Across the globe, Open Doors found that there has been a 24% increase in Christians killed because of their faith.

After four years of fun snow builds, a family from Faith Christian Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa, used their 2022 creation to raise money for Living Water Wells.

Xay Xue Yang,  founding pastor of the Hmong Christian Reformed Church in Sheboygan, Wisc., died Dec. 15, 2021.

Pastor and chaplain, George Van Arragon was a man who made people feel welcomed, accepted, and encouraged. He died Dec. 27.

After a full life of ministry and a richly productive season of retirement, Lammert Slofstra, 97, died Dec. 31, 2021.

Three years after starting a Christmas gift donation program, Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in Big Rapids, Mich., is seeing local families begin to take part in more of the church’s events and services.

Canadians Gus and Wynanda Polman set out on a “justice and reconciliation seeking journey” after an unexpected meeting with an executive of the U.S. National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Savage-Prior Lake TreeHouse, a ministry of Bridgewood Christian Reformed Church in Savage, Minn., launched at a crucial time to offer teens hope where many see none.

With votes in their congregations last fall, 43 congregations that had been part of the Reformed Church in America were released from their denominational classes (regional groups of churches) as of Dec. 31, 2021. They are now part of the Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Metha Alberda, a member of West End Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alta., volunteers her time to create and provide handmade, infant-sized dresses to families who experience the death of a baby.

The Clothing Closet, a community ministry of New Life Christian Reformed Church in Guelph, Ont., got a boost in donated goods this fall thanks to two community efforts.</p>

Sumas (Wash.) Christian Reformed Church faced major clean-up and restoration after flooding. With help from its classis, the church is sharing resources to support the broader community.

Scholar, missionary, translator, and one who testified to the good news of God’s grace throughout his 90 years, Gene Rubingh died Dec. 20, 2021.

Among the news stories, features, and columns most read on thebanner.org in 2021 are perspectives on vaccines, politics, race, and the CRC’s human sexuality report.

Cheryl Bostrom, an author and member of Sonlight Church, a Christian Reformed congregation in Lynden, Wash., published Sugar Birds in 2021. Christianity Today magazine named it among “the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture” for 2022.

College at Southeastern, the undergraduate school of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, conferred degrees Dec. 15 to 24 inmates who were educated behind bars. It’s a growing American trend.

With help from a grant from its classis, Cascade Fellowship in Grand Rapids, Mich., arranged a gospel-focused light display this December.

Songwriter and storyteller Mark Lowry co-wrote “Mary Did You Know?” in 1991. He says the song's success is a miracle.

Long Beach (Calif.) Christian Reformed Church and four neighboring congregations of other denominations stage a yearly “living portrait” Nativity pageant that welcomes more than 1,000 guests each night.

Crosstowne Church, an emerging Christian Reformed congregation in Milton, Ont., welcomed children and families to explore crafts and traditions from around the world in a series of drop-in programs each Sunday in Advent.

The Sheboygan Christian–Sheboygan Lutheran high school boys soccer team won the 2021 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division IV state championship in November.

Two or three times each year, Christian Reformed churches send representatives to their classis, a regional group of churches. In this latest report, classes welcomed candidates into ministry, approved commissioned pastors, sent communications to synod, and more.

After a succession planning workshop in October, directors of the Canada Corporation of the Christian Reformed Church in North America have decided to hire a transitional executive director to serve CRC ministry in Canada.