CHURCH NEWS

Calls Declined:

To the Norwich, Ontario, Canada Congregation by Rev. C. Kleppe of Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.

To the Bradford-Toronto, Ontario, Canada Congregations by Rev. M. Golverdingen of s’Gravenzande, the Netherlands.

REMINDER

The Lord willing, the Youth Conference will be held in Kalamazoo on Saturday, June 30. Accommodations can be arranged with Tim De Visser, 921 Sheridan Drive, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001, Phone 616/349–4582, or Becky Markus, 8750 West “S” Avenue, Schoolcraft, Michigan 49087, Phone 616/ 668–2545.

SYNODICAL OFFICE-BEARER’S CONFERENCE — June 19, 1984

On June 19, 1984, at 2:15 p.m., our regular synodical office-bearers conference will be held in the Grand Rapids Church sanctuary addition. The speakers and schedule, D.V., is as follows:

2:15–2:55 — Rev. A.W. Verhoef: An Appropriate Topic

2:55–3:10 — Questions answered by Rev. Verhoef.

3:10–3:30 — Coffee break

3:30–4:10 — Elder N. Greendyk: Catechizing the Youth.

4:10–4:25 — Questions answered by Mr. Greendyk.

May God’s richest blessing rest upon this conference. May He provide converted and called officebearers among us who are personally acquainted with the great and all-sufficient Office-bearer, Jesus Christ, through whom all office-bearing instruction must ultimately be received.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE MINISTRY OF WORD AND SACRAMENT

On the thirteenth of October, 1983, it was thirty-five years ago that Rev. M. Heerschap was installed in the ministry at Wageningen by Rev. Dr. Steen-blok. Six years later he moved to North America in order to serve as the first minister of the congregation of Lethbridge, then recently established among the immigrants in Southern Alberta. In 1956, Rev. Heerschap returned to the Netherlands, having accepted a call from Borssele. Four years later he returned to North America, this time to a congregation in the East at Paterson, New Jersey. In 1967 he moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, where he remained until 1973. Later he returned to Lethbridge for a second time where he may still serve until the present moment.

The congregations in North America have had Rev. Heerschap for twenty-five of these thirty-five years; the congregation of Lethbridge a total of more than twelve years — or more than one-third of his ministry to date.

The consistory of Lethbridge called a special worship service on the twenty-sixth of October, 1983, to commemorate these privileges. The service began by singing Psalm 139:8, 9, 10, and was followed by the reading of Article 31 of the Dutch Confession and II Corinthians 12. After prayer, Psalm 119:6, 7, and 9 was sung and Rev. Heerschap related how the Lord opened his spiritual eyes at the age of 17; he had to die and meet God. He further sketched briefly the way in which God led him further and also revealed to his soul the Person in Whom deliverance is found. The Lord also worked in him a desire to labor in His service with the words: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In a remarkable way, the Lord brought him to the Theological School. In going to Wageningen, the Lord withdrew His presence and he lost all hope until the Lord gave a solution with the words, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

In the past thirty-five years, he experienced that God’s servants and officebearers are profitable to their congregations and within God’s Church when they experience the words of the text in II Corinthians 12:9, the first part, “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

The minister spoke about: The all-sufficient grace of Christ glorified:

(1) An encouragement, full of comfort

(2) A stirring up, full of blessing

(3) A future, full of hope

He stated that the enemies in the congregation of Corinth had accused Paul of fickleness and being undependable, for the devil is always busy to try and resist God’s work. Paul answered, not in his own strength, but by glorying in the Lord because the cause of the Lord was so close to his heart. He had wondrously been caught up into heaven, but had also received a thorn in the flesh, lest he should be exalted above measure. God often gives something to accompany His children, His servants, because the Church must learn that glory lies in Another. Paul prayed three times and his prayer was answered, but in a different way than he wanted: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Paul gloried in this grace because it is through grace that Christ satisfied God’s justice, that God’s virtues were adorned, that God the Father was satisfied with a sinner in Christ, that the debt of His Church was paid, and that Christ became the Way, the Truth, and the Life for the Church. Rev. Heerschap testified “Such grace is sufficient and to such grace we pointed in the years which lie behind us, in all weakness, in all shortcomings, with the help of the Lord. It is the only foundation and that is the encouragement, full of comfort, for the Church of the Lord in the battle of this life. On our side guilt remains, but, oh, that grace is more abounding, for it is sufficient.”

