Jared and Rachel Pettman had been married only a week this summer when they took five teenagers from The Junction Church in St. Thomas, Ont., on a SERVE trip to Douglas, Mass.
News
Stories from people, congregations and ministries of the CRCNA, reported by The Banner's news editor and a team of regular correspondents and Church Worldwide news from the Religion News Service. Send news tips to news@thebanner.org.
A new study looks at why millions of Americans left church — and what might bring them back.
Three dozen churches in the Western North Carolina Conference have now agreed to leave under the denomination's exit plan. They will formally exit in November.
A Monroe Community Christian Reformed Church member said her spirit was provoked when she heard Bangladeshi Grace Bible Church needed a leader to guide new Christians in the Word.
The RE:Activate Reformed Youth Convention, hosted by a collection of Christian Reformed churches in and around Langley, B.C., hosted 200 teens at the beginning of September.
The latest report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research’s five-year study of the impact of the pandemic on America’s churches shows increased income, lower conflict, but more questioning of vocation by clergy.
Pastor John Xu of the Chinese Church of Iowa City (Iowa) reflected with founding pastor Jason Chen on the blessings of the student-ministry connected congregation.
In Memoriam: Rev. Ronald R. Sprik
1939-2023A pastor who put God first and was unabashed about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, Ron Sprik died July 21. He was 84.
The U.S. Ministry Board of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has green-lit putting its large and aging Grand Rapids building on the market. Relocation plans are still in the works.
Abby Vander Wal, 16, a student at Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst, Ill., and member of Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, was outside hitter for Team USA in the international competition.
Mike Hogeterp, founding director of the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue in Canada is leaving to take a position with NAIITS, an Indigenous learning community.
In Memoriam: Rev. Bernard Dykstra
1942-2023A quiet man who loved the Lord and his family, Berny Dykstra died May 17. He was 80 years old.
In Memoriam: Rev. Jerome Burton
1957-2023A humble, passionate, streetwise pastor dedicated to his community congregation, local school, and the Belknap neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Mich., Jerome Burton died July 6. He was 66.
Grace Valley Christian Reformed Church in Germany Valley, Ill., started carting around fresh veggies to share with the community in 2020. They’ve kept and expanded the practice this year.
Three Christian Reformed congregations in Sheldon, Iowa, met for a joint worship service Aug. 20, blessing students and teachers of Sheldon Christian School before they head back to class.
Stanley Jim, a Minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church since 1996, has led and helped develop Native American ministry leadership for decades. He plans to retire Sept 1.
Brian Houston, co-founder of the now global Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, had been charged with concealing a serious indictable offense of another person.
A member of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Fort Collins, Colo., started nonprofit “Secret Garden” after seeing how picking and delivering bouquets to the neighborhood assisted-living home lifted people’s spirits.
The Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., has awarded 77 grants of up to $1.25 million each “to help interested parents and other caregivers share their Christian faith and values with their children.” The CRCNA is one of the grantees.
Lake City (Mich.) CRC transformed its building into a life-size version of the popular children’s board game Candy Land as part of its summer ministry for kids.
When given 28 suggestions and the prompt “To me, the term ‘Christian Reformed’ means
With the help of students from the University of Nebraska College of Architecture, F Street Neighborhood Church in Lincoln, Neb., is rebuilding a historic chapel into community art space.
“As you age, your world starts to shrink. You feel isolated.” Wellspring Adult Day Services, operating out of Reeman Christian Reformed Church in Fremont, Mich., seeks to offset that.
In Memoriam: Rev. E. Robert Tigchelaar
1942-2023A hard-working and faithful minister of the gospel, Bob Tigchelaar loved each congregation and community to which he was called. He died June 25 at age 81.