Christian Reformed Church

When Shawn England walked out of prison Dec. 10, 2024, after 35 years of incarceration, he wasn’t leaving alone. He walked out with a church community, a theological education, and a clear sense of God’s direction for his life—much of which was shaped by relationships and ministry he experienced while still inside, including through the CRC. “When I was in prison, the CRC visited me—both through the Calvin Prison Initiative and through my church,” England said. “Nobody else did that.” Now England has made it his mission to do the same for others. The Church Showed Up England was first incarcerated at age 18 on a murder charge, and he received a mandatory life sentence. He wasn’t raised as a...

On Saturday, Sept. 12, a group of almost 30 participants gathered on Stó:lō territory in Langley and Fort Langley, B.C., for a day of On-the-Land Learning. Hosted by Adrian Jacobs, the Christian Reformed Church’s senior leader for justice and reconciliation, alongside local Stó:lō speakers, the event invited participants into a day of place-based education, listening to stories of the land directly from local Indigenous knowledge holders and exploring historical care for the Fraser River ecosystem. The day began at Swallowfield Farm with a teaching circle before sharing a traditional lunch and then visiting the banks of the Fraser River for storytelling focused on relational repair, environmental stewardship, and local history. An Embodied Experience of Land and Stewardship For participants, stepping...

A group of students put their arms around each other and began praying for one another, even though no one had told them to. "This was such a moving moment because it was organically done and not led by any pastor or leader," said Min Lee, a director at the “Encounter” youth retreat held Aug. 17-19 at Spruce Lake Retreat Center in Canadensis, Pa. The line grew to 10-15 students, she said, then drew in students from other churches, "and by the end of the prayer time, the whole retreat gathered in one circle to pray and praise." That circle captured the spirit of "Encounter," Classis Hudson's first-ever joint youth retreat, which brought together 40 middle- and high-school students and...

Jessica Joustra, a Calvin Theological Seminary associate professor of systematic theology, recently joined a panel of interfaith leaders in Grand Rapids, Mich., to help launch Retelling Sacred Stories , a new book that chronicles the story of nine of the world’s major religions. As part of the four-person panel, Joustra spoke about the focus of the book and discussed her role as one of the scholars who helped to write the fictional story on Christianity titled “Dialogue in a Desert Place: A Retelling of the Christian Sacred Story.” In that story an ailing elderly fourth-century Roman Catholic nun has a dialogue with a young nun, a former slave who now works assisting the nuns in performing daily tasks in their...

On the morning of Aug. 26, communities across Nepal awoke to a disaster that would change thousands of lives forever. Floodwaters surged through the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system after what experts believe began with a massive glacier-related collapse of ice, rock, and debris near the Nepal-Tibet border. The resulting surge of water, followed days later by a second wave of flooding, swept away homes, roads, livelihoods, and loved ones. An estimated 93,000 people have been affected by the disaster, with thousands still missing and many more carrying the weight of profound grief. For Tuka Devi, the flood is not measured in the number of lives lost or communities damaged. She said it is measured in the absence of the son...

Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated communities across the southeastern United States, families are still rebuilding their homes and lives. Through volunteers, donors, and local partners, World Renew Disaster Response Services has helped to repair more than 120 homes so far. A two-minute video released by World Renew offers a glimpse into their ongoing work in partnership with Delmar Reformed Church in Madison County, N.C., where the disaster caused nearly $200 million in damages to infrastructure and many homes. “Your support of our Hurricane Helene response has been vital for affected families,” said Chris Gibson, director of Disaster Response Services. “Now 120 families can once again sit around the dinner table for a shared meal. 120 families have a place...

As churches seek new ways to nurture the spiritual growth of younger generations, Thrive, the congregational support agency of the CRCNA, is offering equipping events and practical discipleship resources. Central to these efforts were two webinars in May focused on “Reimagining Youth Ministry.” These online conversations engaged pressing challenges facing contemporary youth ministry. The first session (May 5) drew 36 attendees, and the second session (May 14) gathered 20 participants. Guided by content from Andrew Root’s book The End of Youth Ministry? the discussions challenged participants to examine their own expectations and to address challenges that may arise when youth ministry is reduced to serving as the "chief counselor of fun." Attendees worked through questions regarding the ultimate purpose of...

Whether it’s a one-week camp or an all-summer learning and activity club, Christian Reformed Church congregations across North America offered programs to help children learn and grow in faith this summer. Many churches purchase and use VBS kits, while others create programs of their own. Here’s a selection of the many and varied programs that Christian Reformed churches used this past summer. Lindsay Hummel, VBS director for Ebenezer CRC in Leduc, Alta., said their church used a weeklong rainforest-themed kit from Group Publishing. “It was a huge success”, she said. “Our program was full, with 100 children between the ages of 4 and 11, and 21 crew leaders between the ages of 12 and 15—a record for us.” The program...

Serving as an elder in the Christian Reformed Church in North America comes with significant responsibility. Whether stepping into the role for the first time or bringing years of experience to the consistory table, every leader can benefit from space to reflect, learn, and grow. To support leaders in this calling, Thrive has produced the Elder Essentials workbook. Designed as a comprehensive leadership development course, Elder Essentials provides foundational orientation tailored specifically for CRC elders. Across six instructive lessons, the workbook explores vital topics from preaching, sacraments, and pastoral care to faith formation, hospitality, and gospel witness. It aims to equip consistories to connect their weekly work directly to God’s redemptive mission in the world. Early feedback from congregations that...

Thrive, the congregational support agency of the CRCNA, has appointed Tim (Sang Joon) Won as its new chaplaincy endorser and ministry consultant. Won, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and chaplain with more than 24 years of leadership experience, succeeds Tim Rietkerk, who recently retired from the role with Thrive. Won began serving as an ordained CRCNA minister of the Word before entering active duty. During his military career, he served in diverse contexts, including combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Other roles include service as a community chaplain in Germany, as a garrison chaplain in South Korea, and as chief of the Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care at Womack Army Medical Center in Fayetteville, N.C., during the pandemic...

Many ministers I’ve spoken with over the years have said that pastoral ministry is a beautiful calling—and yet a challenging one. Ministers are often with people in some of the most joyous moments of their lives—baptisms, professions of faith, weddings—but they also share in some of the most difficult times—death and grieving, marriage breakdown, loved ones walking away from the faith or the church. Pastoral ministry can take an emotional toll, and it’s important for ministers and other ministry leaders to find ways to be refreshed and renewed. Many pastors and ministry leaders find that their local ministerial association can be a helpful source of refreshment and inspiration. A ministerial association, often called simply a “ministerial,” is made up of...

Resonate Global Mission is celebrating an encouraging increase in the number of volunteers serving in various mission fields. In addition to supporting long-term missionaries, the CRCNA’s mission agency also sends individuals and groups on short-term trips ranging from one week to one year. Leaders from Resonate’s Volunteer Ministries team shared that they saw an expected post-pandemic resurgence in volunteer placements in Fiscal Year 2023-24 (beginning July 1). They expected volunteer numbers to level off since that time—but they haven’t. Interest in volunteering with Resonate seems to keep growing. Volunteer placements increased from 256 during FY 2023-24 to 299 throughout FY 2024-25. And in 2025-26, the team wrapped up the year working with 325 placements around the world. Reasons for the...

When Rev. Jul Medenblik planted New Life Church in New Lenox, Ill., in 1995, he didn’t yet realize the impact the new congregation would have on the community—specifically in one woman’s life, he said. Carol began attending the church and was very quiet during her first few weeks there, said Medenblik. Over time, however, she quietly disclosed that she was battling cancer. Then, after the worship service one Sunday, she approached Medenblik. “She said, ‘I just want to let you know that because of what you preached, I did not commit suicide this past week,’” he recalled. From there, he said, his family’s connection with Carol grew and developed into a strong, caring relationship. “Our kids even wanted Carol to...

