News

With joy, Classis Ontario West, May 20, 2020 (London) can declare that Rodney den Boer (rdenboer@crts.ca) sustained his Licensure Exam and (according to Art. 21 C.O.) has been granted permission to speak an Edifying Word in the Canadian and American Reformed Churches.

With thankfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ, the institution of the Niagara South Canadian Reformed Church will take, DV, on Friday, May 8, AD 2020 at 7:30 PM. Due to current meeting restrictions, the service will be conducted via the livestream channel of the Dunnville Canadian Reformed Church. The service will be officiated jointly by Rev. Peter Holtvlüwer and Rev. John VanWoudenberg.

 

For your information, going forward the Niagara South church will not be holding its own worship services until its rented facilities in Welland are open for use. Members are encouraged to continue weekly worship via the livestream services of either Dunnville or Spring Creek Canadian Reformed Churches. For more information contact elder Nick VandenOever (nickwvdo@gmail.com).

The Reformed Evangelism Taskforce recently launched a new website called reformedevangelismresources.org. On it one will find the Bible course - A Gift from Heaven, back issues of the evangelism magazines: Evangel, Soul, and Outreach. It also has a course on the Apostles' Creed.

The press release of Classis Northern Ontario, convened online on April 2, 2020, has been posted.

In Memoriam – Jakob Geertsema (1935-2020)

“Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust” (Ps 40:5).

On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, the LORD took Prof. Jakob Geertsema from this life and into eternal glory.  He was 84 years old.  He pastored congregations in Opende-Surhuisterveen, NL, Carman, MB, Chatham, ON, and Surrey, BC, and after that also taught as professor of New Testament studies at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary for fifteen years.  He is lovingly remembered by our church community.  With humility and sincerity, he served all whom the Lord put on his path: family, congregations, federation, seminary, and the church worldwide.  He was dearly loved and deeply appreciated as a wise and pastoral man. May our heavenly Father comfort the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the Geertsema family at this time.

Further details can be found on the website of the Kitching, Steepe & Ludwig funeral home.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:21).

The Press Release of Classis Central Ontario (Burlington - Ebenezer), March 13, 2020.

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ:

We are currently in the middle of uncertain and unsettling times with the recent COVID-19 developments, but we know Jesus Christ is the true and certain king of creation and that God is the God of peace (Revelation 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). The LORD is sovereign and we rest in him in the middle of the brokenness of this fallen creation.

The COVID-19 related social distancing measures have significantly disrupted the regular weekly rhythm of the means of grace in the local church and we encourage people to participate in the ministry of the gospel at their local church as much as possible. If, however, your church does not offer streaming services, or you are looking for a place online where you can find the faithful proclamation of the gospel of God’s grace for us in Jesus Christ, we have compiled a list of the Canadian Reformed Churches who are offering streaming services or sermons. This list is being continually updated and can be found here.

The press release for Classis Niagara (Dunnville), March 11, 2020 has been posted.

The Press Release for Classis Alberta (Neerlandia South), March 10, 2020 has been posted.

A decision has been made to postpone the Devon Institution until further notice. Because of the unusual virus environment, and due to at least 3 office bearers were unable to be installed, it was concluded that Immanuel Canadian Reformed Church services will revert back to the 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m services this Sunday (March 15, 2020), also till further notice. 

Immanuel Canadian Reformed Church as of this writing will still hold services tomorrow.

Updates will be sent in due time.

In connection with the COVID-19 outbreak, the following churches have cancelled their worship services for March 15, 2020.

Note, many churches are still making their services available via livestream. For more information, visit their websites or contact those churches directly.

To have your church added to this list, please contact the website committee at comments@canrc.org.

A day of prayer can be proclaimed by the two churches appointed for this (Rehoboth of Burlington/Waterdown and Providence of Edmonton) at their combined initiative. We hereby proclaim Sunday, March 22 a day of prayer for the churches in light of the COVID-19 reality that is sweeping the country.

Church Order Art. 54 describes the criteria for the proclamation of a day of prayer: “In time of war, general calamities, and other great afflictions the presence of which is felt throughout the churches, a day of prayer may be proclaimed by the churches appointed for that purpose by general synod.”   When we consider how the Coronavirus has disrupted the way of life in Canada, the United States, and throughout the world, the situation meets the prescribed criteria for a day of prayer. As Christians we do not need to panic, but we look to the LORD for help in this crisis and pray collectively as churches that the LORD may give healing to those who are sick, stop the spread of this virus, grant wisdom to our leaders, give calmness to people, bring back normalcy to our way of life, and cause our nations to look to him for help.

On behalf of the Rehoboth and Providence Councils,

Rev. Clarence J. VanderVelde
Rev. Mark ten Haaf

The Press Release from January 16, 2020 meeting of the Board of Governors for the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary (CRTS) has been posted.

Rev. Rolf den Hollander, minister of the Covenant Canadian Reformed Church in Grassie, has accepted the call extended to him to serve as pastor by the Free Reformed Church in Legana, Tasmania. He has subsequently declined the calls to him from The Free Reformed Church of West Albany and The Free Reformed Church of Baldivis.

Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church of Burlington has extended a call to Rev. William Boekestein of Immanuel Fellowship United Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan