| Netherlands Reformed Congregations | |
|---|---|
 Kalamazoo Netherlands Reformed Congregation | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | ConservativeReformed |
| Theology | Calvinism |
| Polity | Presbyterian |
| Region | United States,Canada andBolivia |
| Founder | Gerrit Hendrik Kersten |
| Origin | 1907[1] Netherlands |
| Branched from | Reformed Congregations in theNetherlands |
| Separations | 1967 some members formed theReformed Congregations in North America & in 1993 groups from a number of congregations left to form theHeritage Reformed Congregations |
| Congregations | 27[2] |
| Members | 11,172 (2016)[3] |
| Official website | http://www.netherlandsreformed.org |
TheNetherlands Reformed Congregations is aconservativeReformeddenomination with congregations inCanada, theUnited States andBolivia. It is affiliated with theReformed Congregations in theNetherlands.
The Netherlands Reformed Congregations aim to remain true to inerrant Scripture (the Bible) and its Calvinist heritage as expounded in the denomination’s doctrinal standards:Belgic Confession,Heidelberg Catechism, andCanons of Dort. They are also in agreement with theWestminster Standards.
The Netherlands Reformed Congregations hold to infant baptism but believe that although being baptized, each child still carries the personal necessity of being born again by the inward work of the Holy Spirit. Baptism places a child into an external (or outward) relationship to the covenant of grace, just as the Israelites who passed through the Red Sea were outwardly part of God's covenant people. Like the Israelites, baptized children have many of the outward benefits of the children of God. Until they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, however, they remain outside of the saving benefits of covenant of grace.
The church services are conducted using exclusively theAuthorised Version (King James) of the Bible, but personal use of other Bible translations for comparison is permitted. Almost all of the songs sung during the worship service are based on the book ofPsalms.
In keeping with the Dutch Calvinist traditions, most of the liturgical forms used are translations of the Dutch forms edited byPetrus Dathenus (1531–1588) and used duringReformation times. Most of the member churches have services two or three times per Sunday. The topic for one service per week is based on one of the 52 Lord's Days from theHeidelberg Catechism. The worship starts with a prayer, followed by singing of a Psalm. In addition to reading a part of the Scripture, the 10 Commandments are read during the Sunday morning service and the Apostles' Creed is read during the Sunday evening service. The pastor or an elder then prays with, and on behalf of the congregation. Following the prayer and the singing of a song adapted from the Psalms, the pastor delivers (preaches) the sermon. After the sermon, there is a closing prayer and more singing from the Psalter. The worship service ends with the pastor pronouncing the prayer for divine blessing from God upon the congregation, usually in the words of Numbers 6:24–26. During worship the congregation remains silent and respectful. Women wear headcoverings in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11.[4] The intention of preaching a topical sermon guided by the Heidelberg Catechism is so that each of the various doctrines taught within Scripture will be covered at least once every year. The Netherlands Reformed Church recognizes two Sacraments: Holy Baptism and Lord's Supper. Children of members are usually baptized in the weeks or months following birth. The Lord's Supper, on the other hand, is usually held about four or five times per year although this may vary among individual churches. Only members who are (1) truly repentant for their sins, (2) have fled to Jesus Christ for salvation, and (3) are purposed from the heart to live in true thankfulness to God, are welcome to participate.[5]
The church subscribes to theThree Forms of Unity, which are as follows:
The church adheres to the fiveSolae of theProtestant Reformation.
This church originated in the1834 Dutch Reformed Church split, when a small group in theNetherlands called theReformed Congregations (Gereformeerde Gemeenten) broke away from the state church.[8]
Distancing themselves from their fellowsecessionists ofAlbertus van Raalte and his associatesCornelius Vander Meulen andHendrik Scholte due todoctrinal disputes, they led their ownemigration first toSouth Holland,Illinois, in 1865 and then toGrand Rapids,Michigan, in 1870.[9]
In 1972, there were fourteen Netherlands Reformed Congregations in theUnited States, most still conducting their services half inDutch and half inEnglish, with over five thousand members.
In 1993, there was a split in the Netherlands Reformed Congregations, resulting in a new denomination named the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregations (renamed theHeritage Reformed Congregations in 2003).[10]
In 2001, there were 26 churches and 9,395 members in Canada and the United States. In 2016, the church has 27 congregations and 11,172 members. Currently, there are threeClassis. InBolivia, there are congregations in Rincon,Santa Cruz and Loma Alta.[11]
The NRC consists of these congregations:
| List of Netherlands Reformed Congregations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congregation | Name of the Classis | Membership 2014 | Membership 2015 | Membership 2016 | Pastor | ||||
| Artesia, California | Far West | 22 | 22 | 20 | vacant | ||||
| Brant County, Ontario | East | 166 | 195 | 258 | Rev. H. de Leeuw | ||||
| Calgary,Alberta | Far West | 61 | 61 | 47 | vacant | ||||
| Chilliwack | Far West | 915 | 937 | 953 | Rev. P. van Ruitenburg | ||||
| Choteau, Montana | Far West | 24 | 24 | 24 | vacant | ||||
| Clifton | East | 133 | 120 | 131 | vacant | ||||
| Corsica | Mid West | 241 | 235 | 238 | vacant | ||||
| Fort Macleod,Alberta | Far West | 408 | 431 | 438 | Rev. H.D. den Hollander | ||||
| Franklin Lakes | East | 631 | 635 | 611 | vacant | ||||
| Grand Rapids (Beckwith) | Mid West | 825 | 850 | 859 | Rev. H. Hofman Jr. | ||||
| Grand Rapids (Covell Avenue) | Mid West | 222 | 229 | 225 | vacant | ||||
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | Mid West | 318 | 308 | 311 | vacant | ||||
| Lansing | Mid West | 33 | 35 | 35 | vacant | ||||
| Lethbridge | Far West | 1,261 | 1,291 | 1,118 | vacant | ||||
| Lynden | Far West | 146 | 149 | 128 | Rev J. Den Hoed | ||||
| Markham | East | 63 | 59 | 60 | vacant | ||||
| Nobleford | Far West | 0 | 0 | 412 | Rev. G.M. de Leeuw | ||||
| Norwich | East | 2,106 | 2,111 | 2,106 | Rev. E. Hakvoort | ||||
| Picture Butte | Far West | 1,103 | 1,131 | 965 | Rev E.C. Adams | ||||
| Rock Valley | Mid West | 1,492 | 1,485 | 1,453 | Rev J. Witvoet | ||||
| Rogersville, Missouri | Mid West | 21 | 23 | 23 | vacant | ||||
| Sheboygan, Wisconsin | Mid West | 81 | 75 | 67 | vacant | ||||
| St. Catharines, Ontario | East | 182 | 191 | 202 | Rev. A.H. Verhoef | ||||
| Sioux Center, Iowa | Mid West | 300 | 313 | 328 | vacant | ||||
| Sioux Falls | Mid West | 53 | 56 | 61 | vacant | ||||
| Sunnyside | Far West | 69 | 69 | 62 | vacant | ||||
| Waupun, Wisconsin | Mid West | 93 | 110 | 106 | vacant | ||||
| 10,968 | 11,097 | 11,172 | |||||||
The Netherlands Reformed Congregations in North America continue to have close relations with their sister churches (theReformed Congregations) in the Netherlands. The church services in North America are now mostly conducted in the English language, with some services still in the Dutch language.[12]
The Netherlands Reformed Congregations is involved in mission work in the Loma Alta, Santa Cruz, and Tarija areas ofBolivia.
In general the churches hold Sunday School and Catechism classes for the youth of the congregation. These classes may be held after the Sunday morning service.
Netherlands Reformed Christian Educational Association consists of twelve schools throughout the United States and Canada, with 3,358 students as of the 2016–2017 school year.
