learn more about world hunger, to pray for the world's hungry, and to participate in CRWRC's 2011 World Hunger Campaign.

Young Adults' Ministry Launches

The Young Leadership Task Force (YALT) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has launched a three-pronged ministry that aims, among other things, to equip young leaders to stem the flood in recent years of young adults leaving CRC congregations, says a member of the YALT executive team.

Medenblik Inaugurated CTS President

Rev. Jul Medenblik dropped to his knees on Saturday morning, took up a glass pitcher and began pouring water over the bare feet of John Cooper, a professor of philosophical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS).

Violence Erupts in Egypt

Many Egyptian Christians are frustrated and grief-stricken following the death last Sunday of 26 people and the wounding of nearly 340 others who were marching in Cairo to protest government violence against Christians, says Anne Zaki, coordinator of Middle East Ministry for the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Creation Care Follows the Steps of Jesus

Jesus Christ taught that creation, including the natural world and all who live in it, is an expression of the sovereignty, goodness, and grace of God, says Calvin DeWitt, chair of the Creation Care Task Force for the Christian Reformed Church.

Medenblik to be Inaugurated CTS Pres.

Rev. Julius Medenblik says his inauguration as seventh president of Calvin Theological Seminary on Saturday will be a significant celebration for himself, coinciding with the 16th anniversary of his ordination, as well for the seminary, which is 135 years old this year.

Pastor to Missionaries Needed

Christian Reformed World Missions is seeking an experienced pastor to provide voluntary, part-time pastoral care to CRWM missionaries who are on home service in the US and Canada.

Former Dutch Prime Minister to Speak

Jan Peter Balkenende, former prime minister of the Netherlands, will receive the Bavinck Prize for Outstanding Reformed Contribution to the Church, the Academy or Public Life on Friday evening in the Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center.

Vampire Catechism | Calvin

People seem to think I was born loving vampires,” said English professor Jennifer Williams. Yet it was only when she came to Calvin in 2005 that Williams became seriously interested in the vampire mythos.

BTGMI Board Announces Interim Director

Members of the Board of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) have appointed Rev. Jimmy Lin to serve as interim director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s worldwide, electronic media ministry until a permanent replacement can be found.

Nicholas Named Safe Church Director

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Board of Trustees recently approved the appointment of Bonnie Nicholas as the director of Safe Church Ministry.

Bob Heerspink: A Media Ministry Visionary

As he lay in his hospital bed a day or so before he passed away, Rev. Robert Heerspink asked his friend, Rev. Peter Borgdorff, interim deputy director of the Christian Reformed Church, to pick a passage and to recite a few verses from the Bible.

CRC Advancement Director Steps Down

Peter Harkema, director of denominational advancement for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, will resign as of the end of this year.

Church Assembly Plans More Cooperation

Representatives of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and the Council for World Mission (CWM) in North America and the Caribbean have concluded a joint assembly in the Dominican Republic with a promise to continue working together to meet the needs of the region.

Visitation and Memorial for Bob Heerspink

Memorial services will be held this week for Rev. Robert Heerspink, director of Back to God Ministries International, who passed away on Saturday morning following a three-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Announcement: Bob Heerspink

Today our colleague and friend Bob Heerspink passed away after struggling for three months with pancreatic cancer.

CRC Riders Ride for Refuge Ministries

Several members of Team Beyond made a grueling, 28-mile ride over rough trails and one-and-two-track roads in Soroti, Uganda, on Saturday as part Ride for Refuge, a multi-organization, multi-national effort to raise funds for ministry to those need.

Responding to Pakistan Flood | CRWRC

For the second year in a row, the people of Pakistan are struggling to survive in the face of flooding. In mid-August 2011, heavy monsoon rains began to fall on Southern Pakistan, swelling the Indus river. As the water levels rose, the river and its tributaries overflowed their banks causing damage reminiscent of last year’s disaster.

Faith Grows Amid Ruin in Haiti

Some Haitians have embraced a stronger faith in God following the catastrophic earthquake that laid waste to parts of their country late on the afternoon of Jan. 12, 2010, say Zachary and Sharon Segaar-King.

Unity in Christ in Haiti

Sharon Segaar-King, a Christian Reformed World Missions missionary in Haiti, was grateful that nearly 70 women were willing to gather earlier this year for an annual, three-day conference of fellowship and spiritual nourishment.

Effort Featuring Ministry Shares Starts

The Christian Reformed Church in North America will soon release a wide-ranging set of resources that help to explain the denomination's Kingdom-building program known as Ministry Shares.

Grants Available For Church Projects

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) announced this week that it is making available grants of up to $33,000, and possibly more, to help fund projects that its member churches, either individually or in regional groups, are undertaking.

CRC Ministries Still Helping in Japan

Missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions continue to work with the Reformed Church in Japan in relief and reconstruction efforts following the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that caused wide-spread death and destruction in northeastern Japan on March 11.

Teaching Worldview in Costa Rica

Students at UNELA, known in English as the Evangelical University of the Americas, are capturing what it means to live for Christ.

CRC Seeks Media/Volunteers for Caravan

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is seeking three younger volunteers — a writer, a photographer and a videographer — to chronicle the “We Have Faith – Act Now for Climate Change” youth caravan that leaves Nairobi, Kenya in early November.

Breaking a Record for Hunger | CRWRC

One hundred and sixty acres of soybeans are growing near Listowel, Ontario and will soon have a huge impact on families around the world.

CRC Seems To Buck Aging Trend

The Christian Reformed Church apparently has proportionately more younger people as members than do the majority of Protestant denominations that took part in a survey whose results were released at a press conference this week.

Calvin College Honors ArtPrize Founder

Rick DeVos, founder of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Mich., and an alumnus of Calvin College, was the recipient this week of Calvin's 2011 Horizon Award.

CRC Artists Integrate Faith at ArtPrize

Many Christian Reformed Church artists and congregations, along with Calvin College, are participating in ArtPrize, the international public art competition that opens Wednesday for two weeks in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Church Juice Awards 'Juicys'

First Christian Reformed Church in Grand Haven, Mich., has been awarded a $1,000, mini-grant by Church Juice, a project of ReFrame Media, to help the church in Grand Haven improve its communications capability.

CRC Man Designs 9/11 Water Memorial

Dan Euser, a landscape architect who is a member of a Christian Reformed Church, says he experienced God’s hand and grace at work throughout the lengthy process of designing two fountains of cleansing, cascading water that are a key part of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Hope Equals Takes Challenging Trip

This summer’s Hope Equal’s journey to the Middle East was pleasurable, challenging, and informative in many ways, said Mariano Avila, coordinator of a Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) initiative called Hope Equals.

Centre for Public Dialogue's Report

The Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue this week submitted a report, based on its research on reconciliation and justice in Indigenous education in Canada, to the National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education.

Go Where the People Are

The Spotlight English Club in Kernersville (NC) is growing…but only after sponsors decided to move the meeting place to where the people are. In January 2011 the North Carolina group launched the Spotlight English Club for immigrants who want to improve their English. They began holding the club meetings at their church, but only one, two or three people came. Marco Segovia, one of theSpotlight English Club coordinators, said, "We had approximately 16 team leaders and volunteers. We realized that this program would be steered by God and we were prepared to take this journey no matter what it took."

SPECIAL SERIES | Remembering 9/11

As the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks approaches, CRC News has prepared a series of stories about how the Christian Reformed Church and its members have responded – and what we have learned – in the last 10 years.

Meeting Gabriela for Breakfast

Rev. Joel Van Dyke needed to take a few deep breaths in order to keep his composure before giving a presentation one recent morning to a group of pastors and others about ways they can work together to minister to thousands of children living on the streets of Guatemala City.

Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus

Members of City Grace, a Christian Reformed Church congregation in New York City, worship about two miles from Ground Zero.

Visiting Mosques Post 9/11

Together with members of a Calvin Theological Seminary world religion class, I sat on the carpeted floor of a conference room in a newly-built mosque in Grand Rapids, Mich., and listened as our teacher and others asked questions of the imam and the president of the congregation of mostly Sunni Muslims.

A Drive Through Dearborn

We drove under the black-iron railroad trestle and suddenly left a moonscape of a world behind and entered one that bustled with vibrancy and health.

Making Christian/Muslim Relations Work

A church in Dearborn, Mich., recently baptized a young Muslim who, despite serious threats and conflicts with family, had decided to become a Christian.

New Ministry Names Training Coordinator

Rev. Greg Sinclair, a Christian Reformed Church pastor who worked among Muslims in West Africa for nearly a decade, has been named the first training coordinator of the CRC's new ministry Advancing Ministry Among Muslims (AMAM).

New Intergenerational Series Available

Faith Alive Christian Resources has just released a compelling, multifaceted series of events to help churches develop faith among the generations in their congregations.

Creation Care Expert to Speak

Evangelical environmental leader Calvin DeWitt says he will ask three critical questions when he speaks later this month at a conference on environmental issues at a community college in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Interfaith Involvement Grows Since 9/11

The Christian Reformed Church was among the 20 percent of congregations in the United States that participated in interfaith, outreach service projects, such as emergency disaster relief, in 2010, according to a survey released on Wednesday, Sept. 7, by Faith Communities Today (FACT).

College President Calls for 'Engagement'

College students, and especially those who are Christians, are called to engage with God and the wider world in at least three ways, Steve Timmermans, president of Trinity College in Palos Heights, Ill., said recently at the college's 53rd annual Convocation.

Working with Muslims at Home

It was a Wednesday afternoon late in 2010 at a youth center operating in a former warehouse in a small Minnesota town.

Media Ministry Serves Middle East

Located in the Middle East is a Reformed media ministry dedicated to reaching people in that region of the world through radio and social media.

What the Qur’an Says about Jesus

After planning to do it for a while, I finally read the Muslim holy book carefully and compared how the Qur’an and the Bible portray Jesus. I was surprised to find similarities, as well as important differences, between the two faiths on the topic of Jesus.

Differing Views of Muhammad

Omid Safi, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of North Carolina, tried to help his audience on the campus of Calvin College understand why nearly two billion Muslims around the world find holiness and connection to Allah by following the teachings of Muhammad, the founder of Islam.

Calvin Participates in 9/11 Conference

Calvin College and University Yale philosophy professor emeritus Nicholas Wolterstorff will provide the opening keynote address at a conference on "Liberty and Tolerance in an Age of Religious Conflict" running Sept. 8-11 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Chicago Lecture to Focus on Hope

Two respected Reformed educators will discuss later this month in Chicago ways in which current expressions of Christianity can provide hope to a world beset by strife, turmoil and division.

Disability Concerns Advocates Meet

Over 60 disability concerns delegate/advocates from the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) gathered in August for the first educational and training conference put on by the two denominations.

Church, Community Rally After Tornado

Pastor Stephen Tamming spoke for members of his church – Trinity Christian Reformed Church – and many local residents when he said last Sunday that the spirit of Goderich, Ontario, located on Lake Huron, was not broken by the devastating tornado that had torn through their town a week earlier.

Volunteers Respond To Hurricane Irene

A group of disaster response volunteers hauling tractors, tarps, and chainsaws left Byron Center, Mich., Thursday morning, heading to North Carolina to help residents clean up after Hurricane Irene.

Sermon Reflections for 9/11 | CTS

The 10th anniversary of a day of terror will mean many things to many people but chief among the feelings people may have are ones of sadness, remembering the dead. And some of us will preach to people who knew someone who died that dark day in 2001. Perhaps, then, a sermon on September 11, 2011, would be the perfect opportunity to declare that at a time when one TV special after the next is focusing on how much the world has changed since 9/11, the Good News of the Gospel is that God has not changed.

Task Force Begins Review of Structure

A task force created by Synod 2011 to review the structure and culture of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) recently met to begin its work.

New Website Includes Many Cultures

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), which was founded in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2010, has launched a new website, designed by the Reformed Church in America, which features links to blogs and websites created in languages used by WCRC churches in regions and cultures around the world.

Aid Expanded to Somalia | CRWRC

August 30, 2011 -- In addition to its major drought response projects already underway in Kenya and Ethiopia, CRWRC has received approval from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for a new project in Somalia which will provide urgently needed assistance to 10,800 drought-affected people for an initial two and a half months. This project will be carried out in partnership with World Concern, and will expand CRWRC’s reach to include a total of nearly 20,000 drought-affected families – or 145,000 people – in the East Africa region.

TEA Conference Had Wide Reach

More than 200 Christian leaders attended the recent Theological Education in Africa (TEA) conference in Kenya to discuss the advancement of theological education across Africa, which is experiencing explosive growth in Christianity.

Calvin Professors, Students Win Awards

The National Institutes of Health has recognized and highlighted the potentially ground-breaking research of Calvin College biology professor Anding Shen by awarding her a $300,000 grant to continue studying how a certain type of cells may impact HIV infection.

Palos Heights Mayor Supported Muslims

Dean Koldenhoven recalled the night in 2000 that he stared at the number of people who had unexpectedly packed into the city council chambers of Palos Heights, Ill., where he was the mayor.

9/11 Was One Day in a Long History

Rev. Herm Keizer, former director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Chaplaincy Ministries, was working as a chaplain with the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., on that sunny Tuesday morning 10 years ago when a plane crashed into the Pentagon.

The Reformed 'Apostle to Islam'

One of the pioneering missionaries in working with Muslims was a pastor with deep Reformed roots.

CTS Grads Move to Egypt

Ten years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Anne Zaki and her husband, Naji Umran, will soon begin an innovative approach to ministry in the culturally rich, politically dynamic, land of Egypt.

CRWRC Readies Response to Irene

As Hurricane Irene blows slowly northward into Canada and Nova Scotia on Monday and residents who were evacuated from storm surge areas begin to filter back to their homes and businesses to assess damages, project managers from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org) are traveling east into the aftermath of Irene’s destruction.

The Day that Changed the World

I was walking through the newsroom of the Kalamazoo Gazette in Kalamazoo, Mich., on a bright sunny morning in September 2001 when something on the TV in the sports department caught my eye.

9/11 Sparks a New CRC Ministry

When terrorists attacked the United States by piloting planes into buildings on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Joel Hogan was undergoing orientation for his new job as director of international ministries for Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM).

Crescent Project Is An Example

Joel Hogan, director of international ministries for Christian Reformed World Missions, says the CRC may use materials from the Crescent Project as it begins training congregations about how to share the love of Christ with Muslims.

Working at Muslim Ministry

Carrying sacks full of New Testaments and gallons of drinking water, two Christian Reformed Church missionaries often trek many miles through volcanic mountain landscapes, dry savanna grasses and parched red-gray desert to bring God’s good news to remote villages in a predominately Muslim, West African country.

Calvin Gets Grant to Aid Local Schools

The education, communication arts and sciences and English departments at Calvin College recently received a $208,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Education to provide professional development in language arts at to three area schools (Buchanan Elementary, The Potter's House and Living Stones Academy).

Creation Care Is God's Mandate

Members of the synodical task force studying creation care and stewardship of the earth's resources met last week to continue working on a draft report to be submitted to Synod 2012. The final report is due the following year.

Sierra Leone CRC Needs Trained Leaders

The Sierra Leonean Church has expanded rapidly since the country's civil war ended in 2002.

Greatly Reducing Poverty By 2013

Scott Todd says that his inspiration for helping to create a new program to reduce extreme global poverty came out of the death from AIDS of a 12-year-old Tanzanian girl named Jacqueline.

Calvin College Expands Important Program

Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., will expand its speech pathology and audiology program this fall to offer a five-year bachelor-to-master's program. Until now, it took six years to complete a bachelor’s and masters’ degree.

Program Providing Needed Health Care

Nestled in the Garo hills of Netrokona district, Birisiri is one of the northernmost areas of Bangladesh and is populated primarily by minority tribal groups.

A Tribute to Italo, the Holy Clown

Several years ago, Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries Joel and Marilyn Van Dyke, who live and work in Guatemala City, hosted friends from the United States who were adopting two children from Guatemala.

'A Little Bit Like Heaven'

Esteban Lugo, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Race Relations, was deeply touched when he recently attended a combined worship service between a CRC congregation and members of a Baptist church.

'Tractor Dave' Comes Home | CRWRC

“Tractor Dave” Wolfsen will arrive in Ludington, Mich, on Monday night in comfort—on the deck of the Lake Michigan car ferry, the S.S. Badger.

Working on 'Imaginary Worlds' | Calvin

August 15, 2010 -- On the screen at the front of the room, the cat was getting across the road too easily despite the big blue dog and the automobile traffic. At the console across the room, computer science professor Joel Adams was trying to slow the cat's progress by programming the cow car--a race car painted to look like a Holstein--to cross the screen with a little more speed and unpredictability.

God's Word in China Today | BTGMI

Every day close to 100,000 Chinese people receive spiritual nourishment from God’s Word through Chinese Today devotionals. That's nearly four times the number of people who had access to the devotionals a little over a year ago, and 50 times the readership from when Back to God Ministries International first started publishing the Chinese Today in 1991. What's the reason for this phenomenal growth? "When we first started publishing the Chinese Today about 20 years ago, it was only in printed form," explains Chinese ministry leader Rev. Jimmy Lin. "Then we only printed 2,000 copies."

Two Thousand Homes in Haiti | CRWRC

Sixty-two year-old Theodore Laurore and his family were overjoyed when they received their new, wood-framed, earthquake and hurricane-resistant home last week. This was the 2,000th such home built by the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) following the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010.

Solomon and the 'Magic Ring'

The text, titled the Testament of Solomon, is a 40-page Greek narrative of Solomon’s construction of the temple. For many, the list of adjectives commonly associated with King Solomon begins and ends with wisdom. But this summer, classics Professor Jeff Winkle and sophomore Alex Westenbroek are tackling an ancient text that explores Solomon’s magical side.

Course Offers 'Perspective' on Missions

Christian Reformed World Missions will award up to six $200 scholarships to encourage qualified applicants to attend a Perspectives course, a 15-week mission’s education program developed by the U.S. Center for World Mission.

Couple To Coordinate Aid in Kenya | CRWRC

When Margaret and Rients Mazereeuw of Lethbridge, Alberta received word about the extreme drought facing Eastern Africa, they were compelled to respond. After receiving a phone call from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) they are now preparing to spend five months in drought-ridden Kenya to help coordinate the distribution of emergency food, water, and animal feed to thousands of families.

Tractor Dave Takes Detour | CRWRC

"Tractor” Dave Wolfsen’s travels around America this summer took an ironic turn when he had to make a detour around a natural disaster — the flooded Missouri River. Since June 1, Wolfsen has been driving his restored 1937 Co-Op farm tractor through the eastern and midwest U.S. to raise funds and awareness for the disaster response programs of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) and the Foods Resource Bank.

Pastor Peer Groups to Continue

Although Lilly Endowment Inc. funding for the Christian Reformed Church’s Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program runs out in December, key parts of the popular program will continue.

Acts of Synod 2011 Available Online

The Synodical Resources office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has made available on its website a downloadable, on-line version of the Acts of Synod 2011. A hard copy of the document will be available in a few weeks.

Timothy Institute Trains More Trainers

More than 30 participants from Canada, Nepal, Nigeria, Cambodia, Japan, and the United States recently gathered for Timothy Leadership Training in Grand Rapids, Mich., at a local hotel for a week of study, reflection, fellowship, and worship.

Website Posted For Presidential Search

The Calvin College Board of Trustees has recently posted a website that invites people to send in nominations for a successor to Gaylen Byker, the current Calvin president who plans to retire at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.

Conference Helps in Healing Women

For Martha (name changed), a single mother living in Mexico, life is not easy. Her husband left her two years ago. Now she works six days a week to provide for herself and her teenage daughter.

Families on Fire | BTGMI

If you have a perfect marriage and have never struggled with issues related to your children, then you may not need Family Fire, a new ministry launched this summer by ReFrame Media, the English outreach of Back to God Ministries International. However, if you occasionally wrestle with the messiness of living as a family, then you might be interested in checking out the new Family Fire Facebook page and website.

The Matrix as Reformed Philosophy

With the popular The Matrix movie trilogy as a blueprint, the authors of a new book published by Dordt College Press describe how Christians might view technological advances and science fiction concepts from a Reformed perspective.

Hosts Needed for Canadian Art Tour

The Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee of the Christian Reformed Church in North America is seeking people in CRCNA communities across Canada to help coordinate local showings of an exhibition of 17 Aboriginal paintings depicting Easter in the Woodlands artistic style.

2011 Cadet Camporee Underway

Bob de Jonge drove a golf cart, weaving in and out of hundreds of boys, young men and adults who were making their way along the hot, dusty path at the 2011 Cadet International Camporee being held in upstate Michigan.

A 'Shocking' Email From Nigeria

Christian Reformed World Missions volunteer missionary Dirk Vander Steen had been back home for a few days from his most recent trip to Nigeria when he received a shocking and deeply troubling email message.

Tractor Dave Still Rallies Support

Pushing deeper into the U.S. heartland on his 1937 Co-op tractor with a historic heat wave gripping much of the continent, “Tractor Dave” Wolfsen sees row after row of corn and soybeans.

Prayer Warriors Needed in Japan, Korea

In October, Prayer Missions International and Christian Reformed World Missions will join together to lead a short-term intercessory prayer mission trip to earthquake-ravaged Japan and to Korea.

Haiti 'Quake Update | CRWRC

On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake rocked the country of Haiti. The 35-second quake killed over 230,000 people and displaced 1.5 million more. Virtually the entire country came to a halt as schools, churches, hospitals, government buildings, homes, and entire neighborhoods crumbled to the The international community responded quickly and generously to the needs of quake survivors, the Christian Reformed Church of North America included. To date, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has received $15 million in donations and grants, enabling CRWRC to respond quickly to immediate survival needs as well as longerterm needs created by the earthquake.

Hope Equals Team Arrives in Middle East

Participants in the Christian Reformed World Missions-sponsored program Hope Equals landed safely in the Middle East this week and have begun a five-week, summer learning tour in which they will visit holy land sites and interact with groups working to establish a lasting peace between people in Israel and those living in the Palestinian territories.

Think Christian Asks Hard Questions

In a world that sometimes prefers easy answers to easy questions, Back to God Ministry International’s challenging, thought-provoking website Think Christian wrestles with the hard stuff.

Calvin Prof Awarded $200,000 Grant

Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., announced this week that Jan Koop, a professor of mathematics and statistics, is the recipient of a $220,000 Michigan Department of Education grant.

Celebrating 25 Years of Worship

The recently released, 25^th Anniversary issue of Reformed Worship offers a sampling  of services on “joyful living” inspired by the book of Philippians, as well as a model worship service, based on 150^th anniversary service for the Christian Reformed Church, to help congregations seeking to celebrate anniversaries.

Churches Asked to Join 9/11 Service Event

ServiceLink, the Christian Reformed Church’s office that solicits and works with volunteers, is looking for 100 CRC churches to join in a national Day of Service that will be held on Sept. 11, the 10th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks to ever occur in the United States.