“Thirty-five years lie behind us,” said the minister, ‘and sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof’, according to God’s Word. We are not going to complain about God, but from our side with Paul we have experienced a thorn in the flesh. Why? Because tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us. The entire Christ is safe in the Lord and that includes the offices. We cannot always see this because the Lord’s strength is made perfect in weakness. We must have a following-life in which we learn to leave matters in God’s hand. Grace must win you over to this kind of life, else we murmur. Grace makes small. The ways of God’s servants in church life do not always go so prosperously. But still, God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. Our own “I” must get out of it and our own flesh must lie outside. Then God is our refuge. God shall maintain His work: a stirring up full of blessing. People, keep courage. Office-bearers and God’s servants, keep courage. We read in God’s Word of smoking flax and bruised reeds which Isaiah said might be called trees of righteousness. For when I am weak, then I am strong. The Lord does everything right. The Lord has also glorified the grace of Christ in your minister’s life, also in his official life so that the strength of Christ was made perfect in his weakness.”

“If we have such a God, then there is a future full of hope, because that grace is sufficient and that strength is made perfect. The world is aflame, the judgments of God hovers low, the confusion is great. You hear so little about the breaking through of God’s grace. Are people still being converted? There are divisions, tumult, and so forth. The officebearers and God’s servants are open to derision and scorn. Then courage would fail us. Satan goes around as a roaring lion seeking, if it were possible, to deceive even the very elect. Still, there is hope for the future. ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ God reigns. His counsel shall stand and He will do all His pleasure. He glorifies Himself in a people that have no strength. If grace may be granted, then we will see this as fruit in the midst of the congregation. The strength of Christ is glorified in weakness by true conversion. The ones who stray away will be brought back. Then we may end with all things in the God of oath and covenant.”

“Congregation, think of it. Presently we must give an account of the words which God sent in your midst. The Lord glorify His grace and grant that His strength be made perfect (in you) in weakness.”

To the consistory, Rev. Heerschap said that the work in the midst of the congregation was so great, that with his diabetes and old age, the thorn in his flesh prevented him from doing all the work. He hoped the brothers would often experience the grace of Christ and that His strength may be made perfect in weakness. He wished the same in the ministry of Brother Verhoef and thanked him for coming. This was also his wish for the brother from Fort Macleod. He thanked everyone who helped that evening and hoped that the Lord would receive the honor in all things. He then closed with a prayer of thanksgiving.

After the singing of Psalm 89:8, Rev. A.W. Verhoef was given an opportunity to speak on behalf of the Classis far-west and the consistory of Chilliwack. He congratulated Rev. Heerschap and acknowledged that for both of them the evening was far spent, but that it would be an eternal great wonder if more people might be found who had learned to understand the text spiritually and inwardly. In Holland there are sometimes twenty-five ministers who attend an anniversary, but in this case only one. If the great Office-bearer may be in our midst, not only this day, but all our days, then we receive more than all the tokens of honor from men. He mentioned that it had always gladdened him and also God’s people that the only desire of Rev. Heerschap’s life was to lay down that old, tried Word in the midst of the Church. “The Lord be with you and your wife and enable you to work with love in the midst of the congregations.”

A few words were then spoken by Elder B. Boot of Fort Macleod. He stated that the Lord had borne, supported, and enabled Rev. Heerschap in his ministry. He occupied a large place in the hearts of many. This was especially experienced in the administration of Word and sacrament when it was administered by the Spirit. “May the Lord grant him to testify with liberty and joy of the great King for a rich blessing for man.” The congregation then sang at Elder Boot’s request Psalm 90:9.

Elder W. van den Broek spoke last on behalf of the consistory and congregation. He said it is good that we are meeting together because the Lord testifies in His Word that we are not to forget any of His benefits. We heard tonight the benefits the Lord has shown to Rev. Heerschap. Elder van den Broek was convinced that in the minister’s heart lived the words, “And blessed be His glorious Name forever.” He remembered Mrs. Heerschap as well, saying she had supported her husband all these years. He wished that the Lord would not forsake the minister when he is old and grey-headed. He added that for the congregation it is a great privilege that we may gather around the sounds of God’s precious Word and everlasting testimony. It is such a wonder that at times and moments we may experience that the Lord causes His Spirit to accompany that Word. It is a wonder that the Lord has not departed from our congregations, in spite of all our unfaithfulness. He requested the congregation to sing to the minister Psalm 119:25.

Afterwards Rev. Heerschap thanks each for the words spoken and hoped the Lord would establish them and that the grace of Christ, which is all sufficient, may be made perfect in weakness. He then blessed the congregation.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen