Trinity Hill Christian Reformed Church's Cookies and Carols event in Chanhassen, Minn., raised more than $500 for Love In the Name of Christ Carver County in December 2023—enough for the congregation to want to repeat the effort this season. The congregation plans to host a hymn sing and donation dr
Dan Ensing, a model train enthusiast and longtime member of Lee Street Christian Reformed Church in Wyoming, Mich., shared his annual Christmas train display with the church this year, including a handmade replica of the Lee Street CRC building as part of the set.Ensing, a retired band instrument re
From hosting Christmas parade viewing on the church building steps to hosting a parking lot Neighborhood Christmas event, Christian Reformed congregations are embracing their communities this season.First Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, Wash. handed out hot chocolate and baked goods to over 100
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Audrey Thibert was published Dec. 16, 2024 on religionnews.com. It has been edited for length and Banner style.In a May 2023 advisory, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called attention to the “public healt
“Nearly 20 centuries ago, the miracle of miracles occurred. A baby was born, but he was the Son of God. With a divine Father and a human mother, Jesus entered history—God in the flesh.” Those are the opening lines of a South Dakota church’s live nativity program, an event that since 2021 has been po
Lifelong evangelist, Hans Uittenbosch, was a master storyteller and a man with a generous laugh. He is remembered for his passion, joy, servant-heart, and genuine devotion to the Lord. “I was always amazed at the way he could talk with anyone and turn any conversation into sharing the gospel, and ho
Adventurous and service-oriented, Art Schoonveld always looked out for others and stood up for what he believed. Described as a bit mischievous, his love for a good laugh was never lost, even up to his last moments with his family. Art, 88, died Nov. 16.Born in the Netherlands, Art was the youngest
Alaska Korean Christian Reformed Church in Anchorage, Ala., is one of just three CRC congregations in the state. It has been ministering to the Korean community there since 1994. Sung Kwan Kim, the church’s pastor for more than half of those 30 years, retired this fall. The congregation bid him fare
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Bob Smietana was published Dec. 4, 2024 on religionnews.com. It included details from Resonate Global Mission. The Banner added additional details, providing more context for the Christian Reformed Church,
In March, the Center for Church Renewal’s New Horizons project received a $1.2 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to tailor church renewal labs for Latino and Navajo congregations over the next five years. Larry Doornbos, a retired Christian Reformed pastor and director of New Horizons, and Kri
Each fall The King’s University’s second-year physical geography class takes a field trip to Jasper National Park to learn about Alberta ecosystems and practice fieldwork techniques. “Over the summer we were deeply saddened to learn that the Jasper wildfires had destroyed the class's usual lodging a
The Gathering Markit, a nonprofit grocery initiative in Abbotsford, B.C., is transforming how food insecurity is addressed while promoting dignity and choice for families in need. The market serves referred families with affordable fresh produce, pantry staples, and ready-made meal kits sourced from
Described as a “larger-than-life character,” Sid Cooper was a wise and confident leader who modeled for others his deep love for the Lord and for his people. He recognized his calling as a pastor as an honor. Loved and respected by many, Sid, 94, died Nov. 13.Born in New Jersey, Sid graduated from C
Louis Tamminga has been described as a spirited preacher, compassionate caregiver, efficient administrator, and visionary denominational leader. “What a gift to the church and to humanity,” a colleague said in tribute. “His abiding personality trait,” said one of his children, “was an outward and fu
Jeremiah Bašurić, a pastor in Edmonton, Alta., and Sebastian Maldonado, a campus minister in Toronto, Ont., will share the position of senior leader for Intercultural Ministry in Canada, Christian Reformed Church communications announced this month. The position became vacant in July when Pablo Kim
Dr. Robert I. Greidanus, a member of WestEnd Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alta., whose current practice is in Peace River, Alta., was honored by the Alberta College of Family Physicians as the province’s Family Physician of the Year for 2024.The college’s website says the award honors phys
On Sunday, Oct. 27, First Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alta., welcomed 32 individuals as new members. They were a mixed group—21 newcomers from Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda; six men from an addiction recovery program at Edmonton’s Hope Mission; four children of one of the church elders
On a Tuesday evening in Bellingham, Wash., the Bucket Boys—a band of friends from First Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, Wash., with additional community volunteers—distribute peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, socks, and bottles of water from five-gallon pails slung over their arms. It’s a wee
In the 2024 denomination survey, fewer than 30% of respondents (28.1%) selected “justice-seeking” as one of the top phrases to complete the sentence, “To me, the term ‘Christian Reformed’ means....” In 2023, 32.2% of respondents selected this term, and 32.9% did in 2022. The rest of the top 12 were
Amanda DeWeerd of Stratford (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church organized a regional training for GEMS—Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior, the ministry for girls offered in many CRCs—on Oct. 19. Leaders from 13 GEMS groups attended the event, along with GEMS executive director Wendy Hammond.DeWeerd, w