Seeking $7 Million for East Africa | CRWRC

July 19, 2011 -- With plans continuing to gel over the last week, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) announced today that it is drastically increasing its response to severe drought in East Africa. Previously planning a $4 million response, the agency now has a goal of distributing $7 million in emergency aid between August and December 2011. The response will include food supplies and drinking water, as well as fodder for livestock. This essential aid will help more than 100,000 Kenyans survive until the next harvest in January, 2012.

Report Gives Summary of Synod 2011

A letter sent out today from Rev. Joel Boot, interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, to CRC church councils, provides a summary of the work that was accomplished by Synod 2011.

'Live 58: Alliance' Fights World Poverty

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has joined the Live 58: Alliance, which is an unprecedented, action-based alliance of Christians, churches, and world-class poverty-fighting organizations to reduce the number of people who live on US$1.25 a day to less than one percent of the world’s population by 2035.

Missionaries are Nigeria-Bound

Abe and Carol Vreeke have once again finished undergoing Christian Reformed World Missions’ intense orientation sessions before leaving for Nigeria to serve as missionaries.

Studying Cuban Refugees | Calvin College

Elena Brubaker, a junior at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Calvin Spanish professor Marilyn Bierling have joined together in researching the refugees who came to the United States after 1959, when Fidel Castro took control of the Cuban government. The pair is also studying the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) workers who welcomed them to their new home.

Calvin's Entrada Was 'Exceptional'

More than 70 high school students from 14 states graduated today from Calvin College’s Entrada program in an emotionally charged ceremony held in the Gezon Auditorium on the college’s campus in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Prayers for Rev. Bob Heerspink | BTGMI

On Wednesday morning, July 13, ministry staff in Palos Heights, Ill.,and Grand Rapids, Mich., gathered in a circle to pray for Back to God Ministries International Director, Rev. Bob Heerspink, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.One of Bob’s fellow ministry leaders prayed, “Mighty God, move mightily. God of healing, please heal.” One young woman, who is battling cancer herself, asked wisdom for Bob and his family as they meet with oncologists this week to sort out treatment options. She reminded us, “Our days are numbered by God, not this disease.” Others prayed strength for the staff of Back to God Ministries International as we continue with our worldwide Gospel outreach.

More Aid Needed For East Africa Drought

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is rapidly expanding its current drought response to meet a vastly increased need for food and other aid in the Horn of Africa after two failed rainy seasons in the past 12 months. Ten million people are now at risk.

Borgdorff Appointed as Deputy ED

Rev. Joel Boot, the interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, today appointed Rev. Peter Borgdorff, a former executive director, to serve as his deputy.

'A Family Reunion' that Resonates

Meeting with and then worshiping with members of the Reformed Church in America was the highlight of Synod 2011 for Rev. Joel Boot, interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Orientation Attendees Informed, Inspired

What happens when you mix a group of new Christian Reformed Home Missions (CRHM) campus pastors and church planters in the same room and ask them about their ministry’s vision? Excited and passionate voices erupt, as men and women share their hearts with each other.

A Kinder, Gentler John Calvin

More than 100 students, teachers and others gathered Monday morning in the Commons Annex Dining Room at Calvin College to eat cake, sip punch or coffee, and, most of all, to celebrate the 502nd birthday of John Calvin.

Drought Response in Kenya | CRWRC

In Kenya, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has provided food aid in response to drought conditions nearly every other year for the past decade. "This year, however, may be the worst yet," said Wayne de Jong, Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), "Experts say that this is the worst drought the region has experienced in 60 years."

Prayers Go Out to Sudan | CRWRC

Churches are responding to a call from a global church organization for prayers and advocacy for a peaceful transition to independence for the Republic of South Sudan. "It is important to know what is being done by churches . . . ," says Nate Engle, a Christian Reformed World Relief Committee staffer.

Blankets for Justice, Reconciliation

The Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue and the Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee are encouraging Christian Reformed Church members, congregations, and classes in Canada to get involved in what is called the Blanket Exercise.

Dordt's Discovery Days a Delight

Dordt College's campus was recently filled with junior high students from across the country who came to join in the annual Dordt Discovery Days for a week filled with learning and activity.

'Harvest Hope' Campaign Succeeds|CRWRC

"People are changing. We, as a committee, are going to keep working hard so others can see how life can improve." These words from Bornface Chiwaya, the chairman of a village committee in the Kamanzi area of Malawi, are a great testimony both to the passion of that village to improve their way of life . . . This kind of success was nearly halted this past year when CRWRC received unexpected news from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) that its proposal for funding was not being retained.

Posters Show Shepherds, Fishers, Planters

More than 40 winners were announced recently for the annual Christian Reformed World Missions' poster contest.

Worship Institute Points to Resource Guide

The websites of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Congregational Resource Guide—a free, online publication funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.—have recently been highlighting each other's resources for their web users.

Year-Round Schooling's Impact | Calvin

Year-round schooling has long been a contentious issue and a hot research topic for educators, sociologists and psychologists. Two educational groups, the National Association for Year-Round Education (NAYRE) and Summer Matters, have voiced their opinions on questions like does summer-learning loss actually occur, and can it be eliminated by year-round schooling? Do shorter breaks result in better test scores? What about the effects on families and family vacations? And isn’t it just un-American to do away with three months of long, lazy days spent fishing, biking, swimming and hanging out with your best friends.

TLT's Ministry Grows

In the fiscal year that just ended, the Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLT) conducted 38 leadership trainings in 18 countries, teaching at least one TLT course to about 600 students, and starting work in Mali, according to Charles Powell, president of the TLT.

Southern Sudan Needs Prayers

Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), is asking members of the Christian Reformed Church to pray for south Sudan as it moves toward independence, set for July 9, from north Sudan. 

Tractor Dave Presses On | CRWRC

July 1, 2011 -- Putting 1,400 miles of New England countryside under his wheels in the first two weeks of June, "Tractor Dave" Wolfsen has been having a great time traveling the country on his 1937 antique tractor. He also ran into some mechanical and schedule difficulties that temporarily brought him and his ride back home to the barn in Fremont, Michigan. Dave, however, is not deterred.

'Paperless' Synod a Success

The Christian Reformed Church in North America saved more than 100,000 pieces of printing paper and who knows how many trees by going, for the most part, “paperless” during Synod 2011 that met this month in Van Noord Arena on the campus of Calvin College.

Ministry Helps to Transform Daniel

Nearly always drunk, Daniel came week after week for breakfast on Saturday mornings to the small church outside of Guatemala City.

A New Heart for Christ | Spark

Steven Okeyo remains in awe of what has happened to him over the last two years. As he recovers from heart transplant surgery that would be unheard of in his home country of Kenya, he says he has been led to one main response. “I want to become more Christlike,” the soft-spoken 24-year-old said. “I am acquainting myself with the scriptures more deeply, these words of grace and faith."

CRC Offices Support Immigration Pledge

The Office of Social Justice and the Office of Race Relations are asking Christian Reformed Church members to sign a pledge affirming their commitment “to love our neighbor and welcome the stranger among us.”

CRC Extends its Green Footprint

Trees will be planted, a walking path put in, and a small, gravel parking lot will be installed this summer on a four-acre plot of land that sits next to the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Joel Boot Greets CRC Employees

Rev. Joel Boot, the newly named interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, met with and formally introduced himself to CRC employees in the denomination’s Grand Rapids office this week.

Utah CRC Awarded Green Grant

Two agencies of the Christian Reformed Church have awarded the third annual Green Congregation Grant to First Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of Salt Lake City, Utah.

ReFrame Celebrates Its Ministry

Five years ago Back to God Ministries International re-launched its English ministry under a new name: ReFrame Media.

Japan Church Determines Donations

The Reformed Church in Japan has recently determined how it will disperse the more than 50 million yen -- about $650,000 in U.S. currency -- that it has received from its initial, large-scale fund-raising campaign following the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11.

Ties Aside, Synod is a Wrap

Early on in last week’s Synod 2011, a minor glitch arose. Rev. James Dekker, who had been elected president, had not brought any ties with him to Grand Rapid, Mich. As president, it is customary to wear a tie.

DeVries Installed General Secretary | RCA

A spirit of praise and promise filled Calvin College's chapel as Tom De Vries was installed this week into the office of general secretary of the Reformed Church in America. Opening with a responsive reading of the RCA's mission and vision statement as a votum, the service celebrated both the diversity and the unity of the denomination. Representatives from throughout the church led different parts of the service.

Giving the Gift of Health | CRWRC

"I’m happy to help, even if they can’t pay me any money." These words from Mrs. Chue Thao, a 38 year-old woman in Vieng, Laos, exemplify a huge change that has been happening in thirty-one Laotian villages. Mrs. Thao has been a birth attendant for years. Recently, however, she received training in improved maternal and child healthcare. Now she feels better equipped to save and protect lives.

Nigerian Church Leader Thanks CRC

Several fraternal delegates offered greetings and eloquently addressed Christian Reformed Church in North America delegates during last week’s Synod 2011.

Bible Institute Opens in Mexican Jail

Crossroad Bible Institute announces the opening of CBI México North, its 13th international satellite campus. Based in Ciudad Juárez, CBI México North offers the promise of peace in Christ to those incarcerated in a city dominated by violence, warfare and chaos.

RCA & CRC Meet in Joint Session | Banner

For the first time ever, the Reformed Church in America (RCA) and the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) held a joint session of their respective synods Thursday afternoon.

Synod 2011 Adjourns with Prayer

Synod 2011 adjourned at noon on Thursday, after almost seven days of deliberations, debate, voting, prayer and praise.

Synod Addresses Dykstra Resignation

Synod 2011 on Wednesday afternoon expressed gratitude both for the service of Rev. Jerry Dykstra as executive director of the Christian Reformed Church and for the work of the Board of Trustees, which requested his resignation.

Synod Youth Representatives | Banner

Seven young adults, ages 20 to 24, explained the viewpoints of the next generation at Synod 2011.

Synod Approves Translations | Banner

Synod 2011 passed revised translations of the Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, and Heidelberg Catechism on Tuesday night. The changes focused on reducing male pronouns for God and eliminating masculine references to humankind.

Synod Passes Diversity Plan

Rev. Mariano Avila set the tone for discussing diversity in words he spoke during worship on Wednesday morning, just before Synod 2011 took up the topics of establishing a Youth Summit and hiring practices for senior leadership in the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Approves Candidates | Banner

Synod 2011 welcomed 42 candidates into ministry with a standing ovation--thanking God, the candidates, and their families for their commitment.

CRHM Interim Director Thanked | Banner

Synod honored Ben Vandezande, retiring interim director of Christian Reformed Home Missions, for his service over the past two and a half years.

Creation and Science Position Unchanged

Jun 15, 2011 — Synod declined to make any official declarations in response to the writings of two Calvin College professors on issues of human origins but, rather, decided to wait for a report from the college.

Fraternal Delegates Give Greetings

Several fraternal delegates—leaders representing churches and organizations in full fellowship with the CRC—addressed Synod 2011 mid-Tuesday.

Synod Surrounds Chung with Prayer

June 14, 2011 -- Delegates to Synod 2011 gathered in a large circle Tuesday afternoon and prayed for the success of Rev. Moses Chung as he begins his work as the new director of Christian Reformed Home Missions (CRHM).

Faith Formation Mandate Extended | Banner

On the heels of releasing significant work on infant baptism, infant dedication, and children at the Lord’s Supper, members of the Faith Formation committee have been asked by synod for one additional year of service to complete an additional mandate of “shepherding the denomination” in its movement toward stronger faith formation practices.

Ministry Associate Wording Upheld | Banner

Synod upheld the current wording of Church Order article 23 concerning ministry associates Tuesday morning.

No Confessions in New Hymnal | Banner

Synod 2011 said the new hymnal being produced by Faith Alive, Lift Up Your Hearts, will not include the full text of the Reformed Confessions as originally planed.

Synod 2015 Heads to Iowa | Banner

Synod 2011 delegates approved a proposal to hold Synod 2015 at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. The last time synod was held at Dordt College was 2003.

Synod Affirms Baptism | Banner

“In a time of significant change it is wise for all of us—working together as a denomination and in partnership with our ecumenical partners worldwide—to discern and then promote biblically faithful sacramental practices.” Synod 2011 delegates heard that message from the denomination’s Faith Formation Committee

Delegates Address Educational Issues

Synod 2011 dealt on Tuesday morning with a variety of issues surrounding education related to Christian colleges and Calvin Theological Seminary.

Synod Opens Table to Children

Synod 2011 decided on Monday night that baptized children will no longer be required to make a formal profession of faith before they can take part in the Lord’s Supper.

No New Study of Homosexuality | Banner

Following a spirited debate, synod decided Monday not to re-examine the Christian Reformed Church’s biblical and theological position on homosexuality, unchanged since 1973.

Synod Adds Direction on Belhar | Banner

Synod 2011 instructed the denomination’s Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee (EIRC) to “foster a balanced denominationwide discussion on the adoption of the Belhar Confession as a fourth confession.”

Synod Approves Baptism Agreement

Delegates to Synod 2011 approved an ecumenically historic document on Monday afternoon, recognizing that baptisms in the Roman Catholic Church have the same validity as those performed in the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod Okays Pension Changes | Banner

Facing limited options, synod delegates today approved increasing the normal retirement age for Christian Reformed pastors from 65 to 66, decreasing benefits available for early retirement, eliminating across-the-board spousal benefits, and increasing the contributions churches must make to the Ministers’ Pension Fund.

Calvin Starts Search for New President

The executive committee of Calvin College's Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of a presidential search committee, which will lead the effort of selecting the college's ninth president.

Synod Ratifies Joel Boot

As one of its first orders of business this morning, delegates of Synod 2011 ratified the appointment of Rev. Joel Boot as interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church. Evan Cuperus, elder delegate from Classis Georgetown and a member of Ridgewood CRC in Jenison, Mich., took the podium to second the motion.

Delegates Hear Stories of Diversity

Four members of the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees who come from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds described in a videotaped program shown Sunday night why they joined the CRC, why they love it and how they are striving to help the denomination grow and face the challenges of the future.

Delegates Urged to 'Press On' | Banner

Synod 2011’s service of prayer and praise, hosted by Madison Square Church of Grand Rapids, Mich., had a Pentecost focus on the Holy Spirit. The multiethnic church led delegates in a service with the theme “Press On,” based on Jesus being filled with the Spirit as he pressed on quietly with his healing work in Matthew 12.

BOT President Addresses Synod | Banner

On Saturday evening, Rev. Mark Vermaire, president of the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees (BOT), reported on the work of the board to the delegates of Synod 2011. It was the first such address, following Synod 2010’s decision to set aside time at each synod to hear a report from the board.

State of the Church Address | Banner

“This is my fifth day in office. I was told ‘you’re supposed to speak about the state of the church.’ I don’t think there is much I can say.” That was how Rev. Joel Boot, interim executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, started his address to Synod 2011 on Saturday evening.

Synod Prays for Church Leaders

Officers of Synod 2011 on Saturday night gathered around and prayed for Rev. Joel Boot, the newly-appointed interim Executive Director of the Christian Reformed Church, and Rev. Mark Vermaire, chairman of the CRC’s Board of Trustees.

Multiethnic Conference Honors Champions

Bing Goei cut short his acceptance speech on Friday night after the Christian Reformed Church's Office of Race Relations gave him one of its two inaugural awards for being "a champion of ethnic diversity" in the CRC.

Synod Convenes Briefly

Synod 2011 convened in a brief plenary session on Saturday morning for worship and some routine business.

Chaplains Hear That 'Stories Matter'

One of the stories told at this week's Christian Reformed Church Chaplain's Conference was about a man who was in hospital facing serious surgery. On the day before the surgery, a CRC chaplain walked into the man’s room and asked how he was doing. The patient made an offhand comment that he would rather be fishing.

Synod Elects Experience | Banner

Synod 2011 elected Rev. James Dekker, Classis Niagara, as its president. Rev. George Vink, Classis Central California is vice president. Rev. Bert Slofstra, Classis British Columbia South-East, is first clerk, and Rev. Sheila Holmes, Classis Hackensack, is second clerk.

Synod 2011 Opens

Synod 2011 convened on Friday, June 10, with Dr. Gaylen Byker, president of Calvin College, welcoming delegates to the campus in Grand Rapids, Mich. Synod opened with worship, led by Rev. David Beelen and worship leaders from Madison Square Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, the convening church of this year's synod. Beelen spoke about God's grace, the theme of this year's synod.

Every 'Square Inch'

Heavy rain drenched the streets outside as about 25 people arrived on a recent Sunday afternoon – some carrying food for a pot-luck dinner they call the LoveFeast– and got ready for worship at the newly formed Square Inch Community.

Student Receives EPA Award | Calvin

Somewhat shy and unassuming. Those are the words biology professor Dave Warners chose to describe Tyler Bleeker, a 20-year old biology major from Zeeland, Mich., who just finished his second year at Calvin. “He’s approachable, not an intimidating person at all. And this demeanor seems to work real well in terms of motivating his classmates,” said Warners.

Modeling God’s Love in Japan

The Reformed Church in Japan continues, with the help of the Christian Reformed Church and many other church organizations, to do the hard work of obtaining resources and then using them to help rebuild lives and buildings devastated by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

CTS Partners with Kuyper College

Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) has created a new partnership with Kuyper College through an agreement which shortens the required time for students to complete their undergraduate and graduate level work. Both of the educational institutions are in Grand Rapids, Mich.

EduDeo Ministries Expands Group's Vision

After much discussion and prayer, Worldwide Christian Schools in Canada has decided to become EduDeo Ministries.

'Busy' Synod 2011 Starts Friday

Synod 2011 gets underway this week with a series of social and orientation events, followed by the opening of synod—the annual assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America—on Friday morning in the Van Noord Arena on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Dordt College Names Search Committee

Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, has launched a new website and named a search committee as the college begins to hire its fourth president.

Responding in Japan | CRWRC

In the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear threat that brought the world’s attention to Sendai, Japan, CRWRC is working on a coordinated response with local, denominational, and interdenominational partners to help survivors put their lives back together.

Joel Boot Appointed CRC's Interim Leader

The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America announced today that it has appointed Rev. Joel Boot to be the denomination’s interim executive director.

CRWRC Change in Philippines | CRWRC

On June 30, 2011, CRWRC is bidding a formal farewell ('Paalam' in Tagalog) to a rich partnership that has been part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America for forty years. Starting in 1972 CRWRC began working with communities and partners in the Philippines, including the deacons of the Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines (CRCP).

'Alive in the Spirit'

Go figure. Sarah Hendriksen found out she had nursery duty—and was disappointed to miss Sunday worship.

Life after the revolution

Ever since hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets in protests earlier this year, political developments in that country continue to unfold in surprising ways—some hopeful and some not so hopeful, says Anne Zaki, coordinator of Middle East ministries for the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

'Tractor Dave' Hits the Road

"Tractor Dave" Wolfsen was to leave on Wednesday morning, June 1, to begin a three-month, 9,300 mile journey across the United States on a restored 1937 Co-Op tractor.

Preview of Synod 2011 | Banner

It is never easy to predict what topics will prompt vigorous debate during the Christian Reformed Church’s annual synod (leadership meeting). There are plenty of choices this year: Proposed revisions to the translations of the Reformed confessions; Allowing baptized children to take communion without making profession of faith; The revised Form of Subscription; Writings of Calvin College professors; Homosexuality; Resignations of denominational senior staff; The plan to achieve ethnic diversity in the denominaion

Presence In D.R. Reduced | CRWRC

After nearly 30 years of ministry with Christian partners in the Dominican Republic, CRWRC will end its staff presence there in 2011. Country consultant Joel Zwier and his wife Patty, who were part of the team that began CRWRC’s mission in the DR in 1983, were posted previously in Nicaragua and Honduras

Volunteer Missionaries Commissioned

During a commissioning service, friends, family and a group of missionaries recently gathered around and laid hands on the 30 or so volunteer workers who are being sent by the Christian Reformed Church in North America this summer to countries and ministry sites all over the world.

Restorative Justice Manual Available

Many churches establish jail and prison ministries with the best of intentions and yet often are not aware of the most effective methods to use in working with inmates or of the rules and regulations that apply at various institutions, says Rev. John Lamsma, author of a new handbook that works to address these and other issues.

Calvin Students Present Church Findings

Thirty Calvin College students, along with some area pastors, gathered in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall and the lobby of the Hekman Library one recent afternoon for a “Congregational and Ministry Studies” poster session.

Calvin To Form Search Committee

A search committee charged with the task of finding a replacement for Dr. Gaylen J. Byker, who will retire as president of Calvin College at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year, will be formed by early June.

BOT To Review CRC Structure | Banner

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church has decided to assemble a short-term taskforce to review the structure and culture of the denomination’s ministries and leadership. The action comes in a response to a recent organizational assessment done by an outside consultant, and in the wake of resignations of both the executive director and the director of denominational ministries.

CRHM Names Advancement Director

Christian Reformed Home Missions has chosen a well-respected veteran in development and advancement for a range of Christian organizations to be the agency’s new Director of Advancement.

CRWRC Responds to Tornado | CRWRC

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is assessing disaster response needs in Joplin, Missouri, today in collaboration with federal and local disaster agencies to help devastated families and determine priorities in the hard-hit town of 50,000 residents.

CRC's Ongoing Commitment to Japan

The Christian Reformed Church remains active in a variety of ways, especially with the Reformed Church in Japan, in continuing to plan future efforts and responding to the immediate needs of people impacted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of northeastern Japan.

Family Reunion Iowa-Style | BTGMI

One hundred years ago Hendrick and Cornelia Van Kooten emigrated from the Netherlands and settled in Central Iowa, establishing a legacy of faith for the generations to come. And in July, 2010 three hundred of their descendants met for a family reunion to celebrate that “God has truly blessed a journey of faith that started 100 years ago and continues in each of our lives today.”

CRC Nominates Joel Boot as Interim Leader

The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has nominated Rev. Joel Boot to serve as the denomination’s interim Executive Director, BOT president Rev. Mark Vermaire announced today.

President Byker to Retire | Calvin College

Calvin College president Gaylen J. Byker has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2011—2012 academic year.

Business Witness Alive in Mali | CRWRC

May 19, 2011 — The lakeside community of Chipoka, Malawi is more than just a thriving port town. It home to about 5,000 people, many of whom make their living from one of the largest ports on Lake Malawi. It is also a site where the Christian church is having a strong impact on the mostly Muslim population, and business lies at the center of it. “Chipoka is one of two communities that has started a village savings and loan initiative ...said CRWRC’s Southern Africa team leader, Zakka Chomock.

Network Blog Focuses on Synod

Rev. George Vander Weit has long been interested in the inner-workings of topics, issues and policies facing the Christian Reformed Church.

Chaplain Helps in Brain Restoration

Serving as a Christian Reformed Church chaplain’s assistant during the war in Iraq, National Guard Sgt. Susan Hoag became aware of the many ways a member of the military could sustain a traumatic brain injury.

Dordt College Makes Honor Roll

Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, was among a handful of colleges in Iowa recently placed on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

'Diakonia Remixed' Task Force | Network

"Diaconia Remixed" is a new task force to revitalize and rethink the role of deacons in the Christian Reformed Church.