The newly revised Korean translation of the CRCNA Church Order and Its Supplements (2025) has been released digitally. It can be found in the Synod Resources section of the denomination's Korean-language website. A print edition, incorporating the changes adopted at Synod 2026, is planned for release later this year. This translation update is the result of a full revision project that began in early 2025 and took a year and a half to complete. The project drew on the development of a full translation review by Rev. Jay Shim, emeritus, and an additional review by Catheryn Jo, communications specialist. A translation review committee commissioned by the Korean Ministers' Association— Rev. Insoo Oh, Rev. Edward Yoon, Rev. Ezra Jang, and Catheryn...

World Renew is responding to the devastating flooding and landslides that have affected communities across northern and central Nepal, leaving widespread destruction and significant humanitarian needs. Through its network partners, World Renew is working to share Christ’s hope with communities struggling with loss, displacement, and damaged infrastructure. Search-and-rescue efforts continue across affected districts, with thousands of emergency personnel and volunteers mobilized to support evacuations and life-saving assistance. Despite these efforts, access to many communities remains difficult due to washed-out roads, damaged bridges, and ongoing landslide risks. As of September 1, authorities have reported that 939 people died in the Aug. 26 flash flood in Nepal, 4,247 remain missing, and more than 11,000 people have been rescued. Thousands of families have...

For half a century, Project Ploughshares has served as an independent research institute and advocacy organization in Canada dedicated to peace, disarmament, and nonviolence. Founded in 1976 by Ernie Regehr under the Mennonite Central Committee, the organization arose from a startling observation: nations were diverting vast resources toward militarization at the direct expense of human and environmental needs. Fifty years later, that core concern remains as urgent as ever. Mark Vander Vennen, an appointed representative of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) on the management committee of Project Ploughshares, explained why this ecumenical witness continues to be vital. “Here is a faith-based Christian witness in the public square advocating for peace, and never has this voice been more...

In spring 2023, Georgetown Christian Reformed Church was inspired by another local organization to begin a new ministry: bed building. The Hudsonville, Mich., church had a small shed on the edge of its property. Once filled with junk and dust, the space was soon transformed into a bright, clean, high-quality workshop where volunteers could use their skills to serve local families. “It started as a simple desire to ensure that every child in our community has a safe and comfortable place to sleep,” said Amy Koetsier, director of community relationships at Georgetown CRC. But the ministry grew from more than a desire to build beds. It began with the church recognizing a need in its surrounding community. “It really began...

Stratford (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church is marking a significant milestone this November as it celebrates 75 years of service, faith, and community impact. Founded Nov. 25, 1951, the church began with a gathering of 77 members meeting at the YMCA building on the corner of Waterloo and Coburg Streets in Stratford, now the site of the Nancy Campbell Academy. Over the decades the congregation has grown, worshiping at locations on Church Street, Easson Street, Ontario Street, and (currently) Athlone Crescent. Today the church serves a vibrant community of about 500 members. To commemorate this anniversary, the congregation will host a special weekend of events open to the community: On Saturday, Nov. 21, the church will host a public open house...

Announced internally last November, Rev. Jul Medenblik intends to retire from the presidency of the 150-year-old seminary that serves the Christian Reformed Church of North America. This will conclude 16 years of stewardship at the Seminary, a period marked by significant changes in society, culture, and technology. At the outset of his tenure as president, Medenblik set a posture of service. A hallmark phrase he initiated at Calvin Theological Seminary, “Called To Serve,” uses the seminary's initials, CTS, and has since been ingrained in the institution's language and ethos for a decade and a half. In his internal announcement, he shared, “When I was called as President-elect in 2010, I could not imagine all that would unfold. Along the way...

As churches worldwide prepare for the annual Season of Creation—observed each year from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4 to celebrate the Creator and to renew the shared call to care for the earth—a newly released curriculum aims to equip young hearts for environmental stewardship. The free, five-week unit produced by the Climate Witness Project is designed for children ages 4–10 in Sunday schools, Christian schools, and homeschool settings. Grounded in the biblical concept of shamar (caring/keeping), the resource uses Scripture, music, picture books, and hands-on activities to frame creation care as an act of joy, hope, and worship. Grounded in Biblical Hope and Local Stewardship This year’s theme centers on the gift and necessity of water, highlighted in Ezekiel 47:9...