CHURCH NEWS

Calls Extended:

To Rev. A.W. Verhoef, of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, by the St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Congregation.

Calls Declined:

To the Norwich, Ontario, Canada, Congregation, by Rev. W.C. Lamain, of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

MRS. A. VERGUNST

Mrs. Vergunst recently underwent a second operation on her hip. May the Lord strengthen her in all these deep ways, and sanctify them to her heart. Then it would not all be in vain. Only with the Lord can we go through this life, and with Him we can leave this life, of which, as we find in the Word of God, the best part is labor and sorrow.

On October the 6th, Mrs. Vergunst was priviledged to return home again to her dear children.

The Editor

MRS. REV. J. VAN ZWEDEN DIES

On Saturday, September 25, 1982, Mrs. Mary VanZweden passed away after a brief illness, namely, acute leukemia. She had been a widow since Nov. 9, 1979, when at that date her husband, Rev. John VanZweden, passed away. Since that time she made her home with her children, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Van Zweden of Sioux Falls, where she had a small apartment and received much loving care. She attained the age of 93 years, 11 months, and 23 days, numbered with the extra strong, but death came at length. It is a calling for all, young and old: “Prepare thy house, for thou shalt die and not live.”

The funeral service took place Tuesday, September 28, 1982, at Rock Valley, Iowa, with Rev. A.M. DenBoer, moderator of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Rock Valley, officiating. Rev. DenBoer read from Ecclesiastes 12:1–8, and the text for the service was Hebrews 9:27–28: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” The main emphasis was that the Lord knows them that are His and that He is a righteous Judge. He spoke about the brevity of life. Although we may be numbered with the strong, in the face of eternity it is but a moment.

May the Lord remember the sorrowing family: 4 sons, 2 daughters, 21 grandchildren, and 27 greatgrandchildren.

Henry Spaans

P.S.

The children, and also Rev. A.M. DenBoer had notified us of Mrs. VanZweden’s death, but alas, because of my many duties it was not possible for me to attend the funeral. We would have liked to be present because of the great place she occupied in the congregations of Passaic and Rock Valley. In all things she lived along with the congregations. Her life was in much darkness and strife. She has spoken about having an opening for her soul, but about that she also had much strife, until toward the end when she told her children that there was peace in her soul.

The Lord strengthen the family, and sanctify the calling for young and old to true conversion, and especially to the glory of His Name.

The Editor

NOVEMBER 12, 1922

The date that I wrote above this article is that of an event that took place 60 years ago, and that still lives in the memory of a part of our congregation in Grand Rapids.

That was the day on which the first English service was held in a hall at 350 Leonard Street N.W., under the leadership of Mr. T. Stehouwer and Mr. P. DeMeester from the Turner Ave. congregation, and Mr. D. DeBruyn and Mr. J. DeMeester of the Division Avenue congregation. There are still a few members living with us, who have lived through this.

Mr. Morris VanderJagt was one of them who was appointed by the Turner Ave. church. Later, when the congregation was organized, he was chosen as elder. Mr. Clayton VanDyke also was one of the members, and later he served as an elder.

The necessity of having services in the English language became more and more evident. In all the years that lay behind us, we must acknowledge that the blessing of the most high God has rested upon forming our own denomination, and using the English language in order to build up our congregations, and to keep our coming and rising generation from drifting away.

May the God of our fathers, also in the future, bedew the preaching and reading and the instructions with the Holy Spirit, especially since the old doctrine comes more and more into the background.

Song of Solomon 4:16

The Editor - Rev. W.C. Lamain

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