Farewell Service for Jerry Dykstra

In an upbeat message of hope and new opportunities, Rev. Jerry Dykstra, former executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, spoke on Sunday about milestones in life and of how he looks forward to whatever the Lord has in store for him and his wife to do in the future.

Remembering in Rwanda

Rev. John de Vries joined two other chaplains on a grueling trip into the bush to find survivors of the Rwandan genocide and to deliver letters of apology from the perpetrators of the atrocities.

CRC Ministry Among Muslims

The image and haunting words of the robed Muezzin calling Muslims to prayer begins a new video created by and posted for viewing by Christian Reformed World Missions.

Boosting Church Communications | BTGMI

May 12, 2011 — Is your church intentional about welcoming people at first contact—either in person or on your website? Thirty-two pastors, worship leaders, and communications volunteers representing thirteen congregations attended a Church Juice conference in Abbotsford, BC in April, 2011 to learn how to create a welcoming atmosphere—from the web home page to the church’s front door.

WCRC Hears of Middle East Strife

Christians in Lebanon and Syria are concerned about the violence that is happening between Christians and Muslims in Egypt and its impact on the region, a Lebanese Presbyterian educator told the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) on Tuesday.

Tractor Dave Talks to America

A retired tractor salesman is making plans--and repairs--to start a summer-long drive through all 48 States on an antique tractor he is restoring. The story has received national coversage, most recently with Fox & Friends.

GEMS at Work | Diaconal Ministries

“Let’s start a GEMS club downtown for the girls who can’t get to our church.” It was an unexpected end to our annual GEMS girls’ club evaluation meeting and it caused an unexpected reaction in my heart. It landed with a thud, and I was immediately certain that God was moving us in this direction.

Black & Reformed Group Backs Belhar

Members of the recently held Black & Reformed Conference established an eight-person task force to expand efforts to promote discussion and understanding of the Belhar Confession, a document that Synod 2012 will be asked to adopt as a formal confession of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

BOT Bids Farewell to Beth Swagman

At its May 6 meeting, the Christian Reformed Church Board of Trustees held a farewell luncheon for Beth Swagman, who recently left her position as director of the CRC’s Safe Church ministry.

Helping Tornado-Torn Alabama | CRWRC

As National Guard and government personnel work to manage flooding from heavy rain along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s (CRWRC) disaster response volunteers continue to provide emergency assistance to survivors of the massive tornado outbreak that struck the east-central U.S. ten days ago.

Reparando Resonates with Audiences

Reparando, a documentary that follows the lives and ministries of two members of the Christian Reformed Church-supported Strategy of Transformation in Guatemala City, wraps up a 10-city tour in Grand Rapids, Mich., on May 12.

New CRHM Director Commissioned

Christian Reformed Home Missions recently held a prayerful and low-key commissioning service for Rev. Moses Chung, the new director of the agency.

CRC Ministries Director Resigns

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has accepted with regret the resignation of Sandy Johnson as director of denominational ministries.

Faith Alive Announces Awards

Faith Alive Christian Resources announced on Thursday that two of its periodicals – Reformed Worship and The Banner – won four awards between them in the 95th annual “Best of the Christian Press” competition sponsored by the Associated Church Press (ACP), the oldest and largest religious press association in North America.

Canada: A Post-Election Commentary

This week, Canadians had the privilege of participating in a federal election that brought historic change.

Words of Hope for Japan | BTGMI

At its recent meeting, the Back to God Ministries International board agreed to channel additional resources into broadcasting in northern Japan. BTGMI will also look for additional ministry partners in Japan to help fund increased broadcasting. Appropriately, the new 10-minute program will be called "Words of Hope."

CTS Seminarians Attend Candidacy Day

Calvin Theological Seminary students Glenn Adams, Ken Kruithoff, Tony Westrate, and Kyle Kloostra sat at a table in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church, making small talk as they nervously awaited separate 45-minute interviews with a team of CRC pastors.

Dordt College President Steps Down

Dordt College President Dr. Carl E. Zylstra announced in a recent Board of Trustees meeting that he will step down in May 2012. Zylstra, who has served as president since 1996, is Dordt College’s third president.

Racism Comes Alive at Museum

I thought about the reality of the "sin of racism" last Saturday when I visited the Museum of African American History in Detroit with a few young people and members of Coit Community Church.

Reformed Church in Japan Update

Larry Spalink, the Christian Reformed World Missions Japan country leader has translated the latest report by the Reformed Church in Japan and the progress it is making in addressing the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on their churches.

Tractor Dave Visits Nicaragua | CRWRC

While "Tractor Dave" Dave Wolfsen is busy finalizing his plans for a cross-country tractor ride this summer, he took a few days off to visit some fellow farmers—in Nicaragua.

CRWRC Expands Tornado Aid | CRWRC

As search and rescue teams carefully sift through debris left by a massive tornado outbreak in the east central U.S., the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is broadening its Spring Storms 2011 response to include the widespread devastation that has so far killed more than 230 people in five states this week.

Worship Institute Announces Grants

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship has awarded more than $400,000 in grants to support worship renewal via grassroots, long-term learning projects and programs in nearly 40 organizations and congregations across North America.

CRWM Offers Prayer Resources

Christian Reformed World Missions has made available a website full of resources for persons interested in participating in next week’s National Day of Prayer, as well as in other prayer celebrations taking place this year.

Grant for Religious Tolerance | Calvin

As he edited the essays for a new book on religious tolerance, Calvin professor of philosophy Kelly Clark faced challenges that went beyond punctuation transgressions. For one thing, two of the contributing authors were under fatwa. “They defended moderate Islam, and Muslims don’t like that,” Clark said of Iranian philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. Souroush, he added, advocated for democracy, an ideological stand for which he was beaten, persecuted and stripped of his job.

CRC, RCA Look to 'Paperless' Synods

Delegates to the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America synods this summer will be sharing new computer hardware that supports paperless data and voting systems.

Japan Disaster Continues

Larry Spalink, Japan field leader for Christian Reformed World Missions, says he was deeply moved and saddened by the in-depth survey that he and a handful of others made last week to communities in northeastern Japan that were devastated  by the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the country on March 11.

The Horror of Domestic Abuse

Liz Herrera de Cabezas was only 16 years old the first time she encountered a woman living in the terror of domestic violence. Bruises, broken bones, and insults were part of her friend’s everyday life.

CRWRC Team Heads South | CRWRC

A CRWRC Rapid Response Team left for North Carolina early this morning to assist with recovery from last week’s massive tornado outbreak in the southern U.S. The Team is based in Sanford, North Carolina, about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh, and is working out of a United Methodist Church there. “The damage here is incredible,” says Carrie Blauwkamp a regional manager for CRWRC who arrived in the area with her spouse, Len, early this week. “It’s hard to believe that this is just one of ten counties affected by the disaster.”

Mideast Turmoil | BTGMI

Amidst the turmoil in the Middle East, several churches have closed. The only two evangelical congregations in Libya (Benghazi and Tripoli) have disbanded. Most of their members, originally from other Arab nations, fled the country and the few Libyan believers left are too afraid to meet, except in secret.

Multiethnic Conference to be Held

This year's theme for the bi-annual, Multiethnic Conference for the Christian Reformed Church is "Already but Not Yet: Embracing the Emerging Challenges of Diversity."

Update from the CRC Board of Trustees

An announcement emailed to all Christian Reformed Churches and pastors.

Kuyper’s Text To Be Translated

The Acton Institute and Kuyper College are collaborating to bring for the first time to English-language readers a foundational text from the pen of the Dutch theologian and statesman, Abraham Kuyper.

U.S. Economy at 'Crossroads'

The United States is at a crucial, political, economic, and spiritual crossroads as lawmakers decide on the level of financial resources they want to allocate to fund programs and outreach efforts to help the needy, said Rev. Ron Sider at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., on April 16.

Dordt Web Series Wins Award

Mumbai is an example of the tensions and troubles that exist in many of the cities in India.

CRWRC to Respond to Tornados

In the wake of a massive storm system that killed 46 people in a half-dozen southern states this weekend, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is preparing for both immediate and long-term disaster response in the neediest communities in the region.

CRC, RCA Create Church-Planting Program

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) have announced that they are pooling resources in an innovative church-planting movement that will spread the gospel by reaching out to people in the places where they live.

Blogging in China | BTGMI

Blogging, or online journaling, is growing in popularity throughout Mainland China as a way for people to share reflections, comments, and conversation with others online. And Back to God Ministries International Chinese media team is taking advantage of this communication tool to share the Gospel with bloggers in China.

Continuing Ministry Needed in Japan

Representatives of the Reformed Church in Japan’s Diaconal Action Committee are to begin to do an in-depth assessment of damage to RCJ churches and believers in the area impacted by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Calvin Profs Win Fullbrights | Calvin

Geology, geography and environmental studies (GEO) professor Johnathan Bascom and political science professor Corwin Smidt have been granted Fulbright awards for the upcoming year. The Fulbright Scholars Program, administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is an international educational exchange created in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. The Fulbright Scholars Program, administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is an international educational exchange created in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries.

Human Trafficking Talk Offers Hope

"When you bring light into the darkness, the darkness flees," Melissa Brisbin said this week at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Former Inmates Present Drama

A group of "former members" of Celebration Fellowship, a first-of-a-kind Christian Reformed Church congregation at a prison in Ionia, Mich., recently read a drama, a reflection of their own experiences in and out of prison, to members of River Terrace CRC.

Praying For Shalom in Japan

Christian Reformed World Missions missionary Ken Lee left Japan and recently spent two busy weeks in California.

Website Features CRC Heritage

A slice of a video posted on the newly developed Graafschap Heritage Center Website shows early photos of Grafschaap Christian Reformed Church and its leaders, tools used in a church building, and finishes the scene with the image of an historic church organ.

Canadian Election Alert | CRWRC

Canada is in the midst of a federal election campaign. This is a prime time to engage all the candidates and all the parties on issues related to poverty reduction and development assistance around the world. In early January of this year, CRWRC let our supporters know that CIDA (the Canadian International Development Agency) had decided not to fund our most recent proposal submission. At that time we asked you to write letters and visit your Members of Parliament to let them know about the decision and ask them to do something about it. You responded eagerly and in force. We have seen that raising our voices can be effective.

Working for Education in Honduras

Honduras faces an educational crisis: many public school teachers went on strike in March, and the lack of classes for weeks has been detrimental to Honduran children and society.

Agenda for Synod 2011

The Agenda for Synod 2011 is now available online. Hard copies will be mailed after April 15.

CRC Executive Director Resigns

Rev. Jerry Dykstra has resigned as executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, effective April 5, 2011.

Renuncia del director ejecutivo de la CRC

El Rev. Jerry Dykstra ha renunciado como director ejecutivo de la Iglesia Cristianan Reformada en Norteamérica (CRCNA, por sus siglas en inglés), su renuncia entra en efecto a partir de hoy, 5 de abril de 2011.

Quake Updates: www.crcna.org/Japan

This page includes the latest news from our ministries in Japan, how the CRC is responding, and how you can help support the relief efforts.

Justice Consultation Wraps Up

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) finished its justice consultation on Sunday in Fort Myers, Florida, with an inspiring worship service, in which participants expressed conviction that the ecumenical body has made progress in pushing forward its mission to seek fair treatment for workers and others who are marginalized in the world.

Festival of Faith and Music | Calvin

It’s no accident that Calvin's Festival of Faith and Music and the Festival of Faith and Writing share four words in their five-word nomenclatures. “We definitely borrowed the name,” admits FFM director Ken Heffner with a grin. “They had some capital, so to speak, and we wanted to take advantage of that. We discussed it with them, of course, but it was intentional on our part.” But, Heffner added, his festival’s connections to the college’s long-established, successful writing festival extend much deeper than just the name.

Bibles for Prisoners in Third World

Crossroad Bible Institute is responding to the lack of Bibles available to prisoners in developing countries by launching its Bibles for Prisoners program worldwide, beginning in Africa and Latin America.

Ex-offender Speaks Restorative Justice

Ross Hayes speaks to church groups about spending 35 years in prison for murder and how he eventually made peace with family members, especially a nephew, of the woman he killed by shoving a knife into her stomach during a botched robbery.

Protest Launches Justice Meeting

Romeo Ramirez , a peace and justice advocate and migrant worker, helped on March 31 to lead a peaceful protest, involving about 30 members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, outside of a Publix Supermarket near the small town of Immokalee in southern Florida.

CTS Has Close Ties with Japan

Members of the faculty at Calvin Theological Seminary are offering praise and thanksgiving that Japanese students, missionaries and pastors whom they know are generally fine, although facing mounting challenges, following the massive March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, says Richard Sytsma, a former missionary to Japan and dean of students at CTS.

Ongoing Repression in Madagascar

A Reformed pastor and church leader in Madagascar this week informed officials of the Christian Reformed Church in North America of continued repression of his and other churches by the de facto government that came to power through a coup more than a year ago.

Ecumenical Meeting Starts with Protest

More than 30 representatives of the World Communion of Reformed Churches will travel to a small town in south Florida on Thursday to visit and speak with a coalition of low-paid, itinerant tomato pickers about their working and housing conditions and other concerns related to their employment.

Challenges of the East Japan 'Quake

Larry Spalink, Christian Reformed World Mission’s Japan team leader, has written an informative, heart-rending reflection on what he has seen and experienced since the massive, magnitude 9 on-the-Richter-scale earthquake and the subsequent tsunami struck the northeastern part of the country on the morning of March 11.

Reflections after the Japan Earthquake

Since the morning of 3/11/2011, Japan has experienced 759 earthquakes (as of 3/25/2011 at 2:46 PM, local time) [how many earthquakes? 759! and 45 of these have been magnitude 6 or above; 3 were over magnitude 7 (the Haiti earthquake of 2010 was magnitude 7), and one, the “big one,” was magnitude 9, the most powerful in Japan’s history since such records have been kept.

Lord's Supper Report Available

Revised guidelines allowing children to take part in the Lord’s Supper will formally go before the Christian Reformed Church’s Synod 2011.

Safe Church Ministry 'Pioneer' Moves On

Beth Swagman, a social worker with Bethany Christian services at the time, was given a mandate by Synod 1994 to start an abuse prevention office for the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Modern Media, Mom and More | CRHM

Open Door Fellowship of East Harlem is a community-focused church plant in New York City … more specifically, the diverse East Harlem neighborhood. Pastor Johnny Acevedo is a second-generation, Bronx-born Puerto Rican with fifteen years of experience as an inner-city pastor and youth educator. Acevedo is bi-vocational, also working as an Educational Technology Consultant in the New York City public school system and serving as the New York coordinator for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative.

God's Inclusionists | Spark

Enthusiasm and vision propelled special education at Calvin College into an essential Special Education program.

Japan Update from BTGMI Leader | BTGMI

Back to God Ministries International Japanese ministry leader Rev. Masao Yamashita has sent an emotional and informative update on the situation in Japan following the earthquake on March 11, 2011. Here is a report in his own words: “When the earthquake occurred, [staff member] Ms. Kaori Shimada and I were at the office on the fifth floor of the building in Tokyo, which is about 200 miles from the epicenter."

Interim Safe Church Director Named

Bonnie Nicholas, who has served for many years in various capacities as an advocate for the rights of persons who have been abused, has accepted the position as Interim Director of Safe Church ministries for the Christian Reformed Church.

Anniversary of King James Bible | Calvin

A number of Calvin departments and institutes have teamed up to put together a quartet of events celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. On Friday, April 15, 2011, Gordon Campbell, a professor of renaissance studies at the University of Leicester in England and a Milton and seventeenth-century scholar, will talk about his book, Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011. His lecture, which will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Calvin Seminary Auditorium, will focus on the events unfolding in the early seventeenth century as the King James Bible was begin prepared and published.

Changes to Ministers' Pension | Banner

Changes to the Christian Reformed Church’s ministers’ pension fund mean ministers must work until age 66 to collect full benefits, churches have to pay more, and ministers and their surviving spouses will receive less income.

Sharing Christ Calms Japanese Fears

Like so many who live in Japan right now, Christian Reformed Church World Missions missionaries Jeong and MiSook Gho are concerned about the threat of radiation falling from sky, carried their way from the crippled nuclear power plants in Fukushima, in the northeastern part of Japan.

Jewish Activist Wants Peace In Israel

It is not anti-Semitic for a Jewish person, or anyone else, to promote a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people, says Mark Braverman, a clinical psychologist who grew up in the conservative Jewish faith and whose has family has deep roots in Israel.

CRWRC Responds with Relief in Japan

In response to the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck the Pacific coast of Japan’s northern Honshu Island on March 11, CRWRC has entered into a partnership led by Food for the Hungry with other members of the Global Relief Alliance.

Home Missions Develops Future Leaders

To address the growing gap in leadership in areas of the Christian Reformed Church, Christian Reformed Church Home Missions is acting as a regional catalyst by equipping trained coaches to come alongside leaders and congregations.

CRC and RCA Synods Will Overlap

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Synod 2011 at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., will overlap for a day this summer with the start of the Reformed Church in America’s general synod.

Japan Chaplain Awaits Evacuation Orders

Rev. Ron Klimp, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Chaplaincy Ministries office, says a CRC chaplain stationed at an U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan, is safe and awaiting future orders on whether to evacuate the island to South Korea or elsewhere.

Project Boosts Rice Yields | CRWRC

March 17, 2011 — Twice a month, Ek Channy, a 42-year old mom with three kids in rural Cambodia, leaves the tiny plot of land she farms to participate in Farmer Field School.

Faith Put to the Test | BTGMI

March 17, 2011 — The Japanese people are experiencing first-hand what the author of Psalm 46 wrote: "…though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

CRCNA Assessing Risk in Japan

In the aftermath of last week’s earthquake and tsunami and the ongoing concerns regarding nuclear power plants, the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) has appointed a risk assessment and monitoring team for its staff and ministries in Japan.

CRWRC Helps Meet Urgent Needs

As the number of casualties and those missing rises, CRWRC is working to partner with local and international Christian organizations in an immediate, emergency response to the devastating March 11th Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami.

Reformed Merger Proceedings Released

The official Record of Proceedings (ROP) of the Uniting General Council 2010, which led to the creation of the World Council of Reformed Churches (WCRC), is now available in English on the WCRC website www.wcrc.ch.

Timothy Institute Names New President

Charles Powell, a former hotel construction and management executive, has been named the new president of the Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI) in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Profs Discuss 'Quake Fallout | Calvin

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake, estimated at 8.9–9.0 on the Richter scale, rocked Japan. The quake, whose epicenter was the Oshikah Peninsula, triggered a 10-meter tsunami, which wiped out whole communities, killing an estimated 10,000 people. The tsunami triggered explosions at two Japanese nuclear power facilities. The eight Calvin students currently studying at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities near Kyoto were unharmed in the multiple disasters. As the tragedy continues to unfold in Japan, three Calvin professors talked about tsunami, nuclear power and the resiliency of the Japanese people

Japan Missionary Preaches Christ

Rev. George Young, a missionary called by Cascade Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, is happy to be alive following a massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami and then ongoing problems at nuclear power plants north of his home in Japan.

Reformed Church of Japan Seeks Help

The Reformed Church of Japan has asked the Christian Reformed Church to consider helping the RCJ respond to the needs of people affected by last week’s massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Staff Reported Safe after Japan Quake

Staff working with Christian Reformed World Missions and Back to God Ministries International in Japan are safe in the wake of a major earthquake and tsunami that hit the country today, Christian Reformed Church officials say.

Discussions Continue over Belhar Confession

The debate over whether to adopt the Belhar Confession as one of the confessions of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has spurred discussion of the church’s other historic statements of belief, says Prof. Lyle Bierma.

Micah Center Speaks On Health Care

Dr. David Van Dyke recently stood behind a podium in the Sunday School class at Seymour Christian Reformed Church, speaking and running through a Power Point presentation that focused on the value, necessity and even duty of the United States to adopt a single-payer health-care system.

BOT Adopts Diversity Report | Banner

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church adopted a recommendation that all future hires will be made in accordance with the church’s diversity objectives, including the goal of having 25 percent of the denomination’s top leadership tiers filled by people of color.

Safe Church Director Resigns | Banner

After more than 16 years as the first and only director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Safe Church Ministry, Beth Swagman resigned effective March 31, 2011. Her resignation was accepted last week by the denomination’s Board of Trustees.

Kelderman to Leave Seminary | Banner

Rev. Duane Kelderman announced in February that he will leave Calvin Theological Seminary at the end of July after ten years serving as vice president for administration. The school is the seminary operated by the Christian Reformed Church.

Coffee Break Conference in April

Two main speakers will present words of praise, education and encouragement during Coffee Break Evangelism’s 15th inspirational conference, set for the end of April in Oakville, Ontario.

New Church Planting Institute at CTS

The Board of Trustees for Calvin Theological Seminary has agreed to a proposal to launch, likely this fall, “The Institute for Global Church Planting and Renewal” (IGCPR) at the seminary.

Celebrating the Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Soon after David and Kathryn Mayberry started as Ontario Regional Coordinators for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), they had the chance to learn more about CFGB from people at Bethel Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Listowel, Ontario.

Photos Honor Caregiving

Displayed in the lobby of the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s office in Grand Rapids, Mich., are six evocative photographic portraits of people who provide care to those in need and of those who receive the care.

CRC to Help Calgary's Homeless

Ten Christian denominations, including the Christian Reformed Church have joined forces to help cover the cost of housing for families at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Calgary, Alberta.

Ecumenical Effort Reaping Rewards

The Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Presbyterian Church in Canada are celebrating an “Affirmation of Relationship” approved and endorsed by the CRC Synod of 2010 and the General Assembly of the PCC.

CRC Minister Probes Murder

Experiences he had working as a Christian Reformed Church minister among gangs and others living on the darker side of Grand Rapids, Mich., helped to form the inspiration for Terry Hager’s first mystery novel, Death On the Night Watch.

Chan Tha Becomes a Community Leader

Thirty-one year-old Chan Tha didn’t consider herself a leader

Leadership Exchange Charts Course

The board and staff of the Leadership Exchange (LEX) recently met at the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s denominational office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and shared information and suggestions on ways "to catalyze a culture of Christ-like, kingdom-minded leadership in the CRCNA and beyond."

Bible Study Interests UN Representative

A United Nations representative recently expressed interest in supporting a wide-ranging campaign being promoted by several faith-based groups, including the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), that uses a specially designed Bible study program to help eradicate violence against women worldwide.

Loving Those With Dementia

The Disability Concerns office of the Christian Reformed Church has posted on its website a Power Point presentation that provides practical, easy-to-access information on helping and connecting with people who have some form of dementia.

Calvin Students Study Purifying Water

Two Calvin College senior engineering students are among 30 undergraduate students nationwide to earn prestigious research fellowships from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Home Missions Director Named

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America voted unanimously on Thursday to appoint Rev. Moses Chung as the next director of Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Budget Cuts Will Hurt the Poor

In continuing efforts to slash the budget deficit facing the United States, the House of Representatives recently approved sharp budget cuts to poverty-fighting, humanitarian aid—which makes up less than one percent of the US budget and, if enacted, threaten the health and lives of millions of needy people around the world, according to the Christian Reformed Church World Relief Committee and the CRC’s Office of Social Justice.

Calvin Prof Discusses Black and Reformed

Calvin history professor Eric Washington has made a specialty of studying African Americans thought within the Reformed tradition of Christianity, specifically Calvinism. His interest in the topic dates back to 1998 when he embraced Reformed theology after reading Martin Luther's On the Bondage of the Will and R.C. Sproul's book Chosen by God: "It answered the tough questions I had regarding how a person comes to faith. Being African American and Baptist, I knew of no one in my circles who was Calvinist. This sparked my interest in searching for African American Calvinists." Washington, a native of New Orleans, La., did his undergraduate work at Loyola University before going on to earn a master's from Miami University in African history and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in African American history.

Churches Seek Closer Ties

The leaders of two families of churches with roots in the Protestant Reformation and a shared commitment to seeking visible church unity through cooperation have held talks in Geneva, Switzerland aimed at strengthening links among their member churches at the local and regional levels.

Nurses Do God's Work in a Remote Land

The report recently came into Christian Reformed World Missions from a nurse at work in the remote, mountainous country of Nepal, informing CRWM of how one of them had been called to travel many miles from their clinic to work with a man who had serious kidney problems.

New Editor for Think Christian

Josh Larsen, a long-time newspaper journalist and full-time film critic, has become a new staff member and editor for Think Christian.

Update on CRWRC’s Work in Pakistan

In a letter sent to Christian Reformed World Relief Community supporters and constituents, Wayne de Jong, director of CRWRC Disaster Response & Rehabilitation, recently described the work CRWRC has done and some of the challenges it has faced in the last several months in Pakistan, where devastating floods hit this year.

Pathway Uses Everyone’s Talent

The woman had an inspirational idea for a class involving horses when she heard about the new Sustaining Congregational Excellence (SCE) project at her church, Pathway Church in Byron Center, Mich.

Calvin Board Sets Tuition, Awards Teachers

The 31-member Calvin College board of trustees this weekend approved the new 2011-2012 rates for tuition, fees and room and board. The overall budget will be set when the board of trustees meets in May.

CRWRC Responding to Sri Lanka Floods

For the past month, far heavier than usual monsoon rains have fallen on Sri Lanka, swelling the rivers, flooding farmlands, and displacing more than 367,000 people to temporary camps.

Cleaning as a Sign of Community

Members of the adult Sunday school class were sweeping refuse from drainage ditches and culverts and picking up trash along the sloping street that runs in front of the Christian Reformed Church in the neighborhood of Nueva Suyapa, Honduras.

Land Titles Bolster Self Worth

After moving into her small home in the community of Ramon Amaya Amadorin in 1992, Dilia Canales had to deal with soldiers from the Honduran army and police officers coming to her home several times, demanding that she vacate the land.

Forging Ahead on Labor Rights

Despite setbacks, kidnappings, and death threats, the Association for a More Just Society continues to fight for the rights of workers in Honduras.

Calvin Names Top Teacher

Calvin College professor of Asian Studies Larry Herzberg is the recipient of the school’s 2011 Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching (PAET): the highest honor that Calvin College bestows on a faculty member. The announcement was made at the Faculty Awards dinner on Thursday, February 10, 2011.

Churches Offered 'Fresh Start'

Is your church in need of revitalization?

Joint Resources for Easter/Pentecost

Christian Reformed Home Missions and Christian Reformed World Missions are once again collaborating to help churches celebrate the time from Easter to Pentecost, Lois Craven of CRC World Missions writes on behalf of CRHM and CRWM.

Death Threats and Social Justice

The death threat came at the end of work day this January in a text message sent to the Association for a More Just Society human rights attorney.

Truth Commission Continues its Work

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has continued over the last year to actively pursue and attempt to implement the recommendations of the 2006 Synodical Report on War and Peace.

Gideon Centers Reach Out

The mother of five children did not know where to go to get help after her husband left, married another women, and refused to pay to support the children he had left behind.

Calvin Marks Black History Month

In celebration of Black History Month, the Calvin College’s offices of multicultural student development (MSDO) and multicultural affairs (MAO) are co-sponsoring events with the CAS, history, music and English departments.

‘I Shall Not Hate’

Not too long ago, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish and his family lived in fear in the middle of a war zone in Gaza.

Pride, Produce and Life-changing Loans

Leanne Talen Geisterfer, Rev. David Domingues and a few others climbed carefully down the slippery side of a hill in Nueva Suyapa, Honduras, using old tires placed in the ground as steps to reach the bottom where a stream, strewn with refuse, meandered along.

Pray for Ministry Staff in Egypt

Back to God Ministries International has eceived word that its Arabic staff in Egypt are safe as events have unfolded in recent days in the country experiencing wide-spread protests.

Students Learned in Latin America

Nearly 30 Dordt College students were recently sent on week-long mission trips to the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Nicaragua to help with construction, renovation projects, and to share Christian love and to minister, even though most students returned from their mission with a sense that they were the ones who had been ministered to.

Crossroad Opens Campus in Europe

Crossroad Bible Institute of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has opened CBI United Kingdom, its inaugural European distribution center. This 12th CBI satellite campus serves prisoners in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Transforming Honduras

Carlos Hernandez left Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, almost immediately upon being asked to look into a case involving a farmer who had probably been killed for seeking a fair price for his land to make way for a massive hydroelectricity project.

Justice and Mercy in Honduras

Chris Meehan, news and media manager for the Christian Reformed Church recently visited various ministries connected to the CRC in Honduras.

'Hero' of the Faith in Honduras

The voice of Rev. Juan Boonstra, preaching the gospel message via radio, is credited with reaching the hearts of millions of people throughout Latin America in the 1960s and helping to spur the formation of the first Christian Reformed Church in Honduras.

Does Faith Need the Church?

Putting religious faith into action requires religious institutions in which a foundation for that action can be formed and out of which it can take place, a Reformed church leader said recently at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Symposium Finishes with a Flourish

The Calvin Symposium on worship, which drew more than 1,000 participants from around the world, finished on Saturday afternoon with a powerful praise- and joy-filled worship service in Calvin's College's newly refurbished Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium.

Modern Mall Could Be a Temple

The first plenary speaker at the annual Calvin Worship Sympoisum on Friday likened modern shopping malls to secular models of a temple, or a holy place where people worship.

Videos Created for Canadian Ministries

The Canadian Ministries office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has invested time and energy in creating short videos that provide a look at the types of outreach and ministry facilitated by the CRCNA’s office in Burlington, Ontario.

Process Unfolds Peacefully in Sudan

A week-long referendum on dividing Sudan into two countries proceeded peacefully last week, allowing the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC)'s community and humanitarian work in Southern Sudan to continue.

Global Terrorism

The class title, "The Geography of Terrorism," grabbed the attention of many students right from the start, said Calvin professor of geology and geography Jason VanHorn.

Partners Worldwide Helps Haiti Businesses

Wisconsin businessman Jack Van Der Ploeg knew he was called to mentor the first time he learned of opportunities with Haitian business professionals. "It was then that business-as-ministry clicked," he says.

Agencies Collaborate on Coffee Break

Coffee Break, the popular outreach-oriented small group Bible study for women, is going global.

Group Gives Young Widow Hope

When Betty Agwila became a widow in Andibo, Uganda, after 20 years of marriage, she knew she had to make major changes or face a bleak future.

Empty Words Won’t Build Community

Getting to know someone from another ethnicity or culture can be hard, messy work in which you might bump and clash as you build a relationship that allows you to see each other more clearly as imagebearers of God, Nikki A. Toyama-Szeto said at the January Series on Monday.

Church Order Translated in Korean

The Christian Reformed Church Order, the rules and guidelines by which the church governs itself, has been translated into Korean by Jay Shim, an associate professor of theology at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Commentary on Church Order Published

Faith Alive Christian Resources has published a thoughtful, informative, in-depth, and full-fledged commentary – the first in 40 years – on the Christian Reformed Church in North America Church Order.

Clergy Write Letter from Birmingham

Several church leaders, including representatives of the Christian Reformed Church, compiled a letter late last week in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to the work of slain civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose life and legacy are being celebrated today across the United States.

God's Word Brings Hope in Haiti

Thanks to a grant from the "Help Haiti" fund, Back to God Ministries International is hoping to build a simple studio in Port-au-Prince to produce its Bible-based programs in Creole, the common language of most Haitians.

A Bomb In Egypt Amid The Prayers

Anne Zaki's cousin took her preschool daughter to the 2010 New Year’s Eve mass at All Saints Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt.

‘Learning to Count to One’

For more than 50 years, Rev. Al Mulder has been working with others to help change the face and character of the Christian Reformed Church and help it to become a more multiracial denomination.

CRWRC Programs Hit by Funding Cut

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is starting this new year with a difficult and urgent challenge.

Examining the Tar Sands

King’s University College will be holding a conference titled “Oil Things Considered” that will examine the controversial Canadian tar sands issue from a variety of perspectives, including how one’s Christian faith can be brought to bear on complex topics such as this.

Forgive, But Recall the 'Killing Fields'

Cambodians are hoping that an international trial taking place in their country can help to heal emotional, physical, and spiritual wounds that have festered for 30 years—ever since the Khmer Rouge communists came to power in 1975 and slaughtered millions of people over a four-year period.

Students Study Sports Films, Fiction

Are you looking for a conversation starter? Ask anyone for a list of their favorite sports films or books.

Pastor Prays for Healing in Tucson

Pastor Rod Hugen is asking God to care for all of those involved in, as well as to bring some good out of, the shooting rampage that left six dead and 14 wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democract, outside a Tucson supermarket on Saturday.

Clean-up Progressing in Haiti

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake. To commemorate this occasion, the January issue of the Banner, the CRC’s monthly magazine, has published stories about work in Haiti.

Child Soldier’s Story of Triumph

A former child soldier, David tells an amazing story of not letting the many challenges he has faced shatter his faith and cause him to give up on his relationship with the Lord.

'Einstein's God' Starts January Series

Albert Einstein did not believe in a personal God who rewarded and punished his creatures, and yet the world-renowned physicist did believe, among other things, in the "mystery of eternity of life" as well as in "the marvelous structure of reality," writes Krista Tippet, host of the popular National Public Radio program "On Being."

Pastors Taking a Deeper Journey

Twenty-five Christian Reformed Church pastors together with other leaders have participated in a series of retreats called “The Deeper Journey” over the last two years in which many of them found renewal, refreshment and recommitted themselves to ministry.

God Transforms Greg's Life

Greg is a member of mosiacHouse, a group of house-church congregations in Edmonton, Alberta, that has been planted by and had the support of Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Hope Equals Pushes On

Somewhere between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee is a story to be captured, nurtured, and told about reconciliation between Israeli Jews and Palestinians, says Mariano Avila, director of Hope Equals, a program geared to socially active, college-age youth and sponsored by Christian Reformed World Missions.

Dordt Students Win Film Award

Students Without Borders, a film by two Dordt College digital media students, has won a gold Ava Award, which is part of an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by creative filmmaking professionals.

Data Tells Story for 2010

A colleague gave me a report that shows the number of page views for stories that appeared in CRC News, our electronic newsletter, this year. This gives relatively hard data on which stories were popular – or at least most read – during 2010. In total, our news stories had over 200,000 views since January.

Volunteers Arrive in New Brunswick

As travelers and their luggage finally reach their Christmas destinations after being delayed by a massive snow storm on the East Coast in the last week, an amazing 38 volunteers gathered in Burtts Corner, New Brunswick, Tueday morning to begin clean-up from severe flooding.

Reformed Charities Changes Leadership

The Council of Reformed Charities (CORC) has appointed Donald G. Distelberg as new executive director of the organization, which is comprised of some 30 care-giving ministries, including several ministries that are connected with or are extensions of the outreach of Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Trinity Holds Graduation

Trinity Christian College’s December Commencement ceremony celebrated the graduation of 118 baccalaureate students and Adult Studies students earlier this month.

Still Time to Seek Peace

Christmas day in Bethlehem, the town that is the site of Christ’s birth in a lowly stable, has passed for another year.

Volunteers To Help Flooded New Brunswick

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee -Disaster Response Services is responding to severe flooding in parts of New Brunswick that has left hundreds of families displaced from their homes as a result of high winds, heavy rains and a storm surge that could still threaten communities on the eastern seaboard of the Canadian province.

Christ Made Holy Our Bodies

A column by Rev. Dale Cooper published this week on the site of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship offers a sensitive, thought-provoking reflection on the significance of God taking on human flesh.

Prisoners’ Children Need Christmas

Crossroad Bible Institute, an international nonprofit prison ministry, offers Gospel resources to the 2.7 million American children who must experience holidays such as Christmas with a parent locked up behind bars.

Church Grows in Sierra Leone

The Christian Reformed Church of Sierra Leone has made significant progress in 2010, including the start-up of worship in new churches, land acquisition, help in constructing a handful of churches, and plans to build a headquarters church.

Agreement Will Help Children Worldwide

Christian Reformed World Missions and Worldwide Christian Schools signed an agreement on Thursday that creates a distribution network that promises to revolutionize training for Christian teachers in needy places around the world.

Grace Shows God’s Grace at Election Time

There will soon be an election in Sudan that could have far-reaching consequences for people such as an elderly woman named Grace.

Reflections on 'Wikileaks' Issues

Two Calvin College professors say there are several concerns that are raised by the new-media Website Wikileaks.

CRC Missionary: 'We Would Have Died'

Nigerian missionary John Orkar and his wife were among the 240 stranded motorists who were rescued from their vehicles along a frigid, snow-swept stretch of Hwy. 402 in southwestern Ontario this week. They may have been en route to visit family in Michigan.

Celebrating 36 years of Chinese Ministry

Back to God Ministries International marked 36 years of media ministry to Chinese-speaking people with a recent “Listeners Open House” in Hong Kong. More than 100 people—long time listeners/readers, new believers, staff members, volunteers and supporters from Hong Kong—gathered for the first-ever such event outside of North America.

A Harsh But Hopeful DVD

Gritty scenes of despair and struggle and stories of hope fill the film “Reparando,” a documentary on Guatemala’s effort to repair itself and its people following a 36-year civil war.

Pastors Want More Feedback

Christian Reformed Church councils could have a more positive impact on and show significant support for their ministers by providing regular feedback on their preachers’ sermons, according to a recently released Sustaining Pastoral Excellence survey.

Calvin Prof Writes Book on Handel

Mention the Hallelujah Chorus or play the first few chords, and it’s difficult to keep people from bursting into song.

The Slums and Serendipity of India

"My Passport to India," a web-series documentary on life in the slums of India recently received a 2010 Davey Award, the largest and most prestigious award competition held exclusively for small firms with big ideas.

Praying for the 'Lord of the Harvest'

Once the Advent and Christmas season is over, two Christian Reformed Church agencies are hopeful that church members will participate in “Pray to the Lord of the Harvest,” a special prayer vigil in January that focuses on those who are at work in communicating the Gospel, and encouraging others to get involved in missions in North America and beyond.

Ministry Report 2010

A printed version of this annual ministry report appeared in the December 2010 issue of The Banner. Together in God’s grace we continue to transform lives and communities around the world.

A Call for Prayer in Post-election Haiti

Christian Reformed Church in North America mission workers in Haiti are asking church members to pray for peace and a resolution to the post-election violence that has erupted in recent days in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and other cities across Haiti.

Growing Native American Ministries

Rev. Stanley Jim is dreaming big. The Native American pastor wants to have so many Native American Christian Reformed Church leaders and teams across the country that he will be virtually worked out of a job.

Surprise Music in the Mall

Rev. James Dekker recognizes a few of the people who suddenly start singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” to a startled, food-court crowd  in what has been the most viewed video this week on the social-video network “YouTube.”

Willmar CRC Reaches Out

It is Wednesday afternoon at the Rock, a youth center operating in a former candy warehouse in Willmar, Minn., a town of about 15,000 residents located some 130 miles west of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Strategic Planning Pays Off

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has recently been working with its partner organizations in Cambodia on strategic planning to consider programs to, among other things, generate income, improve health care and promote sustainable development.

Prison Ministry Opens Center in Kenya

Crossroad Bible Institute, approved for support by the Christian Reformed Church in North America synod, has opened another international distribution center, this one in Kenya.

Trinity College Sings In Christmas

Nearly 700 visitors attended Trinity Christian College’s annual Christmastide concert on Saturday, December 4, in the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium, Palos Heights, Illinois.

It Can Be Everyone’s myCRC

The Christian Reformed Church’s online information hub The Network has launched a new feature called myCRC, which looks to “capture stories, experiences, and perspectives on being CRC.”

Loan Fund Names New Director

David Veen was eager to work in some way with the Christian Reformed Church’s Loan Fund, given that it is a ministry that involves banking and finances, the areas in which he has been interested and worked for many years.

Political Expert Addresses CRC

Churches can help at a time when the United States, for a number of reasons, is terribly divided politically. Part of the division is the result of the straight liberal or conservative bias of popular cable-outlet and Internet programs, said Michael Gerson, former speechwriter and advisor to President George Bush.

Impressive Line-up for January Series

The award-winning January Series of Calvin College is back for its 24th year. From Wednesday, January 5, through Tuesday, January 25, 2011, Calvin College will continue a long tradition of bringing one of the nation's leading lecture and cultural arts series to West Michigan and abroad.

Offering Praise Despite Haiti's Hardships

Jenny LeMahieu maintains her faith in Jesus Christ despite cholera ravaging Haiti, political protests, and crime as people grow discontent with lack of the progress in rebuilding after the massive earthquake that took place nearly a year ago.

Girls To Get Help from $12 Gift

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee suggests that its supporters, between now and Christmas, give a special donation to help young girls facing a range of challenges in many parts of the world.

Supporters Gather to Honor Rehoboth

More than 40 people associated in one way or another with Rehoboth Christian School gathered recently to share memories and tell stories of the Christian Reformed Church’s nearly 110-year involvement and ministry with the Navajo people at the school in northwest New Mexico.

Students Win Innovation Encounter

A team of Calvin College students recently took first place in a competition that challenged teams from six colleges to develop an application that would allow a user to control a car through a Smartphone or an iPad.

Cadets Grow in Kenya

Although the Calvinist Cadet Corp is only a few years old in Kenya, the East African country already has 30 clubs, making it third on the list of clubs worldwide.

Document on Baptism a 'Milestone'

This week’s approval of a "Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism" by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a “milestone” in Protestant/Catholic ecumenical relations, says Lyle Bierma, a Calvin Theological Seminary professor.

Spanish Bible Studies Blossoming

What began a year ago as a way for Christian Reformed Home Missions to fill a request from one church for the translation into Spanish of one of the Bible studies in the Coffee Break Discover Your Bible series has blossomed into a line of four books with more on the way for the Spanish-speaking community.

Response to Cholera Outbreak Continues

Four weeks ago, Haitian authorities announced a cholera outbreak in the Artibonite and Central departments in Haiti.

Teaching Students During a Drug War

A group of West Michigan Christian Reformed Church congregations, along with support from Holland Christian Schools and others, has built relationships and helped construct Eagle College, a school in a church in Miguel Aleman, a small Mexican city now being torn apart by fighting between rival drug cartels. The city of about 25,000 people sits just across the border from Roma, Texas.

Professor’s Book Comes to Life

Calvin College students are busy preparing to present a play based on Calvin professor Gary Schmidt’s Newbery Honor Award-winning book, The Wednesday Wars.

Two New Books Focus on Psalms

Two new books available through Faith Alive Christian Resources provide insight in different ways into the spiritual range, poetic resonance, and emotional depth of the psalms.

Likkels: Serving Unreached Places

Allen Likkel and his wife, Lynn, have worked in communities all over North America for many years planting churches, nurturing these churches along and developing new church leaders.

Ministry in Haiti Is Back on Track

Nzuzi Lukumbo returned recently from a visit to Haiti encouraged about ministry happening in this country so recently devastated by a massive earthquake. His visit, made on behalf of Back to God Ministries International, occurred as the current cholera outbreak was beginning, but before the recent floods.

God’s Hand in Pakistan Aid

Because of help from various sources, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has been able to continue its response to the devastating floods in Pakistan.

Conference Connected Many

The real work of the recent Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in South Africa probably happened at meals, coffee breaks, and during free time, says Gary Bekker, director of Christian Reformed World Missions.

Visiting the Mission Field

John and Adri VandenDool from Picture Butte, Alberta, have long nurtured a passion for missions, and in summer 2010 they had the opportunity to travel to Indonesia.

Chimes Wins Top Awards

Chimes, the student newspaper for Calvin College, has won nine College Newspaper Contest awards from the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, a journalism group that provides academic advisers to Michigan's college and university newspapers.

Hurricane Causes Floods in Haiti

Hurricane Tomas recently skirted the shores of Haiti, leaving behind torrential rains and high winds that have threatened to spread a cholera epidemic that has already been killing and sickening people in the country, say Christian Reformed World Relief Committee officials.

Faith Supports Ugandan Aid Worker

The meeting with his long-lost mother remains etched in the memory of Joseph Mutebi, program consultant for Uganda for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

Korean Peace Needs Focus on Justice

The success of peace and reconciliation initiatives on the Korean peninsula won’t make much headway until they are linked with justice issues such as the right to free association and access to food and education, a senior church leader recently told a global gathering of peace advocates and academics in Seoul, South Korea. 

Synodical Reports Now Available

Christian Reformed Church in North America officials on Monday announced that three significant synodical reports have been finished and posted on the denominational website for consideration and commentary by CRC pastors, church councils, and others.

Grant Will Help Ike Survivors

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Disaster Response Services has been awarded $100,000 in funding to help in the continuing reconstruction of homes damaged in Galveston, Texas, in 2008 by Hurricane Ike.

Disability Activist Shares His Faith

Persons with a disability are loved by God and need to be reminded of that, especially in their churches, said motivational speaker, author, and Christian Reformed Church member Johnnie Tuitel.

Ecumenical Dialogue Reaps Results

During the past several years, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has worked with other Reformed denominations and the Roman Catholic Church to produce two documents, one on baptism and the other on the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper.

Calvin Offers Climate Change Lectures

Calvin College will be hosting a pair of lectures on climate change—the first two in the "Thinking About and Responding to Climate Change" lecture series.

Igor Clean-up Finishes

Volunteers for the Christian Reformed Church World Relief Committee’s Disaster Response Services have finished the work they were doing following the destruction that came in the wake of Hurricane Igor.

Author, Philosopher Speaks to BOT

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a theological treasure that people sometimes don’t appreciate as fully as they should, said author and philosopher Jamie K.A. Smith in a recent speech to the CRCNA’s Board of Trustees.

Dealing with Cholera in Haiti

A deadly outbreak of cholera in Haiti, in which 259 people are known to have died and over 3,000 people have been affected, steps up the urgency behind the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s ongoing shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program in the Leogane-area communities of Croix des Peres, Luitor, Masson, Macombe, and Flon.

Careful Planning Saves Energy Costs

Christian Reformed Church congregations considering expansion might be able to save substantially on energy costs if they think ahead and employ some of the options used in recent renovation to the CRC’s office in Grand Rapids. The CRC’s office revamped the building to remove the former printing plant and make way for more office space.

Calvin Prof: Recycling Pioneer

They started with a 55-gallon drum, an old washing machine motor and a few chains assembled in a college engineering lab at a cost of $25: the humble beginnings of recycling in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Go! to the Missions Conference

Especially in the globalized world of 2010, short-term mission trips can have a profound effect both on those who go on the trip and those who are on the receiving end of the outreach.

Bangladesh Copes with Climate Change

While some nations continue to wonder what to do about a changing climate, the people of Bangladesh are starting to take action and are seeing results, says Peter Vander Meulen, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice.

Training Boosts Media Conference

Back to God Ministries International Spanish leader Rev. Guillermo Serrano recently attended a conference in the Dominican Republic at which he and his team of trainers conducted a series of well-attended workshops on the use of media in reaching people throughout the Spanish-speaking world with the gospel.

Christian Hip-Hop to Help Haiti

Claude Gillot, a Dordt College student from Haiti, has organized a Christian rock and hip-hop-music-style concert to raise resources to help the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee continue its relief and reconstruction efforts in Haiti.

Missionary Speaks at World Congress

This week, 4,000 church representatives—including Gary Bekker and Ruth Padilla DeBorst of Christian Reformed World Missions—are meeting in South Africa for a gathering that profoundly reflects changes that have occurred in the field of missions over the last century.

Initiative Joins Churches to Churches

A group of Christian Reformed Church agencies have developed materials for a church-to-church initiative that is known as iGPS - the Inter-agency Global Partnership Strategy.

Zambian Prisoners Receive Hope

Crossroad Bible Institute, a prison ministry affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church, has opened a distribution center in Zambia, its 11th distribution center worldwide.

More Volunteers Needed in Igor Aftermath

Additional volunteers are needed to help in the clean-up and rebuilding of homes that were damaged by Hurricane Igor, which blew over Canada’s remote Newfoundland and Labrador provinces in late September, says Bill Adams, director of Disaster Responses Services (DRS) for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).

Happy Birthday, Church Juice

Church Juice, a ministry of Back to God Ministries International, has just turned one year old.

A Fine Arts Center It Is

The building known for many years to countless visitors as the Calvin College Fine Arts Center that housed academic offices and the actual Fine Arts Center auditorium has been transformed into what looks like an entirely new state-of-the-art facility.

Corrections Director Notes Jail Work

Churches and other groups have significant roles to play in helping ex-offenders make a successful transition from jail or prison into society at large, said Patricia Caruso, the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections, at a recent meeting at a Christian Reformed church in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Aid Set For Rain-soaked Pakistan Areas

The fields of Rahim Yar Khan, on the bank of the River Sindh in the Punjab province of Pakistan, will not dry for another month. The winter wheat plantings have not yet occurred, and if the water does not recede sufficiently by November 15th, it will not be possible to plant.

Panel Poses Questions About Belhar

A three-person panel on Tuesday night offered praises and raised concerns, providing historical and theological pros and cons about the Belhar Confession during a 90-minute presentation in the Calvin Theological Seminary auditorium.

Flowing From the Faith of Peter

Both Steve Timmermans and his wife, Barbara, were struck by the words of a sermon they heard in the summer of 2009 that described the faith of Peter, the disciple who got of the fishing boat and walked across angry, wind-tossed waves to reach Jesus who had been calling him.

Initiatives Launched on 10-10-10

Two new Christian Reformed Church congregations formally launched their ministries on Sunday, which was Oct. 10, 2010, as part of the multi-denominational 10-10-10 initiative. One of the CRC congregations is in Vancouver, Wash. and the other is in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Team Arrives to Assess Igor’s Wrath

A Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Rapid Response team that will likely grow to more than 20 workers has arrived in Catalina, Newfoundland, to assist with clean up and repair among 80 to 90 damaged homes after the remains of Hurricane Igor swept over the province in late September.

Reformed Group Launches New Website

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) announced on Friday that it has launched its new website www.wcrc.ch.

Calvin College Awarded $1 Million Grant

The National Science Foundation has awarded Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., a nearly $1 million grant to fund a new 4,450-square-foot lab on the ground floor of DeVries Hall. The new lab - the Integrated Scientific Research Experimental Laboratory (ISRx) - is the latest of the science division's efforts to work across disciplines.

Belhar Focus of CTS Forum

Calvin Theological Seminary faculty members make forceful, well-reasoned and passionate arguments for and against the Belhar Confession, a statement focusing on racial reconciliation, in articles published in the most recent issue of the Forum, the seminary’s quarterly publication.

Three Experts Speak on Islam

The love and tolerance generated by various religious belief systems, including Islam, should be used to address the discord that continues in the world today and is often featured in a sensationalistic way in news stories and on news programs, an expert on Islam told a group on Thursday in the Prince Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Touched by Devotion in South Korea

Rev. Neal Plantinga knows that his sermons in South Korea are hitting home when he looks out over the packed church and sees people with a hand over their hearts and a look of radiance on their faces.

Ministry Leaders Meet to Discuss Strategies

Back to God Ministries International ministry leaders representing10 languages and outreach in more than 189 countries met recently in Muskegon, Michigan, to share ideas for more effective media ministry around the world.

CRWRC Supports Biblical Voter Education

For most countries, especially those in the developing world, public justice—including fair, open elections—is not easy.

Timothy Institute to Help North America

A focus in the coming year for the Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI) will be the attempt to bring the leadership training to churches in North America. The hope is to schedule about 20 trainings in North America.

PrayerLine Continues Without the Phone

The last message was recorded this week for the Christian Reformed Church’s phone PrayerLine, ending an era that started in 1996 when a group of people in the CRC arranged for a phone line to be dedicated to passing on prayer requests on behalf of the many ministries of the denomination.

Breaking the Mental Illness Stigma

Although different types of mental illness are fairly widespread among the Christian population in any given year, people fear that they will be stigmatized and tend to hide their symptoms and keep their concerns to themselves. They don’t seek help.

Every Tribe, Tongue and Nation

The Bible verse for All Nations Heritage Sunday, which is this Sunday, October 3, encourages all people to live in peace.

God’s Glory Lives Despite Death in Zambia

Although he fought poverty most of his career in his country of birth, Eli Toribio was shocked when he arrived in Zambia four years ago.

Chicken, Eggs, in Mozambique

Agricultural industry leaders, along with the agriculture and business departments at Dordt College in Sioux City, Iowa, have begun an effort to partner with farmers in Mozambique, Africa, to help them achieve a mission: producing the lowest- cost chicken in the world.

Strategic Transformation in Latin America

Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries say the situation of the younger generation in Latin America is critical, with thousands of young people participating in violent street gangs while others are prisoners of grinding poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, drugs and the effects of sexual promiscuity.

CRWRC Continues Aid to Flooded Pakistan

Leila Khayale had to confront some tough questions and harsh realities in mid-August about the devastation that the massive flooding in Pakistan had brought to her and her family.

Philosopher Focuses on Pentecostalism

Referring to himself as being Reformed with a “charismatic accent,” Calvin College professor of philosophy James K. A. Smith has taken up the challenge of trying to answer the question, “What would it look like for Pentecostal and charismatic philosophers to begin with some of the basic convictions of their unique worldviews?”

Church Planters or Undertakers?

Too many seminaries are turning out graduates who are good preachers and can serve as the resident theologians of their churches, instead of graduating ministers whose heart and passion is to start new churches to help further the Kingdom of God.

BTGTMI Offers Look at Islam

Staff of Back to God Ministries International shared insights into Muslim ministry at an information session on Tuesday night at Brookside Christian Reformed Church that was attended by nearly 300 people.

Repairing Lives in the Slums

The trailer for the documentary film Reparando shows quick-shot images of leaflets falling from the sky, crowds of people fleeing the police, tattoos on the back of a gang member in Guatemala City, a man playing with his family, and the “Doll Lady” picking the arm of a baby doll from the garbage in a dump.

WCRC Makes Plea to Help the Poor

The same commitment to overcoming global poverty is needed as that which was generated in response to the 2008 crisis in the worldwide banking sector, a senior church official has told the head of the Swiss delegation to the United Nations summit meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) underway in New York this week.

Feed the Fish For a Good Cause

Once again, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is asking supporters to feed a fish to help combat world hunger.

Spotlight on World Peace Day

Spotlight, a Back to God Ministries International radio program, will air a broadcast on Monday, Sept. 20, that will give the background on and information about International Peace Day, which will occur worldwide on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

Haitians Thank CRWRC, Others for Homes

Nearly 200 people gathered recently at a place called Bethlehem in Croix des Peres, Haiti, to celebrate the completion of 248 wood-framed core houses, providing shelter for over a thousand Haitians.

Calvin College Cancels Concert

Calvin College has decided this week to cancel a concert by a popular band.

Two Women Use Bikes to Help

Sue Fridsma and Willemenia McCarron have both decided to use different bicycle trips to raise support for and awareness of the many needs people experience around the world.

Show Your Hands

The Office of Social Justice of the Christian Reformed Church is asking CRC churches to hold a “Show of Hands” event this fall that will draw attention to progress being made in reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

CRWRC Continues Aid for Pakistan

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s disaster response in Pakistan is being augmented by the presence of Jacob Kramer, a former CRWRC relief executive who recently arrived there.

Special Forces: To Liberate the Oppressed

Rev. Peter Hofman graduated about a year ago from Ranger School in the US Army, making him among the first Christian Reformed Church chaplains to complete the grueling training and become a member of the Special Forces.

BTGMI to Discuss Islam

Back to God Ministries International will provide a presentation on “What is Life Really Like in a Muslim Culture?” on Sept. 21 at Brookside Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.

CRC Laments Plan to Burn Quran

Rev. Jerry Dykstra, Executive Director of the Christian Reformed in North America (CRCNA) has joined a growing chorus of Christians expressing sadness and concern about a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Quran on September 11.

CRC Webinar Series to Start

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is sponsoring a series of webinars on a range of ministry-related topics, ranging from leadership to Islam, starting later in September and running through December.

A Heart for Orphans

Manuel Aldana grew up in Guatemala City, Guatemala, aware of and feeling terribly sad about the many orphans who have been abandoned on the streets or put into one of the many orphanages in his country.

Healthy Church Survey Soon Available

The Christian Reformed Church in North America hopes to soon make available a survey tool created to help churches in the denomination assess their health.

Demonstrating Neighborly Love

Moussa, a volunteer helping with a subsidized grain sale in drought-ridden Niger, told Christian Reformed World Relief Committee staff that he was happy to be involved "because we are called to love other people regardless of who they are."

BTGMI Launches New Website

Back to God Ministries International, which has 34 evangelistic and discipleship ministry websites, has launched its new, Christian Reformed Church agency website, BackToGod.net.

Urban Youth Learn to "Slay Giants"

"Giants" were slain at the recent Urban Youth Convention in Muskegon, Mich. The 10th annual event, sponsored by Christian Reformed Home Missions, was themed on the story of David and Goliath.

Conference Focuses on Young Leaders

Almost 30 young adults from all over North America were on hand Tuesday in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church to participate in a conference focusing on ways young people can be successful leaders in their churches, workplaces, communities, and schools.

'Hope Equals' Offers Speakers

Shannon Jammal-Hollemans kept the people at Oakdale Christian Reformed Church spellbound on Sunday night as she described the recent trip she took as part of Hope Equals, a Christian Reformed World Missions program. She and 10 others visited sites in Israel and on the West Bank.

Aileen Will Buy a Bible

Aileen Morales knew almost immediately what she would do with the check for $15 that she received from Christian Reformed World Missions during a service at her church in June.

Coming Home to New Orleans

When the levees off New Orleans gave way to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, half of the residents of Orleans Parish lost their homes.

Dordt Sets Conference on Immigration

Two Calvin Theological Seminary professors will help to headline a conference at Dordt College on September 23 that will examine a tough new Arizona law that has made immigration front-page news across the nation.

The Cross and 'Sweet Escape'

As others closed their eyes and prayed, Kim Hekman prayed as well. But her eyes were open, taking in all that she could see in the small shack in the Central American slum.

The Forgotten Women’s Bible

Around the turn of the last century, Katherine Bushnell, an American doctor working as a medical missionary in China, noticed what she thought were mistranslated passages in the Chinese version of the Bible she was reading. A fellow missionary confirmed Bushnell’s suspicion that the passages in question had been mistranslated to avoid offending Chinese traditions toward women.

Student Leaders to Visit Calvin

Calvin College's Asian Studies Program, together with Calvin’s Center for Christian Scholarship (CCCS), will host a group of Chinese, Korean and Japanese student leaders for a one-day program on August 27 on Calvin’s campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

CRHM Supports New Ministries

More than one dozen new churches and campus ministries, from small-town Ontario to inner-city Philadelphia, are among the new work that Christian Reformed Home Missions is helping to start in the fiscal year 2010-2011.

Pleas Mount for Pakistan

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is praising the decision by the Canadian government to match all private donations by Canadians to registered Canadian charities in support of relief efforts in flood-ravaged Pakistan.

Calvin/Young Life Enter Partnership

Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., has entered into a new partnership with Young Life, a multi-faceted Colorado-based ministry for high school students and other young people.

Mosque Issue Won’t Go Away

Ten years ago Dean Koldenhoven was faced with making a similar decision over the location of an Islamic center that officials in New York City and in cities across the country are currently confronting.

CRWRC Keeps Focus on Pakistan

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee continues, along with other faith-based groups, to expand aid efforts to the people of flood-ravaged Pakistan.

'Peace Among the Peoples'

Rev. Herman Keizer wasn’t keen a getting up early every morning, but it was for a good cause that is close to his heart: promoting peace.

A Passion For Media Ministry

For two summers now, a passion for ministry and for communication have landed soon-to-be Calvin College senior Brian Speelman summer internships with ReFrame Media—the English-language ministries of the Back to God Hour Ministries International, located in Palos Heights, Illinois.

Dordt Features The Prodigal Son

The stoop-shouldered Prodigal Son is rounding a jagged rock, a dove flying near his head. Smoking ruins and skulls are depicted behind him. The wayward son’s father, still a long way off in a rich and well-ordered countryside, is running toward him.

From Hopeless to Helping Others

Janice Williamson knows firsthand the difference the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee “green shirts” can make.

Faith Alive Offers New Bible Study

The biblical books of Jonah, about a wayward prophet who ended up in the belly of a whale, and Esther, the Persian queen who saved the Jews from being massacred, are the first ones to be included in a new Bible Study series published by Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the Christian Reformed Church.

Report Finds SCE Success

A recently completed evaluation report of the Christian Reformed Church’s Sustaining Congregational Excellence (SCE) initiative finds that a significant number of smaller CRC churches (churches with 150 active members or less) are fostering health in their congregations as a result of their participation in the SCE program.

Series of Wildfires Hit Russia

Back to God Ministries International Russian leader, Rev. Sergei Sosedkin, had to leave his home Saturday evening “after a few tough days in Moscow,” due to a series of raging forest fires, he said in an e-mail.

CRWRC Busy on Many Fronts

In North America and abroad, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and its partners have been especially busy recently, responding to floods in the U.S. and Pakistan, a drought in Niger and marking five years of helping people whose homes and lives were impacted by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Coop’s New Column

Calvin College chaplain emeritus Dale Cooper is taking his ministry online. Cooper recently started writing a column for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

Church Hosts Summer Party

One recent hot Michigan summer night, more than 2,000 people chowed down on hot dogs, played carnival games, listened to live music, and checked out classic cars.

CRWRC Aids Pakistan Flood Survivors

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is responding to widespread devastation in northwest Pakistan resulting from weeks of rain that caused mudslides, collapsed buildings, and covered entire villages in water and mud.

CRWM Helps Sponsor TEA Conference

Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) are among the groups helping to stage a Theological Education in Africa (TEA) conference in Kenya.

100 Years of Steady Life

Andrew Cross (center in the photo) stands in his living room in Grand Rapids and holds out his hand to greet a visitor with a steady gaze and a firm grip.

Dordt Names Public Relations Director

A new director of marketing and public relations has been hired and assumed her new duties at Dordt College.

Immigration Rally Calls for Justice

Christian Reformed Church members joined other Protestants, Catholics, and representatives of the Jewish community to rally and pray for immigration reform on a sun-filled summer evening in Grand Rapids, Mich., this week.

Calvin Worship Experts Accept Award

John Witvliet and Charsie Sawyer stood onstage in early June before a throng of African-American and white church leaders to accept an award for excellence in church music.

Rider for AJS Reaches His Goal

Steve McCloskey celebrated the end of a 2,500-mile, fund-raising bicycle ride on Tuesday evening with friends and well-wishers at a city park just down the street from the Grand Rapids, Mich., headquarters of the Christian Reformed Church.

Psalm-Singing on the Rise

Singing the psalms, a tradition that had fallen out of favor in some churches in lieu of using “contemporary” praise music, is starting to make a resurgence, according to worship leaders quoted in a series of articles in the most recent issue of Reformed Worship.

Learning Challenges of Campus Ministry

Sam and Darcie Gutierrez recently completed internships at the University of Calgary, a university that has an enrollment of about 30,000 students who come to college with lots of questions, experience with a range of faiths, and the desire, often unspoken, to know God better.

Reaching Beyond the Radio Waves

The earthquake that hit Haiti more than six months ago on Jan. 12 destroyed hundreds of radio stations, towers, and much of the broadcast equipment. For many days, the airwaves were nearly silent.

Dordt Student Dies In Climbing Accident

A Dordt College student and stand-out on the basketball team died in a climbing accident at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Wednesday, July 21. He was 21 years old.

Haiti Schools, Businesses Get Help

Sixty thousand Haitian children counted on school each day to give them hope for a better future in Haiti.

From Broken Legs to Faith in Christ

Dima, a young apprentice carpenter for a small firm in northwest Russia, slipped off a ladder and was seriously injured, breaking both legs, while assembling a countryside cottage.

Haitian Workers: 'Let's Get Up'

As worldwide news organizations do six-month anniversary stories about the lack of hope and progress in Haiti, Mario Matos found things to be the opposite during a recent trip to the earthquake-ravaged island.

Letter Details Work of Synod 2010

For the first time in 2011, young adult advisers will be appointed to serve at the Christian Reformed Church synod, writes Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, in a letter to CRC Church Councils.

Six Months of God's Work in Haiti

More than six months after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, the Christian Reformed Church in North America and its partners remain busy in that Caribbean country, working in many ways to restore, rebuild, and help to bring about reconciliation among those impacted by the disaster.

CRCNA Ministry Leader Tells Story

Harold Roscher is among those who tell their stories in Let Us Walk Together, a recently published book that provides background information and heart-wrenching stories for the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

RCA General Secretary to Step Down

Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson announced in a letter Monday that he is stepping down next year as general secretary of the Reformed Church in America.

Popular Political Science Prof Dies

James Penning, co-author of widely respected works examining the role religion played in politics and a longtime and well-known professor in the political science department at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., died on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, of undetermined causes.

Missionaries Safe After Bombings

Tim and Angela Sliedrecht were watching the World Cup championship game in a restaurant in Kampala, Uganda, this week when they had to be evacuated because three bombs had just gone off a few kilometers away.

CRWRC Helps Kenya Food Outreach

What do you do when you rely on your herd of cattle and goats to make a living, and there is no water or grass to feed them because of drought? What do you do when this is the third year in a row that you and your community have faced this situation, and more than 99 percent of your livestock have already died?

Law Professor Rides for Justice

After bicycling 2,500 grueling miles from the West Coast of the United States to Michigan, law and business professor Steve McCloskey will share his experiences, as well as speak about the work of the Association for a More Just Society (AJS), later this month in West Michigan.

Learning Latin Online

Throughout the fall 2010 semester, Calvin College students in Grand Rapids, Mich., will be chanting “amo, amas, amat” under the direction of various professors of classical languages in various classrooms in Heimenga Hall.

Would-be Church Planters Assessed

Last week, 15 potential church planters and their spouses gathered at Evergreen Ministries in Hudsonville, Mich., for three intense days of assessment and discovery.

Transformation in Northern India

Just over a year ago, Synod 2009 approved Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) expansion into India. Since then, countless lives have been changed through the media ministry partnership of BTGMI, Good Books Ministries, and Words of Hope (the media ministry of the Reformed Church in America).

CRC Pastor Named to Executive Group

Rev. William Koopmans, a former president of the Christian Reformed Church in North America synod, has been named as an advisor to the executive committee of the newly formed World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).

Gear Up to Volunteer

ServiceLink, the Volunteer Program of the Christian Reformed Church that links people with opportunities to serve with agencies throughout the CRC, wants church members and others to know that it’s not too early to begin planning a Service and Learning trip.

Posters Show a World of Missions

The children seem to have outdone themselves this year in creating entries for the annual Christian Reformed World Missions poster contest, coming up with images that tell the story in pictures of what it means to be involved in missions around the world.

Revised Standards Online

Updated versions of the three confessional standards of the Christian Reformed Church in North America have been posted for review by those interested in and wanting to speak to minor changes proposed by Synod 2010 to the articles of faith.

Empowering Widows in Tanzania

Widows in Tanzania are getting past what others think – and what they think of themselves – to make life a little better. But it hasn’t been easy.

It’s a Wrap for WCRC

Delegates to the World Communion of Reformed Churches have, after many years of planning, come to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., completed their business, and are now either back in their home countries or well on their way.

Honduras: One Year Later

One year ago, soldiers stormed into then-president Manuel Zelaya's home in Honduras and forced him onto an airplane that took him into exile.

Youngster Raises $4,000 for Chile

It has been said that from things as small as a mustard seed, large trees can grow. Five year-old Steven Brennan is a great example. Last week, Steven biked over 22 km to raise support for earthquake survivors in Chile. As a result, $4,000 has already been raised and gifts continue to come in.

Director of Home Missions Update

Ben Vandezande, interim director of Christian Reformed Home Missions, has accepted an offer to continue in his role until June 2011 in order to help guide the transition to a new director for the agency.

Organist Killed Hours After Meeting

On Sunday, after the Uniting General Council had come to a conclusion, more than 100 people gathered in the chapel at Calvin College for a hastily organized memorial service to honor the life and accomplishments of Christina Mandang, a musician and seminary teacher who lived in Indonesia.

Native Americans Welcome Church Leaders

The sky, which had been dark and ominous only hours before, was filled with sunshine and white clouds as a group of Native Americans crossed a pedestrian bridge over the Grand River and approached leaders of the newly formed World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) who waited at the other end.

CRWRC Award-Winner Doing Double Duty

When Ed Mulder accepted an Award of Appreciation earlier this month, it was not only in recognition of the work he and his wife Helen had done as Christian Reformed World Relief Committee regional managers in a disaster response in Indiana and Illinois—it was personal.

Trinity Breaks Ground For Gym

Special guests and officials broke ground last week on the first phase of a gymnasium expansion project at Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois.

Unity, Peace, and Justice Are Linked

In a keynote presentation at a meeting of the newly formed World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), four panelists—including a Christian Reformed World Missions missionary—urged delegates, observers, and visitors to walk the walk and not just talk the talk when it comes to the issues of unity, diversity, social justice, and peace.

Dykstra Leads Prayer at WCRC Service

Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, offered the intercessory prayer on Sunday afternoon before some 3,000 people attending “The Unity of the Spirit in the Bonds of Peace” worship service at Calvin College.

Synod 2010 in Review

Synod 2010 ended on Thursday evening. Here are highlights from the week of meetings.

Synod Says No to Classis Transfers

After a long and emotional debate, Synod 2010 turned down the requests of two Christian Reformed congregations for permission to move their memberships from classes in Michigan to Classis Minnkota.

Synod Welcomes Candidates for Ministry

Synod welcomed more than 30 candidates for ministry of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church on Thursday morning during a time of joyous song, prayer and praise. About 10 candidates were unable to attend the session, bringing the total number of candidates this year to 41.

Synod Applauds Report on Migration

A process that started several years ago when a Christian Reformed congregation in Zeeland, Mich., wanted to know if it was okay to accept an undocumented Mexican worker for membership wrapped up on the floor of synod with a standing ovation for a far-reaching, thoroughly researched and compelling report on “Migration of Workers.”

Synod Approves Creation Care Task Force

Synod 2010 voted on Wednesday to instruct the Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church to establish a task force to compile a biblically based, Reformed perspective on humanity’s role as a steward of God’s creation.

Synod Prays for Forgiveness on Abuse

Delegates to Synod 2010 on Wednesday morning asked God to forgive the failure of the Christian Reformed Church to respond justly and compassionately over the years to victims of sexual abuse.

Synod Ratifies Seminary President

A loud cheer filled the sanctuary of the Martin and Janet Ozinga Chapel on Tuesday night as Synod 2010 unanimously ratified the appointment of Rev. Julius T. Medenblik as the new president of Calvin Theological Seminary.

Synod Hears CRC Survey Results

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is aging, becoming better educated and is in need of enhanced spiritual development for its members, according to a study whose results were presented to Synod 2010.

Synod Discusses Lord's Table Proposal

Synod 2010 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America agreed on Tuesday to a process that could lead to the adoption next year of new, expanded guidelines on allowing children to take part in the Lord's Supper.

Synod Accepts Invitations for 2011, 2012

Synod 2010 today accepted invitations from Madison Square Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Ancaster (Ontario) CRC to host the next two synods. Synod 2011 will meet at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, and Synod 2012 will meet at Redeemer University College in Ancaster.

Delegates Discuss Engaging Youth

About 50 people gathered Monday evening for a discussion on youth ministry in the Christian Reformed Church.

Culture Norms Vary Widely, Synod Told

“If we don’t understand cultural differences, we can do more harm than good when we are engaged in cross-cultural ministry,” said Chris Pullenayegem in a presentation to Synod 2010.

Executive Director Cites Joys, Challenges

The Christian Reformed Church has much to be joyful about, CRC Executive Director Rev. Jerry Dykstra said in an address to Synod 2010 on Monday night. But it also faces some serious challenges.

Synod Reconvenes

Synod 2010 began its work on Monday morning with a worship service asking the Holy Spirit to be with delegates and others as they undertake their deliberations. Delegates are meeting in their committees throughout the afternoon. There will be another plenary session tonight.

'Radical Hospitality' Focus of Synod Service

Delegates to Synod 2010 packed Grace Community Christian Reformed Church in Oak Lawn, Ill., Sunday afternoon for a service of prayer and praise that showcased rousing hymn-singing, a bell choir of persons who live with disabilities, and a type of discussion-style preaching for which the congregation has been awarded a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

Synod 2010 Convenes

Synod 2010 opened today with a call to order by Rev. Michael Kooy, pastor of Grace Community Christian Reformed Church in Oak Lawn, Ill. Kooy welcomed the delegates to Trinity Christian College and the Chicago area. He expressed a bit of glee that “this year we got Synod 2010 and we also got the Stanley Cup!”

Calgary Youth Plans Bike Ride for Chile

Steven Brennan wants to raise funds for survivors of the massive earthquake that hit Chile in early February.

RCA Officially Adopts Belhar

The General Synod of the Reformed Church in America has officially declared the Belhar Confession – which the Christian Reformed Church Synod 2012 has been asked to adopt – as the fourth standard of the RCA.

Volunteers Honored in Canada

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Canadian office recently held a festive, annual gathering that included a BBQ to honor and thank the people who volunteer throughout the year to help the CRCNA carry out its mission of “transforming lives and communities worldwide.”

CRWRC Responds to Quakes

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is reporting that, along with its partners, it has made progress in providing assistance to Indonesia and Chile, two countries hit by devastating earthquakes in the last year.

Network Mugs Come to Synod

Synod 2010, which starts on Saturday, will include a humorous side-story - a story about a mug. The story starts with a contest offered by The Network - a recently formed initiative linking Christian Reformed congregations, members and leaders.

Accra Confession Subject of Talk

Augusto de la Torre, chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank, will speak about the Accra Confession on Wednesday, June 16, as part of the “Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity” conference at Calvin College’s Prince Center.

Churches Moving Against the Current

At a time when denominations and organizations seem to be going their own ways, a powerful expression of global unity — hosted in part by the Christian Reformed Church in North America — soon occurs on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

CRC Pastor Washes Feet

Pastor Eric Dirksen says he was still groggy and sipping coffee on a recent Saturday morning when he stepped onto the campus of Sacramento City College to participate in the city’s annual Homeless Connect day.

CRWRC Offers Tropical Storm Relief

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is planning a response to help 117 families in Guatemala who live in one of the areas hardest-hit by Tropical Storm Agatha, the first tropical storm of the season.

CRWRC Supports Summit Goals

This month, representatives from around the world meet for the G8/G20 summit in Muskoka and Toronto, Canada. The summit is of importance to Christian Reformed Church in North America ministries, especially to the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

Unexpected Charity for BTGMI

As people have tightened their belts over the last year or so to cope with tough financial times, many charitable organizations have had to confront and address a drop in contributions.

A Walk Down the Avenue

Thirty or so Calvin Theological Seminary students followed the Rev. Reggie Smith, their teacher, along what was once a tumbledown and dangerous stretch of Grandville Avenue near downtown Grand Rapids, Mich.

Synod 2010 Starts Soon

Synod 2010 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America will meet starting next week at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill.

Refugee Family in Need of Job

The Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice is putting out a plea to help a Palestinian refugee family find work and remain in this country.

Timothy Leadership Training Successful

Slowly but surely Timothy Leadership Training (TLT) is taking hold and making a difference for pastors, lay leaders and others on mission fields in some 35 countries.

First Belhar Conference Held

About 60 people attended the Christian Reformed Church's first regional conference that offered wide-ranging examination and discussion of the Belhar Confession, a document that the CRC Synod of 2012 has been asked to approve as another confession of the church.

Calvin Students Off to Southeast Asia

When he is in Indonesia this summer, Kevin Van Harn will try to remember not to point with his finger.

Pioneer Cuban Pastor Visits Michigan

Rev. Ramon Borrego and his wife, Norma, have been in West Michigan for the last week or so to speak to Christian Reformed congregations and CRC officials about the growth of the Cuban CRC churches in Miami, Fla. They also made the trip to raise support to help them build a new building for their church, Good News Church, which meets now in a building in which a Pentecostal congregation worships.

CRC Commissions Volunteers

A special service of commitment was held this week to honor the more than 20 volunteers who will be leaving soon to serve the Christian Reformed Church in many countries around the world.

Marketing, Uganda-Style

When Calvin senior Ashley Luse told her family she was traveling to Uganda, they weren’t too happy about it. Luse, however, was determined to visit the country where the Lord’s Resistance Army has spent more than 20 years terrorizing the citizenry.

Philosopher Alvin Plantinga Retires

Prof. Alvin Plantinga, a former Calvin College professor of philosophy and leading figure in the field of the philosophy of religion, is being honored this week by a special conference at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., from which he is retiring.

Worship Key to Merger Meeting

Rev. Setri Nyomi is especially pleased that worship services for the United General Council will include prayers, hymns, songs, litanies, and other multicultural aspects aimed at including as many of the international delegates as possible in the 10-day meeting.

Milestone of $10 Million Reached

Donations to Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Haiti’s earthquake response fund topped $10 million on Monday, surpassing the $6.5 million each that was raised for CRWRC’s South Asia Tsunami response and Hurricane Katrina response.

CRC to Open Office in Ottawa

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Committee for Contact with the Government (CCG) will be opening a permanent office in Ottawa, Ontario, the country’s capital and seat of the Canadian Parliament, in early July.

CRC Seeking Churches, Volunteers

Rev. John Rozeboom has been stopping at Christian Reformed Church congregations across West Michigan, dropping off fliers that invite churches to participate and provide much-needed volunteers to help in a variety of ways during this summer’s meeting of the Uniting General Council (UGC) at Calvin College in Grand Rapids.

Faith Alive Publications Win Awards

Both Reformed Worship, a quarterly magazine published by Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing arm of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and The Banner, a monthly publication from Faith Alive, won top awards during a recent meeting of the Associated Church Press in Arlington, Virginia.

Justice for All in Nicaragua

The common Nicaraguan saying—"A poor person goes to jail for stealing a chicken, but a rich person always gets off"—reflects the injustice that the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Mark VanderWees sees all around him in the country.

CRHM Hires Education Leader

Ontario entrepreneur Mark Wallace has been hired as the new Educational Ministries Goal Specialist for Christian Reformed Home Missions.

CTS 'Forum' Focus: Death and Dying

A first-person account of a seminary professor’s brush with death, what happens after we die, and a look at bereavement and grieving by a couple who lost their spouses in the 1990s are among the topics addressed in the latest issue of Calvin Theological Seminary’s quarterly magazine “The Forum.”

Missions Conference Coming to Calvin

Calvin College will bring together Christian leaders from around the world to attend a global conference, "The Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity," on June 15-17, 2010, on Calvin’s campus.

Spring Floods Keep CRWRC Busy

- Rev.Jerry Hoek of Faith Christian Reformed Church in Nashville, Tennessee, contacted the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) early this week to let staff know that all of the church’s members are accounted for after a weekend of heavy rain deluged the southern U.S., and resulting floods killed 21 people in Tennessee alone.

Successful Workshops in Chile

On every street in the small town of Linares, Chile, the effects of the Feb. 27, 2010 earthquake, followed by a tsunami, are still evident. Buildings are seriously damaged or completely destroyed.

Fair Links Churches, Candidates

One of the problems facing church committees searching for a new pastor is receiving ministerial profiles that start to look the same. It can also be expensive to meet a variety of potential candidates.

CRC Marks National Day of Prayer

About 100 people gathered in the atrium of the Christian Reformed Church office in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Thursday to quietly observe what could be the last annual National Day of Prayer.

CRC, RCA Church Planters Gather

More than 150 church planters and other leaders from both the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America gathered together recently to focus on growing new churches together.

Indigenous Groups Focus of CCG

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Committee for Contact with the Government (CCG) is encouraging Canadian congregations to participate in the proceedings of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on Indian Residential Schools.

Calvin Prof Speaks on Extremism

Will Katerberg is a professor of history and director of the Mellema Program in Western American Studies at Calvin, a post he has held since 2000.

Native Americans Need Voice

Writer and former pastor Mark Charles told a story to illustrate his thoughts and sentiments on the need for Native American voices to be included in the debate about immigration reform in the United States.

CRWRC Responds to Spring Storms

As the spring storm season has arrived in North America, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is responding to the severe weather that recently devastated parts of the eastern and southern U.S.

Rebuilding Haiti - Special Series

Chris Meehan, news and media director for the CRCNA, recently visited Haiti to view CRCNA work there first-hand. He filed this special series of reports.

Healing in Haiti Needs God

Only a theology based on the lessons learned from Christ’s death on the cross will bring healing and wholeness to the hearts and souls of those who suffered through the earthquake that caused widespread destruction in Haiti on Jan. 12.

Dealing with the Trauma

In the middle of sugar cane field near the village of Luitor, Haiti, Cleeford Dalce led a group of Haitians through a Creole version of the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” The voices joined into a sweet and solid chorus, praising God for who he is and for what he has done for people.

CRWRC Working Near Quake Epicenter

The people he met looked stunned and hardly able to move when Jozias Joosse arrived in Haiti a few days after the Jan. 12 earthquake and visited the Leogane area, which was its epicenter.

Keizer Receives Distinguished Service Award

The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) presented its 2010 Distinguished Service Award to Chaplain (Col) Herman Keizer, Jr., who recently retired as director of chaplaincy for the Christian Reformed Church.

Christian School Served As Refuge

Tony and Mary DeKoter sprang into action in different places when an earthquake rocked Haiti earlier this year, causing some 250,000 deaths and widespread destruction.

Ministry Seeks to Help Amputees

Lement Zefi stops his vehicle along the busy, exhaust-clogged streets of Port-au-Prince every time he spots an amputee.

Calvin Seminary Nominates New President

The Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) Board of Trustees has unanimously nominated Rev. Julius Medenblik to be the eighth president of the 134-year-old seminary.

BTGMI Making Headway in Haiti

Most radio stations here went off the air after the Jan. 12 earthquake. But it didn’t take long until a few were broadcasting again and, amid news of the quake, Descollines Andrikon began trying to dial in his favorite program, Perspectives Réformées.

Haitians Return to School with Hope

Students at Apostle Paul School began their first day back following the Jan. 12 earthquake by gathering under a makeshift tarp-ceiling protecting them from the hot sun and reciting verses from Psalm 47.

Evil Spirits Banished at Church Dedication

Under a dark, smoky Haitian sky, drums beat loudly and voodoo worshippers sang rhythmic songs.

Images From Haiti (April 9-15, 2010)

A photographic tour of devastation, recovery, and hope in Haiti. Photos were taken by CRC staff from April 9-15, 2010.

How the CRC is Helping Haiti

Ad de Blaeij had been working for a Dutch aid agency in Haiti for several years when he had the chance to visit a Christian Reformed World Relief Committee agricultural project in a rural part of the poverty-stricken—and recently earthquake-ravaged—Caribbean country.

Trinity Spring Break Service Trip

With guidance from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Trinity Christian College junior Katie Matthuis, president of the college’s service committee, made a list of 20 places of interest for the group’s annual spring break service trip.

Refugee Family Returns to Say Thanks

Thirty years ago, the Huyhn family fled their homeland of Vietnam and came to Canada. There, they found hope and a new life thanks in part to the hospitality of a Christian Reformed Church in Emo, Ontario. Today, they continue to be grateful for this new start, so they returned to Emo to repay the favor.

CRWRC: Refugee Legislation Mixed

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is drawing attention to recently proposed reforms to Canada’s refugee system. These reforms are mixed, containing both welcome and unwelcome provisions.

Belhar Focus of Conference

Looking ahead to Synod 2012, the Christian Reformed Church in North America in late May will launch its first regional conference to provide to church leaders biblical background and other types of information about the proposed adoption of the Belhar Confession as a fourth confession of the church.

American Indian Leader Honored

Tributes from Reformed church leaders are pouring in for Wilma Mankiller, an American Indian rights advocate who died Tuesday at 64 after a brief illness. Mankiller, a member of the Cherokee Nation in the United States, was scheduled to be a keynote speaker this June at a global assembly of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Synod Agenda Available Online

The Agenda for Synod 2010 is now available on the Synodical Resources page of the Christian Reformed Church in North America website. Hard copies of the agenda will be mailed to churches after April 15.

CRWRC Workers on Spring Break

Canadian volunteers for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee spent their spring break helping out Jeff King whose home was damaged in September 2008 by Hurricane Ike as it stormed through Galveston, Texas.

New Messages Aired After Subway Attack

Sergei Sosedkin, the Russian language leader for Back to God Ministries International, quickly reconfigured a series of Easter radio and Web messages when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in the Moscow subway system on Monday, March 29, at the start of Holy week, killing and seriously injuring about 100 people.

Calvin Students Create Atlases

Students in a Calvin College geography class have created online national atlases for Eritrea, Thailand and Nepal with more on the way. The project benefits the Calvin students, but also has the potential to make a difference in the lives of students in those countries.

Church Plant Births a Cluster

In 1990, Pastor Kevin Adams decided to team up with Home Missions to plant Granite Springs Church in fast-growing South Placer County, California.

Stewardship Bible To Be Featured

Stephen Grabill, general editor of the new NIV Stewardship Study Bible, released by Zondervan, will be a keynote speaker at the 4th annual "Christians & Money Conference" on Wednesday, April 28.

BTGMI Launches Groundwork

Beginning April 18, North American listeners will have a new discipleship program to help them grow in their faith: Groundwork.

Missionaries Start Bustling Business

Christian Reformed Church missionaries Angie Beute Sliedrecht and her husband, Tim, put together three facts from their two worlds to come up with one ingenious solution.

Canadian 'RJ' Group Launched

A national Restorative Justice association, which will work to bring the healing principles of this movement into many settings in Canada, was recently launched at a meeting that took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Group's Rebirth Leads To Changes

Having come of age in 2006, the Emuhaya disabilities group took the lead in the Western part of Kenya in organizing and spearheading activities during last year’s United Nations day of celebration for persons with disabilities.

From Dream to Reality in Brazil

Hugs and laughter, music and memories, profound gratitude and deep joy filled the room on March 23, 2010 when more than three hundred people gathered to dedicate the new International Ministry Center in Campinas, Brazil. Staff from Back to God Ministries International and its partners in Latin America recalled God’s faithfulness over the course of forty years of media ministry, as they looked forward to the new opportunities for reaching people made possible by the new facilities.

HIV/AIDS Trip

It was a night filled with much anticipation as we awaited the arrival of this year’s HIV and AIDS tour participants to arrive in Nairobi, Kenya. Phone calls, time checks, and an early night for the kids enabled me to dash out of the house on March 13 to welcome the tour participants. The wait was finally over as the tour participants arrived safely and checked in at a guesthouse on the outskirts of Nairobi. The tour would cover Kenya and Uganda.

CRC Chaplain Hosts Truth Commission

Rev. Herman Keizer, former director of Chaplaincy and Care Ministries for the Christian Reformed Church, served as the Honorary Host this past weekend at the Truth Commission on Conscience in War at Riverside Church in New York City.

CRC Expands Webinar Use

A group of people in various places across North America recently spent an hour watching and listening over their computers to a former missionary for Christian Reformed Church World Missions give a webinar on "Ministry Among Muslims."

Agencies Share Mission Stories

Christian Reformed Home Missions (CRHM) and Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) have sent out to CRC congregations the first wave of resources, including a DVD with four videos and an eight-week devotional with meditations and prayer requests, as part of a joint Easter-season project.

Please Pray for the Reed Family

Bob Reed, who has been serving as the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Justice Coordinator for the West Africa Ministry Team, passed away about 10 a.m. on March 20, 2010, in Ghana from a pulmonary embolism

Global Mission Conference Set

Rev. Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, will be the keynote speaker for “Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity,” an international conference that runs June 15-16 on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI.

Palestinian Doctor: Hatred is Poison

The Israeli tank shell crashed into the house in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp in Gaza just seconds after Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish finished talking with four of his daughters and his niece in their bedroom about the future.

CRWRC Surveys Town’s Needs

A team of eight surveyors from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee recently traveled to the Haitian town of Luitor to survey the families following the devastating earthquake that rocked parts of Haiti in January.

Small Miracles in Marjah

The bloody fighting involved in the recent incursion by US Marines and coalition forces into the Afghan town of Marjah has received worldwide media attention. The assault on Marjah, now in the mopping up stage, is the first of its kind in a new intensive focus on rooting the Taliban fighters from strongholds in Afghanistan.

Mexico Travel Warning

Due to U.S. State Department and Canadian Foreign Affairs travel warnings issued March 14 regarding travel to Mexico, Christian Reformed World Missions is temporarily suspending the ministries and travel of World Missions related volunteers in the northern border cities of Mexico.

Hope For Nigerian Inmates

Crossroad Bible Institute, a non-denominational agency recommended for support by the Christian Reformed Church, has opened a new distribution center near the Elele Prison Farm Center in Nigeria, a country which has seen repeated outbreaks of violence in recent months.

Missionary: Social Justice Not Optional

Bringing about social justice, in the world and in our own lives, is a critical teaching of the Bible. In fact, Christians have an obligation, a biblical mandate, to be involved in issues of social justice, said Rev. Albert Hamstra, a longtime Christian Reformed Church missionary.

The Network Is Taking Off

The conversation has started and connections have been made over the last month since the launch of The Network, a new website for Christian Reformed Church members to link with each other about the nuts and bolts of doing ministry.

BOT Approves New Ministry Plan

The Christian Reformed Church of North America Board of Trustees recently approved a revision to the Ministry Plan of the denomination as well as gave the go-ahead to form a task force to create a concise Identity Statement about what it means to be a member of the CRC today.

Virtual Keyboard Seeks Hymns

With Easter right around the corner, more and more people are probably getting hymn tunes stuck in their heads.

International Seminary Set For Midwest

About 70 students from North America and elsewhere around the world will be taking seminary classes this summer as part of the “Global Institute of Theology,” a program that is being held in conjunction with the meeting of the Uniting General Council in Grand Rapids, MI, in June.

Unrest Continues in Nigeria

Nomadic herdsmen from the Fulani tribe reportedly attacked several villages in the area around Jos, Nigeria, last weekend, killing several hundred members of a local Christian tribe, Christian Reformed World Missions staff says.

Faith and Writing Event Comes to Calvin

Calvin College will host more than 70 authors and about 2,000 readers, writers and other literary enthusiasts at the 2010 Festival of Faith and Writing, running Thursday through Saturday, April 15-17.

Hope Equals Organizes for Change

Several college students who are campus leaders of Hope Equals, a new peace program sponsored by Christian Reformed World Missions, gathered last weekend for a training session geared toward helping them turn their interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into action.

Concerts Help CRWRC in Haiti

Calvin College students have teamed up with the school's Social Justice Committee to plan a two-day Haiti benefit concert for this weekend to benefit the work of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

WARC Women Will Visit Ministry Sites

In June, an anticipated 250 women from as many as 100 countries will meet in Grand Rapids, Mich., to take part in an event which will precede the Uniting General Council (UGC), the gathering at which the World Alliance of Reformed Churches will merge with the Reformed Ecumenical Synod into what will be called the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

'Welcome to the CRC'

A group of eight pastors and two spouses recently gathered in Grand Rapids, Mich., to learn more about the Christian Reformed Church as part of a pilot program of the church’s Candidacy Committee, which coordinates the ordination processes of the denomination.

Donor Gives Gift for Ministry Shares

An anonymous donor has given $14,000 to Hillcrest Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, MI, to be used by the church to include as part of Hillcrest’s annual ministry shares commitment to the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

CRHM and CRWM Join In Campaign

Christian Reformed Home Missions and Christian Reformed World Missions are collaborating on a special campaign for churches that runs from Easter Sunday, April 4, until Pentecost Sunday, May 23. The two agencies have come together to shine a spotlight on how God is changing lives with the power of the Gospel in your community and around the world.

Kenyan Village Celebrates Harvest

"We were without food, We were without hope, You saw our need, And God has provided."

Missionary Transformed by Earthquake

Lesley Millar says she has never before had the range of emotions – the sheer terror and sadness as well as feelings of hope and amazing joy -- as she has experienced in the last several weeks following the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 12.

