The January Series at Calvin College traveled to Massachusetts this year. Nearly the entire series was broadcast via the Internet for viewing by members of Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church in Whitinsville, Mass.
This year marked the 20th anniversary of The January Series, free lectures and concerts offered on Calvin’s Grand Rapids, Mich.-campus every January.
Over the years attendance for the events grew from about 50 to today’s average of 1,400.
The Whitinsville group averaged an attendance of 40. Favorite lectures included author Lauren Winner speaking on The Truth About Real Sex and Newsweek editor Jon Meacham on the topic American Gospel: God, The Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation.
This year also marked the retirement of June Hamersma, who started the series and directed it throughout its 20-year history.
Fairlawn CRC member Don Stahl worked with Calvin professor Quentin Schultze, Calvin vice president Tom McWhertor, and Kristi Potter, the incoming director of the series, to bring the series to Whitinsville.
Technical issues were solved by the Whitinsville Christian High robotics team and the Calvin engineering department.
Potter said there are plans to show the series at many additional sites next year.
