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Oct 24, 2024 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
The second Pursuit Conference in Oshawa, Ont., on Oct. 26 started with the vision of one young man and his concern for young adults trying to navigate their way in a post-Christian culture. Adam Hoogsteen, 35, an elder and worship leader at Discovery Christian Reformed Church in Bowmanville, Ont., developed a love for organizing events and connecting people during his years growing up with the church’s active group of young people.
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Jan 19, 2024 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
Joseph Bya and Hennie Velema, two members of the refugee sponsorship committee at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Cornwall, Ont., recently shared their experience and expertise with staff members of Resonate Global Mission to help other congregations with newcomer welcoming strategies. The story of refugee sponsorship, welcome, friendship, and vibrant worship is one of praise and thanksgiving to God.
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Dec 1, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
The annual fall youth conference in Classis Eastern Canada of the Christian Reformed Church brought together 131 guests this year – the largest number of teens since the retreat was started more than 20 years ago.
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Oct 13, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
Members of Christian Reformed churches across Classis Quinte organized a concert featuring the Christian Indigenous band Broken Walls at the Maranatha Christian Reformed Church in Belleville, Ont., on the evening of September 30, Canada’s national day for Truth and Reconciliation.
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Jun 9, 2023 | 
christiancourier.ca | Phil Reinders |Ron Rupke |Kathy Vandergrift |Scott Moelker
The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is in the throes of a pitched battle. Our denomination appears to be on a bee-line towards division. One side “stands on God’s Word,” advocating that the historic Reformed confessions remain the unifying standard for today’s complex sexual ethics and the other side stands on the “right side of history,” advocating for the affirmation and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons.
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Jun 2, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
Delegates representing the 11 Canadian classes of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and those from the Canadian portion of the one binational classis, met together with senior ministry leaders, Indigenous Christian leaders, and other invited church members at a national gathering May 25-28 at Ottawa’s Algonquin College. The agenda for this third national gathering for Canadians in the CRCNA focused on matters of justice and reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
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May 19, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
Reconciliation with and justice for Canada’s native peoples provide the whole agenda at the Canadian National gathering of Canadian Christian Reformed delegates meeting on the campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa from May 25 to 28. This third national gathering of the Canadian CRC follows earlier gatherings in 2016 and 2019, for the purpose of celebrating, discerning and envisioning “bold next steps for the CRCNA in Canada locally, regionally, and nationally,” as described on crcna.org.
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May 3, 2023 | 
christiancourier.ca | Diana Boot |Erin Knight |Jennifer Uitvlugt |Ron Rupke
Chapati!Roti!Poori!The answers came quickly. I was leading devotions at a children’s home and had asked the children to tell me the names of some of their delicious breads. The question was a lead-in to talking about the portion of the Lord’s prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.”This home for orphans and disenfranchised children is connected to a school that partnered with Resonate Global Mission to bring the first Educational Care training to this country in South Asia.
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Apr 14, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Ron Rupke
The community choir festival hosted by Community Christian Reformed Church in Frankford, Ont., on Good Friday (April 7), revived a village tradition almost lost over the years of COVID-19 gathering restrictions.
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Mar 29, 2023 | 
christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift |Robert Bruinsma |Bert Groenenberg |Ron Rupke
The religion of American greatnessPaul D. MillerIntervarsity Press, 2022. When does healthy patriotism slip over into destructive nationalism? When is Christian social action unjust to others? Are Christians saving democracy in North America or destroying it? These are important questions at this particular moment in the history of the church, democracy, and good governance globally.