Prof Calls Trial Delay 'Miraculous'

A new trial date has been set for November in the case involving Kurt Ver Beek, a Calvin College sociology professor who recently appeared in a Honduran court to face charges of slander.

CRC Staff Safe In Chile 'Quake'

A Christian Reformed Church staff member was spared injury in the severe, 8.8-Richter scale earthquake that rocked Chile last weekend, killing at least 700 people and causing widespread damage to buildings, homes and roads.

CRWRC Gets Funds for Indonesian Homes

Two European-based organizations have committed about $306,000 in USD to help the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee continue its work in West Sumatra, Indonesia, where families are continuing to recover from an earthquake.

BOT Members Sign Hope Equals Wall

Christian Reformed Board of Trustees members had a chance this week to write messages of peace on the Hope Equals replica of the barbed-wire-topped wall that separates Israelis from those living in the Palestinian territories.

Redeemer Names New President

Hubert R. Krygsman, currently the Associate Provost and Director of the Andreas Center for Reformed Scholarship and Service at Dordt College in Iowa, has been appointed to become the third President of Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario.

CRC Offers Helping Hands in Haiti

The Help Haiti page of the Christian Reformed Church in North America continues to archive material related to the ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts going on in Haiti. Stories from CRC organizations and agencies are contained there, as well as articles with a CRC connection that have appeared in other media outlets.

Six Million in Six Weeks

Six weeks after a devastating earthquake rocked Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving more than one million homeless, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has announced record-breaking donations to help in the Haiti relief and reconstruction effort.

Tarp Distribution in Haiti

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee distributed tarps last week in Masson, Leogane, an already poor community that suffered the loss and damage of 80 percent of its homes when a 7.0 on the Richter-scale earthquake shook the area on Jan. 12.

Calvin Prof Faces Trial in Honduras

Christian Reformed Church in North America officials have sent a letter to leaders of the government in Honduras, asking that a Calvin College sociology professor, who is also a co-founder of the Association for a more Just Society, receive a fair hearing on charges of slander that go before the Honduran Supreme Court later this week

CRC Agencies Join to Help Nigeria

Christian Reformed World Missions and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee have launched a joint relief and reconciliation effort following the violence that broke out in Jos, Nigeria, last month. More than 300 people were killed and over 25,000 people were displaced.

Rebuilding the Marketplace in Haiti

Partners Worldwide, a business development ministry that has ties to the Christian Reformed Church, published a report following the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti that describes the mixed status of businesses with which Partners Worldwide is connected.

No 'Mystery' to Ethical Leadership

There is no mystery behind what it takes to be a good leader, in the business world, in education or in a Christian denomination. Good leaders are ethical, open to change, are willing to learn leadership skills, and have the ability to relate positively with those they lead.

Hymns Making a Comeback

When Bart Millard, platinum-selling lead singer of the popular Christian band Mercy Me, promised his grandmother he'd make an album of hymns, he had no idea his children would also love and sing the old songs. But they do, Millard recently revealed in an Under the Radar interview with Dave Trout.

CRWRC Still Logging Haiti Donations

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the relief and development agency for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has so far received more than $5 million in donations to help in the church’s response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

CRWRC: Tops in Sustainable Farming

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is in the top quartile of all non-governmental agencies that are currently working to bolster food security in countries around the world.

Lent and Easter Aids Available

Many resources are available for Christian Reformed Church pastors and their congregations interested in finding ways to more fully celebrate the season of Lent as well as Easter Sunday, the high point on the Christian calendar.

Leadership Exchange Presents Speaker

The newly formed Leadership Exchange of the Christian Reformed Church in North America is joining with the Department of Congregational and Ministry Studies of Calvin College to present a discussion on what it takes to lead an organization or team through change.

Calvin Hosts Crystal Cathedral Founder

Rev. Robert Schuller, author, televangelist and founder of the Crystal Cathedral in California, will reflect on his 50-year career in ministry starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, in the Calvin College Chapel in Grand Rapids, MI.

'Oral' Bible Study from Reformed Worship

A Bible study that features reading books of the Bible aloud has been occurring and growing on weekday evenings in the homes of members of All Nations Christian Reformed Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Group Pledges Commitment to Justice

Leaders of two global networks of Reformed churches set to merge in June in Grand Rapids, MI, have issued a statement declaring their commitment to a continued focus on justice concerns following the merger. The text includes a specific reference to racial justice.

Stories on Haiti Keep Unfolding

The Christian Reformed Church in North America continues to post stories and updates about its work in earthquake-damaged Haiti on its Help Haiti page.

CRC Launches 'Network' Social Website

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has launched a new website for members to connect with each other about doing ministry.

Church Structures Rest Amid Rubble

At least five Christian Reformed Church in Haiti (ECRH) church buildings in the Jacmel area, near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were destroyed in the massive earthquake of Jan. 12, says Ad deBlaeij, CRWRC-Haiti staff member.

Iraq Chaplain Sees Lives Changed

Chaplain (Captain) Richard A. Hill, a Christian Reformed Church minister, began serving a year-long deployment in August 2009 as an active-duty Army Chaplain in Iraq where needs, especially of a spiritual nature, are many.

Cambodian CRC Starts Rebuilding

Volunteers from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Disaster Response Services are busy in Utah this week, helping to rebuild a church that was burned by arsonists 2 1/2 years ago.

South Olive CRC Counts Its Blessings

A lone steeple stands as a reminder of where South Olive Christian Reformed Church had planted itself for more than 100 years.

Canadian Option Offered to Dordt Students

A new cooperative agreement between Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, will allow Canadian students who intend to enroll in Dordt's accredited engineering degree program to take their first year of study at Redeemer.

CRWRC Donations for Haiti Top $2 Million

Just three weeks after the January 12 earthquake, compassionate and creative donors across the U.S. and Canada have given more than $2 million to fund emergency relief efforts in Haiti through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org).

Help for Haiti Continues

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the disaster relief and community reconstruction agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has raised more than $1.7 million for relief work carried out by the CRWRC in earth-quake devastated Haiti, say CRWRC officials.

BTGMI Approves New Ministry Leader

Rev. Hernandes Lopes was approved as the new Portuguese ministry leader for Back to God Ministries International by the BTGMI Board at its January meeting in Palos Heights, IL.

Symposium Offers Insight and Challenges

The Calvin Symposium on Worship opened one morning last week with a service that included children performing liturgical dance as well as songs and prayer in different languages.

Fund-raising For CTS was a 'Joy'

When he took over as president of Calvin Theological Seminary, Rev. Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. thought that fund-raising would prove to be one of the harder parts of his job.

Calvin College Wins $200,000 Grant

Calvin College has received another National Science Foundation (NSF) award worth more than $200,000, funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009.

Water Specialist to Join CRWRC

Jozias Joosee, a water and sanitation specialist from ZOA Refugee Care in the Netherlands, joins the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee this weekend to assist in designing water solutions and providing for latrines and other sanitary solutions for Haitian earthquake survivors living in crowded conditions in camps.

Conference Helps Healing in Mexico

Abraham and Elaine Lee attended an “Image of God” inner- healing conference at one of their partner churches, All Nations Church CRC in Lake View Terrace, CA, last year.

Help for Haiti on Special CRC Website

Christian Reformed Church agencies, and especially the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, have been busy in the last two weeks helping to bring aid and especially medical relief to the people of earthquake-ravaged Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.

Ministry Tours with Nashville Singer

Under The Radar, a music radio ministry from ReFrame Media, the English outreach of Back to God Ministries International, finished its first-ever tour this week with a concert given by singer-songwriter Eric Peters at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI.

Merger Meeting To Offer Visitor Events

Since visitors will not be able to attend every session of this summer’s Uniting General Council meeting in Grand Rapids, MI., coordinators for the event—hosted by the Christian Reformed Church and several other denominations in the U.S.—are working to set up a range of special events and presentations for these visitors to attend.

Medical Help Arriving in Haiti

Groups of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are finally arriving to provide aid to survivors of the massive Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, says Christian Reformed World Relief Committee staff member Ad deBlaeji.

CRC Names New Chaplaincy Director

Rev. Ron Klimp has been appointed Executive Director of Chaplaincy and Care for the Christian Reformed Church in North America by Rev. Jerry Dykstra, executive director of the CRCNA.

'Piercing Wail' Followed Haiti Quake

A Christian Reformed Church missionary spoke to the news media in west Michigan yesterday, describing the terrifying experience of the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti and also how the CRC is helping the people there.

CRWRC Focuses Response on Leogane

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) will focus its current emergency response efforts in Haiti on the town of Leogane about 20 miles west of Port au Prince.

Missionaries and Staff Safe in Jos, Nigeria

Sectarian violence broke out in Jos, Nigeria, during the afternoon on Sunday, January 17. A curfew from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM was imposed late Sunday afternoon. The violence was contained in one particular area of Jos throughout Sunday evening and Monday, but on Tuesday morning the violence spread to several areas of Jos and to some of the neighboring towns.

Map of Challenges in Haiti

As Christian Reformed World Relief Committee workers continue to sort through the damage in Haiti and assess the best response to the devastation caused by the June 12 earthquake, they are faced with many logistical challenges. Other aid groups, including the United Nations, are experiencing many of the same difficulties. The United Nations has released a map that details some of the logistical challenges and how it is addressing them.

U.S. Multiculturalism is a 'Done Deal'

Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, professor of church growth and evangelism at North Park Seminary in Chicago, Ill., says church leaders who currently wonder if the United States is becoming a multicultural nation need to know that it is already "a done deal."

Two Missionary Families Return to U.S.

The wives and children of two Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) missionary families serving in earthquake-ravaged, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, have arrived in the United States. They will be staying with members of their families until the situation in Haiti stabilizes.

Help and Horror in Haiti

Christian Reformed Church in North America missionaries are reported to be safe and to have enough food and water to sustain them for now following the devastating earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince, Haiti, causing widespread destruction, deaths and injuries on Tuesday.

Madagascar Church Asks CRCNA for Help

Members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America have been asked to pray and advocate on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, a denomination with which the CRCNA has ecumenical relations.

CRC Expands Accessibility

Over the past eight years hundreds of Christian Reformed Church congregations have invested the funds and done the work to their main entrances as well as worship, classroom, restroom, and fellowship areas to make sure that they are accessible to the disabled.

Urgent Prayers Go Out for Haiti

Urgent prayer was requested on Thursday for the staff and students working with Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), the media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Missionaries Spent a Terrifying Night

The Van Dams, who serve with Christian Reformed Church World Missions, joined with their neighbors in the street to try to get some rest, because the earthquake severely damaged their home. The earthquake centered on the capital of Port-au-Prince, where the Van Dams live. The area is home to about three million people.

Earthquake in Haiti

A devastating earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Haiti at about 5:00 p.m. last evening, Jan. 12. The quake was centered near the capital, Port-au-Prince, causing catastrophic damage and widespread loss of life.

Facing Your Future Receives Lilly Grant

The Facing Your Future program at Calvin Theological Seminary has received a $350,000 Bridge Grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. to provide additional funds to help high school students take part in the popular summer enrichment program.

Ministry Transforms Pub Into Church

When the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) campus pub opened in November 2008, it didn’t have any set weekend schedule. So Neil Lettinga, pastor of the Home Missions-sponsored UNBC campus ministry, sensed an opportunity. Why not try and use the space for a weekly student gathering?

Developing Vaccine for Dogs

A Dordt College student, with help of the college’s DNA Analysis System, will start work this semester on a project that hopes to play a role in developing a wider range of vaccine for diseases that afflict dogs.

Going for the Goats

In 2009, they brought Goat Canucks Goat and raised money for 1,073 goats during the NHL hockey playoffs.

CRWM Offers New Study Guide

Christian Reformed World Missions is offering a new DVD-based study guide for 2010 that addresses key terms and trends in missions and puts focus on Guatemala, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

Point-Counterpoint at January Series

The prize-winning, nearly month-long January Series at Calvin College kicked off with two lectures this week that offered starkly different views of the role of government in the economic life of the United States.

Senior Wins Public Service Scholarship

Johannah Jelks, a Calvin College senior studying business communications, has been accepted by The Michigan Political Leadership Program, a 10-month public policy and leadership program for citizens interested in public office.

Hope Equals' Launch Successful

Christian Reformed World's Missions' launch of "Hope Equals: A Peace Movement," and the display that went along with it at Urbana 09, was successful, even exceeding "our expectations in some ways," says Albert Hamstra, CRWM's Director of Special Projects.

CRCNA Helps Resettle Refugees

The Christian Reformed Church in North America remained busy in 2009 working to resettle refugees from around the world with the help of individuals, organizations, agencies and many CRC congregations in the U.S. and Canada.

ServiceLink Links Churches with Ministries

Located in the city of Guelph, Ontario, New Life Christian Reformed Church is a medium-size congregation for whom sending young people on summer mission trips remains a high priority.

Buddhists Coming to Christ in Prison

Crossroad Bible Institute, a non-denominational agency recommended for support by the Christian Reformed Church, just opened its first Distribution Center in Asia, in the country of Singapore.

Small Group Leaders Meet

Nineteen small group ministry leaders gathered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, recently to become better equipped to help launch and grow small groups.

Time is Ticking Down on 2009

A very happy and blessed New Year from the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

2009 Was John Calvin's Year

Make no doubt about it: 2009 was a big year for Protestant reformer John Calvin, whose 500th birthday was marked around the world. CRC News wrote several stories about the year-long celebration, which started with a presentation at the January Series at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. Mich. "Calvin believed in a separation between church and state, but not a separation between religion and politics," said John Witte, Jr., a law professor at Emory University, in the opening presentation.

CRWM Launches 'Hope Equals'

Christian Reformed World Missions is launching a new initiative this week called “Hope Equals: A Peace Movement," a program geared to attract a younger generation of Christians interested in knowing more about and having an impact on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

CRC Changes Micah Challenge Responsibility

Although the Christian Reformed Church in North America remains firmly committed to the Micah Challenge and its goals, the denomination’s fiduciary responsibility for the Micah Challenge in the US is ending on schedule on Dec. 31, 2009.

Five Years After the Tsunami

An earthquake off the coast of Indonesia caused a horrific tsunami on December 26, 2004 hat took the lives of more than 300,000 people in Southern Asia.

Merry Christmas!

From all of us at CRC Communications.

CTS Students Build On-line Library

For the last two years Rester and several of his seminary colleagues have been building an online resource that puts primary Reformation sources within the reach of a scholar’s computer keyboard. Their efforts culminated recently with the launch of the Post-Reformation Digital Library or PRDL.

Help Still Needed for Merger

As next summer’s historic merger between the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) nears, much work yet needs to be done, especially in the area of recruiting volunteer churches for hosting delegates. For information on volunteering please go to www.reformedchurches.org.

Speaker Will Focus on Cultural Diversity

If the modern North American church wants to grow into the future, it better be prepared to have a vision for cultural diversity. That’s the message pastor and author Soong-Chan Rah will deliver as part of Calvin College’s upcoming January Series 2010.

CRWM Worker to Address Urbana

As one of the keynote speakers at Urbana 2009, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, team leader for Christian Reformed World Missions in El Salvador and general secretary of the Latin American Theological Fellowship, will speak about the necessity of reaching out to the uprooted and homeless people of the world. Urbana 2009 starts this weekend and will draw more than 20,000 young people, making it one of the largest mission conventions in the world.

Dordt College Receives Large Gift

While the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto has just announced a more than $4 million grant from the estate of former Archer Daniels Midland president Lowell Andreas, Dordt College is busy sorting through how to best use the gift of nearly four million dollars that it received last month from the philanthropist.

Faith Alive Offers Hymns For the Ages

They knew that “Amazing Grace” would make the cut, and that “How Great Thou Art” was a sure thing. The committee that chose the 250 hymns for Hymns for Worship, considered these songs “classical hymns,” said Calvin music professor Bert Polman.

Comparing Pew Study with CRC Survey

A researcher who helped to conduct an extensive survey of the Christian Reformed Church says people should be cautious about interpreting a recently released study indicating that people in the U.S. are increasingly mixing religious practices from different traditions.

CRC Minister Testifies on Capitol Hill

Rev. David Schuringa, president of the Crossroad Bible Institute, testified recently at a Capitol Hill hearing about legislation that would restore voting rights to persons who have been released from prison after being convicted of a crime.

ICS Receives $4.2 Million Gift

The Institute for Christian Studies (ICS) in Toronto, Ontario, has received a gift of $4.2 million from the estate of the late Lowell Andreas, the largest gift ever received by the institute.

Canadian Churches Call for Afghan Peace

Rev. Bruce Adema, Director of Canadian Ministries for the Christian Reformed Church in North America and President of the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC), has sent a letter to Canadian lawmakers drawing their attention to a significant new CCC study and report on the war in Afghanistan.

Seminary President Nominations Sought

The committee leading the search for a candidate to replace Rev. Cornelius Plantinga Jr. as president of Calvin Theological Seminary is seeking nominations from Christian Reformed church councils and pastors across North America.

Ministry Shares in Dominican Republic

Steve Brauning feels grateful for the gift of ministry shares whenever he considers such accomplishments as the organization of a new classis in the Christian Reformed Church of the Dominican Republic.

Double Sorrow at Indian Centre

The Christian Reformed Church in North America's Indian Family Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, suffered a double blow this past autumn when the community lost both its executive director and her administrator to cancer just one month apart from each other.

Teaching the World to Read

Most people from Western countries are able to read and write, and take it for granted. But for nearly a billion people around the world, that isn’t the case.

CRC Lifts Travel Restrictions to Honduras

The Crisis Management Team of the Christian Reformed Church in North America on Thursday announced that it has lifted the lengthy restriction on certain mission personnel traveling to Honduras.

Praying for the Olympic Nations

Christian Reformed World Missions is sponsoring “Prayer for the Nations,” an effort to mobilize CRCNA congregations to pray for the needs of particular countries on different days during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from Feb.12-28.

'Under the Radar' Offers Christmas Shows

Given the success of its special Thanksgiving program, Back to God Ministries International Under the Radar audio production is preparing three Christmas programs to offer to stations nationwide – especially to stations that don’t currently run Under the Radar (UTR) programming.

Students Flush To Help Others

How many times a day do you flush the toilet? Ask one of the sixth, seventh, or eighth graders at Orange City Christian School in Orange City, Iowa and they’ll be able to tell you. That’s because the students and their families set aside a certain amount of money for each flush they made on November 19 and then donated the proceeds to the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee to purchase latrines for people in Cambodia.

'Christ at the Checkpoint' Conference Set

Bethlehem Bible College, tucked into the city in which Jesus Christ was born, is sponsoring its first-ever international conference in hopes of drawing more attention to the issue of what the Bible has to say about who owns the land in that embattled part of the world.

CRCNA Seeks KAIROS Funds Reversal

The Christian Reformed Church in North America has sent a letter to the Canadian government protesting its decision to cut off funding to KAIROS, a church based non-governmental organization that includes seven of Canada’s largest denominations.

Second Annual Green Grants Awarded

First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Mich., and First CRC of Vancouver, British Columbia, have been named winners of the CRC’s second annual Green Congregation Grant.

Science Can Play Part in Worship

In the just-released web highlighter, an electronic newsletter put out by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, a science professor and an expert on preaching explain how worship that honors God as Creator can defuse culture wars between science and faith.

Song Winners Announced

Rev. David Landegent, pastor of Central Park Reformed Church in Holland, Mich., has been named the winner of the Justice Congregational Song Contest sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice.

Drug Cartels Threaten Ministry

Crossroad Bible Institute’s Cynthia Williams recently visited Juarez, the most dangerous, drug-riddled city in Mexico, to speak to seminary students who help prisoners.

Committee Releases Bible Study

The Faith Formation Committee for the Christian Reformed Church has created and posted a downloadable Bible study that offers church members a chance to view what the Bible has to say about participating in the Lord’s Supper.

Seattle Coffeehouse Reopens After Fire

Less than a month after an arsonist destroyed Seattle's popular Green Bean coffeehouse, it has reopened in a new, temporary location a few blocks away. The fire occurred on the early morning of Oct. 23.

Meeter Center Offers Web-based Tool

A newly-available, digital research tool, sponsored by the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies and the Hekman Library at Calvin College and Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., promises to aid the work of Reformation-era and other scholars from around the world.

DRS Finishes in Texas Town

Sometimes it is easy to say goodbye. That’s the case for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Disaster Response Services and the community of Port Arthur, Texas.

Hulst Installed as Calvin College Chaplain

In a colorful service that took place in the chapel at Calvin College, Rev. Mary Hulst was installed this week as chaplain of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., the 133-year-old college of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Disaster Response Team Tells Stories

Several members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Canadian-based group charged with responding quickly to earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters around the world brought many stories along with them as they made the trip to the United States this week for various meetings.

Pastors Offered Reflection in the Rockies

Rev. Norm Thomasma is inviting Christian Reformed Church pastors to follow in his footsteps and take some time next summer reflecting on their vocation amid the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

Calvin Bust Unveiled in Cuba

A bust of Protestant reformer John Calvin was recently unveiled in a park in Havana, Cuba, as a way to cap a year-long celebration of Calvin’s 500th birthday. Calvinism plays a role in the religious life of Cuba in part because of the more-than-25-year work of the Cuban Christian Reformed Church.

CRWM Staffs Newest Mission Field

Rev. Mwaya WaKitavi and his wife, Munyiva, have returned to their homeland to work as missionaries in Christian Reformed World Missions' newest mission field, East and Southern Africa.

CRC Urges Action on Euthanasia Bill

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Disability Concerns office has issued an action alert, asking church members in Canada to contact lawmakers to register their protests against a bill legalizing euthanasia that is now making its way through the Canadian Parliament.

Ecumenical Meeting Needs Volunteers

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles when the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) unite next summer in Grand Rapids, Mich., to form a new body representing millions of Reformed and Presbyterian Christians worldwide. This united body will be called the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).

Transformation in the Dominican Republic

Rev. Mario Matos uses a variety of means to bring transformation to the schools, churches and overall society of the Dominican Republic.

Calvin Prof's Take on Ben Franklin

He went by many descriptions: Founding Father. Discoverer of electricity. Publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanack. Master statesman. Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Any of these serve as an apt descriptor of Benjamin Franklin.

Home Missions Focuses on Clusters

More than 60 people will gather in Calgary, Alberta, next week to talk about how new ministries are starting and growing in regional ministry clusters and networks. The meeting, hosted by Christian Reformed Home Missions, directly precedes the biannual Church Planting Congress, an ecumenical gathering of church planters from across Canada.

Remembering Joe Lamigo’s Gifts

Joetique Lamigo, Philippines Country Consultant for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, passed away earlier this week of a sudden medical condition. He served with the CRWRC for more than 25 years and celebrated his 60th birthday on October 31. He is survived by his wife, Arlyn, his five children and their spouses, and his six grandchildren.

DORR Training Challenges Stereotypes

About 20 people from various backgrounds, including current missionaries, spent two days this week considering the sin of racism and how it applies to their own lives and the world at large as they underwent the Dance of Racial Reconciliation Training (DORR) in the Grand Rapids, MI., office of the Christian Reformed Church.

Dordt Celebrates Calvin’s Birthday

Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa, celebrated the 500th birthday of John Calvin by holding on Nov. 5-6 a Calvin, Worship, and the Arts Workshop that involved representatives of several Christian Reformed Church agencies and organizations.

New VP of Enrollment Named at Calvin

Russell Bloem has been named vice president for enrollment at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI.

Ecumenical Group Sends Letter

The Executive Committee of the Reformed Ecumenical Council has sent a letter to the South African members of the REC and of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) concerning and clarifying the status of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (NHKA) related to the union of the REC and the WARC.

Nigerian Family Committed to Outreach

With just a bit of tell-tale gray around the temples, a glance at John Orkar tells you that he is a strong, vibrant 60-year-old. Although the average life expectancy in his native Nigeria is less than 47 years, it’s a challenge for a much younger person to keep up with Orkar’s speaking schedule as he travels through North America this month.

Worship Symposium Opens Registration

Registration is now open for the Calvin Symposium on Worship, an annual event that draws hundreds of church members from a range of denominations, especially the Christian Reformed Church, as well as speakers, theologians, musicians, liturgists and preachers from around the world.

Calvin Prof Sees Hope in Honduras

Kurt Ver Beek, a professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI., and advocate for peace and justice in Honduras, is hopeful that true democracy can finally come to Honduras following a military coup in June that forced the country’s president Manuel Zelaya to leave by plane to Costa Rica, Ver Beek said in a press conference today that was broadcast over the Internet.

Ministry Shares Help CRWM do Education

Christian Reformed World Missions has developed a new Missions Education & Engagement Team (MEET) whose primary aim is to educate and motivate local churches for global outreach.

Restorative Justice Resources Available

Since the Christian Reformed Synod has encouraged its churches to "preach and teach restorative justice," Restorative Justice Week, Nov. 15-22, can be a good time to do just that -- preach and teach and maybe even start a ministry with restorative justice as its focus.

CRWRC Holds Travel-to-Africa Contest

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is holding a contest starting this month for those want to travel to Africa to see community development, particularly in the area of HIV/AIDs education, prevention and relief, up close.

CRHM Worker Translates Bible Study

Viviana Cornejo, ministry developer for Hispanic ministry for Christian Reformed Home Missions, recently translated into Spanish a Coffee Break Bible study for Latino woman attending a weekly program connected to Crosswinds CRC in North Holland, MI.

Preaching Professor Addresses Grief

In times of economic recession as well as when people are suffering from loss and grief, the pastor of a church has a significant role to play, a Duke University Divinity School professor told a group at Calvin Theological Seminary on Thursday.

Partnerships, Microloans Help Businesses

“Business is the greatest hope for the world’s poor,” said Doug Seebeck, executive director of Partners Worldwide, at the organization’s recent summit in Grand Rapids, MI.

Fire Guts Popular CRC Coffeehouse

The Green Bean, a popular Seattle, Wash., coffeehouse owned and operated by a Christian Reformed Church congregation in the city’s Greenwood neighborhood was destroyed in a fire early in the morning of Oct. 23.

Group to Bring War-Injured Youth to U.S.

Calvin College history professor Bert de Vries has joined with others in the West Michigan area to start a program that will focus on bringing children who have been seriously injured by war in Gaza and Iraq to this country for treatment.

CRC Minister Finds Lively Worship in Africa

Rev. Ed Tamminga found it a little hard to keep clapping his hands for an hour at the start of exuberant Pentecostal worship services at a seminary and at various churches in Uganda.

Persecuted Christians Focus of Prayer

The Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice wants to remind churches that The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP), a global day of intercession for persecuted Christians worldwide, takes place Sunday, Nov. 8.

CRWM Supports Nigerian Church Leader

With the assistance of Christian Reformed World Missions, the CRC of Nigeria (CRCN) has committed to raising the support to help the former president of the Veenstra Theological Seminary in Nigeria earn his doctorate in African Christianity at a Christian training center in Ghana.

CRC Offers Guidelines in Flu Season

The Christian Reformed Church is providing information to help people and congregations minimize the risk of potential exposure, illness, and spread of flu viruses including the H1N1 (swine flu) virus.

Safe Church Teams and Justice

Gail Rice, a former teacher now engaged in prison ministry at the Cook County Jail in Chicago, spoke of being confronted with the concept of restorative justice after the murder of her brother, a Denver, Colo., police officer.

CRC, RCA Leaders Visit Holy Land

Leaders from the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) recently joined RCA missionaries Marlin and Sally Vis for a week-long pilgrimage and educational tour of the Holy Land, including visits to historic and sacred sites in Israel and the Palestinian West Bank.

Disabilities Booklet Available

A handbook for disability advocates and others interested in making their churches more accessible in the Christian Reformed Church, or in other denominations, has been compiled and is now available for free from the CRC’s office of Disability Concerns.

CRWRC Recognized For Refugee Sponsorship

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has been recognized by the government of Canada for its role in sponsoring refugee families and welcoming them into Canada.

Baking and Business in Panama

Last spring, 13 students and two adult sponsors from Calvin College flew to Panama to visit a bakery—but not just to try the bread. As members of Calvin’s chapter of Global Business Brigade, the group visited Isla Tigre, an island in the Kuna Yala comarca (or district) to assess and fix the financial and technical problems the bakery was facing. The group also taught better business practices to the community before returning home to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Trinity College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Trinity Christian College’s 50th anniversary Jubilee! celebration welcomed hundreds of alumni, students, professors, and friends of the College in early October, beginning with 1,400 guests attending the formal dinner and program at Navy Pier in Chicago.

Plantinga to Step Down as CTS President

Rev. Dr. Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. has informed the Calvin Theological Seminary Board of Trustees that he will step down as president of the institution at the end of the 2010-2011 academic year.

Seeking Restoration, Not Revenge

Walking the cell blocks of federal prisons for more than 20 years, Rev. John Lamsma had a great deal of experience in learning first-hand what did and did not work in integrating inmates fully back into a community upon their release.

CRWRC Awarded $1.4 Million Grant

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has been awarded a $1.4 million innovation grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID*) that started September 30, 2009.

CRC Endorses Immigration Reform

The Board of Trustees for the Christian Reformed Church recently endorsed a resolution from the National Association of Evangelicals calling for (legislative action) reform of the U.S. immigration system. The BOT approved the resolution at its meeting in Grand Rapids, MI., at the end of September.

CRC Pushes for Travel to Cuba

Representatives from the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice (OSJ) recently met with U.S. policymakers in Washington, D.C. to advocate for legislation that calls for an end to the ban on travel to Cuba.

CRWRC Ramps Up Responses

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is building a multi-phase response to two powerful earthquakes that rocked Indonesia last week, including Padang, Sumatra, the city at one quake’s epicenter.

Ethics Expert Named to Lectureship

Calvin College Philosophy professor Ruth Groenhout has been named the Calvin Worldview Lecturer for 2009-2010. Throughout the school year, she will visit universities in North America and Europe to speak about care and justice in medicine.

All They Need is a Pick-up

Christian Reformed World Missions and Pentecostal Assemblies of God – Uganda are on their way toward advancing God’s Kingdom, relieving hunger and ensuring the development of future Christian leaders in Uganda, by establishing a dairy farm.

DVD Series Looks at Book of Revelation

"God Wins," a new, eight-session DVD packet accompanied by a leader's guide, provides an alternative, more peaceful look at the Book of Revelation than the one promoted by the best-selling "Left Behind" series of apocalyptic novels by authors Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins, says Rev. Lew Vender Meer, a pastor who adapted the video series from several sermons he preached on the topic.

Calvin Prof to Lecture on Election Survey

Corwin Smidt, director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College, will present the findings of a survey he conducted of about 3,000 people before and after the 2008 presidential election at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Visits CRC

Once a communist guerilla fighter and now a staunch Christian, Tamrat Layne, the former prime minister of Ethiopia, visited and spoke with administrative and missions officials at the Grand Rapids office of the Christian Reformed Church on Friday.

Flood of Disasters Keep CRWRC Busy

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is providing immediate, emergency aid in Asia in response to a sequence of catastrophic disasters that occurred over the last week.

CRWRC Responds to Philippines Typhoon

The Christian Reformed Relief Committee is working with local churches and disaster response teams in metro Manila to distribute emergency supplies to survivors of Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines.

Mission Trips Emphasize Prayer

Christian Reformed World Missions has teamed up with Prayer Missions International (PMI) to offer pastors, church members, and prayer warriors the opportunity to support the mission of God through short-term mission trips centered on prayer.

Faithful Focus Needed on Afghan War

Now is a good time for members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America to pay closer and prayerful attention to what steps their political leaders take in the continued prosecution of the war in Afghanistan, says Mike Hogeterp, research and communications manager for the Committee for Contact with the Government of the Christian Reformed churches in Canada.

Ministry Shares Build Healthy Churches

By participating with the Sustaining Congregational Excellence program, some 300 smaller Christian Reformed Church in North America congregations have in the last two years started new ministries, enhanced older ones, taken part in learning events or upgraded computers and other forms of technology in their churches.

CRC Survey Results Released

In order to help build healthy churches, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and its congregations, need to focus more on spiritual development, stewardship education, disciple-making, leadership training and simply “keeping in touch” – that is, providing a more personal connection between church leaders and people in the pews, according to the results of a survey whose final results were released Thursday.

CRC Cares for Creation with Rain Garden

About 20 volunteers from the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s office in Grand Rapids, MI., have transformed an area of lawn and overgrown weeds around a storm drain near the office into a native rain garden.

CRC Starts New Mission Work in Africa

Rev. Mwaya Wa Kitavi never dreamed that he and his wife, Munyiva, would one day return to their homeland to open a new mission field with some of the people they know best and with whom they have close ties.

Calvin Professor Seeks Prayer for Honduras

Kurt Ver Beek, a sociology professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI., is calling on Christian Reformed Church in North America congregations to join in an international day of prayer and fasting this Sunday to draw attention to the ongoing political turmoil in Honduras.

'We Owe Our Existence to Ministry Shares'

As soon as he had the chance, church planter Chris Mitchell started to tell the people in his fledgling congregation about the Christian Reformed Church’s system of raising funds through Ministry Shares.

Green Grants Available

Once again, the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice is inviting churches to apply to receive a Green Congregational Grant.

Letting Her Light Shine by Fighting AIDS

Kristin Vanderwell decided to let her light shine beyond her usual neighborhood by participating this summer in a program for children with AIDS in Haiti.

Accra Confession Discussed at Meeting

Peter VanderMeulen, coordinator of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice, says a recent meeting of some 60 church leaders from the soon to merge World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) surpassed expectations.

Evangelist Thankful for Ministry Shares

Rev. Sergei Sosedkin, director of Russian outreach for Back to God Ministries International, says he amazed by the generous support that Christian Reformed Church members give to the work of the church through its Ministry Shares system.

CRC, RCA Join Efforts in Disability Ministry

The Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America have begun a partnership to work closely together in ministering to members with disabilities.

CRC Missionary to Speak at Urbana

Ruth Padilla DeBorst, a Christian Reformed World Missions missionary in Latin America, will be one of the keynote speakers at Urbana 09, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship’s biennial student mission conference.

Visiting Professor to Speak at Calvin

Dr. Christian Smith, professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, will speak at Calvin College on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 pm in the Gezon Auditorium. His presentation is titled "Understanding the Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults in the U.S."

inSpirit Church is Ready to Launch

About 150 people listened as Pastor Randy Ledeboer began speaking about the vision for starting and building “inSpirit Church” – a newly formed “unique church” that meets in a office/warehouse just south of Grand Rapids, Mich., in the Cutlerville - Byron Center area.

CRHM To Offer Reformation Devotional

Devotions linked to the transformational work of Christian Reformed Home Missions will be made available as daily emails, as well as be accessible on the web and in printed form as well, proceeding Reformation Sunday.

Prison Ministry Opens Inmate Art Gallery

Crossroad Bible Institute is opening an art gallery that will feature on a rotating basis works created by prison inmates with whom the institute has worked.

New Version of NIV Set for 2011

Representatives from the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), Biblica, and the Christian publisher Zondervan met at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill., this week to announce the first update to the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible in 25 years.

Youth to Youth Breaks Barriers

Culture can be a big barrier between people from very different places who want to get to know one another better.

Banner Posts Homosexuality Debate Story

In an article posted to its website, The Banner provides details about the recent statement issued by the Calvin College board of trustees about how faculty and staff may write and speak about the issue of homosexuality.

Food Security, Three Hectares at a Time

Land banks in Nicaragua have helped to transform the lives of more than 80 farmers and their families, Mark VanderWees, a mission worker with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), writes in a recent newsletter.

Gifts for Grateful Angolan Pastors

Thanks Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) Portuguese ministry, 50 pastors in the south-central African country of Angola have received the gift of 300 books, including Bibles, devotional booklets, Bible study and doctrinal study materials.

CRWRC Responds to Drought in Kenya

Kenya is drying up. Crops are stunted, livestock are dying, and 3.8 million people – an increase of one million people this year - are facing significant hunger.

Calvin College Opens for Everyone

As Calvin College opens for the Fall semester next week, many students as well as teachers with various disabilities will take advantage of the school’s remarkably wide range of services geared to help everyone live up to their potential.

Conference Focuses on Faith and Action

Elders and deacons, pastors, and church outreach directors, along with anyone else who is interested in learning more about doing missions work and outreach in North America and beyond, are invited to attend the Faith and Action Conference set for Oct. 17 at Providence Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Mich.

Partners Addresses HIV/AIDS in Africa

Through a new initiative called Jobs 2 Hope, Partners Worldwide is banding together with programs in Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa to use job creation as a way to restore hope to hundreds of thousands of people who are vulnerable to and affected by HIV/AIDS.

CRWRC Continues Work in Texas

While Hurricane Bill sent sea waves crashing over the Northeastern coastline last weekend, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee disaster response director Bill Adams’s mind was on a different storm track—the Gulf Coast.

Intern Preached Behind Prison Walls

Rick Admiraal was a little intimidated when he arrived from Calvin Theological Seminary to do his internship at Cornerstone Prison Church, which meets inside the South Dakota State Penitentiary.

A Handful of Rice

One day, after years of helping her husband nurture the growing church in the small state of Mizoram in India, Katherine Alen Williams was pondering how they could support a Bible Woman (evangelist) who had almost no income.

Missionary Union Tours Conclude

A long-standing tradition is ending in the Christian Reformed Church this year with the discontinuing of Missionary Union tours.

A Mission Legacy of Hugs

Former Christian Reformed Church missionary Dirk Vander Steen opened his arms and warmly accepted a hug from the disfigured woman at the Leprosy Settlement in Mkar, Nigeria.

CRC Marks 50 Years of Ties with Cuba

Fifty years ago this summer, the Christian Reformed Church Synod agreed to look into opening a mission field in Cuba and to help support the Reformed congregations that already were in existence there.

Calvin College Uncovers Art Mystery

In 2007, neurologist and 1955 alumnus Cornelius “Kees” Van Nuis, donated 16 paintings to the permanent collection at Calvin College. Among them was Barn Interior, a pastoral scene of a woman and two children inside a barn by artist Egbert van der Poel.

TLT Teaches Leadership Basics in Uganda

Josh Shaarda, a long-time missionary in Africa, says Timothy Leadership Training (TLT) is quickly becoming one of the foremost training programs used by Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries to encourage and equip local leaders in communities around the world.

Cambodian CRC Moves Forward

Arsonists burned down the office building of a tiny Cambodian Christian Reformed Church situated in the Western suburbs of Salt Lake City in October of 2007.

Advent is Right Around the Corner

Even as summer unfolds and temperatures sizzle, the September issue of Reformed Worship has been released and is filled with resources for planning and leading worship during the Advent season.

Book Addresses Dangers of Internet Sex

Faith Alive Christian Resources has just released Behind Closed Doors, a book by two psychologists that chronicles the problem of addiction to Internet pornography among Christians, including pastors, describes problems that this type of addiction can create, and provides solutions for how people can break the cycle of addiction.

OSJ Suggests House Party

The Office of Social Justice for the Christian Reformed Church is helping to provide materials to church members interested in hosting a house party this summer to discuss, meditate upon, and learn how to do work that advocates for immigration reform in the United States.

CRC Chaplain Serves on Iraqi Oil Rig

Rev. Lt. Shawn Bootsma is a U.S. Navy chaplain who is assigned to a destroyer squadron that has been deployed on an oil rig in the waters off Iraq.

CRWRC Offers Aid to Zimbabwe

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org) will begin a project in the coming months through a partner agency that works in Zimbabwe. The new program will provide in-school feeding to students in a targeted community over the next few months.

Urban Youth Hear About Agape Love

More than 170 young people from cities all over North America gathered recently to hear Rev. Glenn Hudson give a challenging message about love—the kind of agape love that Jesus Christ promoted and not the type of love as portrayed in popular culture.

Trinity Christian College Marks 50 Years

Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill., the site of the Christian Reformed Church's Synod 2009 and site for Synod 2010, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a range of activities and remembrances.

Prison Ministry Expands

Crossroad Bible Institute, a church-based prison ministry that is recommended for support by the Christian Reformed Church, has opened a new Distribution Center in Quito, Ecuador.

CRWM Speaker’s Bureau Offers Services

Christian Reformed World Missions is making available a number missions leaders, who are also veteran missionaries, to preach and speak about what God is doing through CRWM missionaries and some of the challenges they face in different parts of the world.

Web Highlighter Offers Latest on Worship

Emily Brink reports about the recent meeting of the 2009 Hymn Society in the United States and Canada that met at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., in the latest issue of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Web Highlighter.

Acts of Synod 2009 Book Soon Available

The hard-copy version of the Acts of Synod 2009 – the official record of actions taken at this year’s synod – will soon be sent out to members of church councils of congregations in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The book will also be available for sale through Faith Alive Christian Resources.

CRWRC Brings Disaster Relief to Alaska

Earlier this month, a hulking barge floating Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) materials upriver brought more than building supplies to the tiny village of Tanana, Alaska.

Calvin College Exceeds Campaign Goal

In only the second major fundraising campaign in its 133-year history, Calvin College has raised $155 million, exceeding the original $150 million goal set by the college in 2007.

CRWRC Launches Hunger Program

For 30 years, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has held an annual program to highlight global hunger and to provide resources to people and churches that are seeking ways to alleviate it.

Seminarians to Review 'Real-Life' Scenarios

Calvin Theological Seminary seniors will soon be required to take a Spring Semester course that will ask them to focus on, evaluate and suggest a resolution to a real-life, problematic situation that has confronted a pastor or church leader in a CRC congregation.

OSJ Offers Prayer for World ‘Hot Spots’

In part to make people aware of potentially volatile situations occurring around the world, the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice is sending out every week a list of events or situations that can be the focus of prayer on Sundays in CRC congregations.

Kenyan Sworn in as Military Chaplain

Pastor Cornelius Muasa raised his right hand on Monday morning and listened as Rev. Herman Keizer spoke the words that made Muasa one of the first African-Americans to serve as a military chaplain in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

CRC Foundation Launches New Web Site

The Christian Reformed Church Foundation has launched its new web site, which contains, among other aspects, descriptions of the mission, the history and current projects of the Foundation. Also there is a link that connects people to information about estate planning provided by other organizations.

Retired Dairy Farmers Called to Mission

If not for a project involving dairy cows in Uganda, Sam De Jong would likely have stayed home on his farm in Washington. Instead, he was one of 15 new missionaries who went through orientation this week with Christian Reformed World Missions.

Missionary Watches Honduras From Afar

Ellen Van Tongeren, a Christian Reformed World Missions missionary, left the small Central American country of Honduras in early June about three week before the current political strife began. She had traveled to the United States to be with her sister who is sick.

Pastors Get Training at Korean Institute

About a dozen Korean pastors listened intently this week as Rev. Peter Borgdorff sketched the history of the relationship between the Christian Reformed Church in North America and South Korean Christians.

CRC Picks Leadership Exchange Director

The Christian Reformed Church has selected Chris Pullenayegem as the first director of its new Leadership Exchange.

Two Years After Hurricane Felix

In only four hours two years ago, Hurricane Felix destroyed 30,000 homes and leveled over 1,100 square miles of rainforest on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Heavy rainfall in the following week flooded an additional 5,000 homes and destroyed 90 percent of the rice harvest.

WM Partners to Start Churches in India

Christian Reformed World Missions is working with three partner organizations to establish and support a church growth and training project in India.

New Paths to Ministry in the CRC

Rev. Dominic Palacios took the traditional path to ordination in the Christian Reformed Church by earning a Master of Divinity Degree at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Hope Packs Go Out to the Needy

Elim Christian Services has shipped out thousands of Elim Hope Packs, containing basic school supplies, to communities in the U.S. and in several countries around the world ever since the idea for this ministry took hold in 2007.

Calvin Profs Explain U.S. Health Care Debate

Two Calvin College professors offer an educational, in-depth look at the on-going debate over health care coverage in the U.S., providing background on the proposals being addressed by Congress and suggesting ways that a new, healthier system might be developed.

Looking for ‘Mission-minded’ Librarians

The Christian Reformed Church, in conjunction with the Reformed Church in America, is seeking mission-minded, volunteer librarians to work in evangelical Christian colleges and other institutions in developing countries.

Red HAT Busy Fighting HIV/AIDS

With help from five Christian Reformed World Mission’s Short-Term Mission volunteers , the Red HAT program recently began its campaign to bring HIV and AIDS education and awareness to youth in the Philippines.

CRC Hopeful for End to Honduran Crisis

Christian Reformed Church missionary workers Caspar and Leanne Geisterfer are hopeful that resolution will come soon to the political crisis in Honduras.

Campus Minister Hired at Fanshawe College

Several years ago, while Kelly Sibthorpe was working as a youth pastor, he realized that youth who struggle for identity need to identify with Christ.

John Calvin’s Birthday Brings Discussion

As Reformed institutions worldwide prepare to celebrate the 500th anniversary on Friday, July 10, of the birth of Protestant Reformation leader, John Calvin, leaders of a global movement of Reformed churches have issued a statement calling on Christians to consider Calvin as a source of inspiration for responding to contemporary social and environmental concerns.

Faith Alive Publishes Booklet on Judges

Faith Alive Christian Resources has just published "Discover Judges," the latest in its Discover Your Bible Series.

International Aid Closes

Officials at International AID in Spring Lake, Mich., last week said they were ceasing operations effective immediately. They are currently seeking partners that could help them fulfill commitments the agency has already made to mission and humanitarian programs worldwide.

Trinity College Praises New Arts Facility

Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill, dedicated its new Art and Communication Center at the start of the 2008-2009 academic year and the facility has remained busy and lived up to expectations throughout the fall and winter sessions.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Chan Tha Becomes a Community Leader

Thirty-one year-old Chan Tha didn’t consider herself a leader

Responding in Japan | CRWRC

In the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear threat that brought the world’s attention to Sendai, Japan, CRWRC is working on a coordinated response with local, denominational, and interdenominational partners to help survivors put their lives back together.