50th Anniversary
                                                                of the Borculo
                                                                Chr. Ref. Church
         
                                                                    1933
         
         
         
         paid off. During his ministry the congregation went through the bitter’~”’
         experience of losing its church building. “April 10, 1927, shall forever
         remain a sad day in the history of the congregation. During the morning
         service of that day the congregation was forced to leave its house of
         worship and behold its stately building being turned into a huge pile of
         burning embers. But glory to God, the congregation although saddened,
         was not dismayed. It strengthened itself into the Lord our God, and with
         His aid, and by His grace it started out to plan and build a new house of
         worship, and to obtain a new pipe organ.” (The Banner, November 25,
         1927.) The building committee consisted of Gerrit Van Beek, P. De Groot,
         L. Luurtsema, L. Vollink, Ben De Roo, Harm Stremler and H. Wesseldijk.
         First the congregation worshipped in a tent back of the church, but when
         the tent collapsed the horse barn was fixed up and used for a place of
         worship. Rev. Fortuin proved to be the right man in these trying times.
         Through his organizing ability soon a new church was erected, and nearly
         all paid for. The people were willing to sacrifice. The congregation greatly
         rejoiced when on November 8, 1927, the new church building was solemnly
         dedicated to the service of the Lord. Rev. Fortuin remained with us about
         one year more and left us to become pastor of South Holland, Ill.
         
           During the ensuing vacancy five calls were extended, the last one to
         Rev. A. De Vries of Leighton, Iowa, who accepted this call and was
         installed on Sunday, May 19, 1929, by the moderator, Rev. J. Medendorp
         of Husk. And in the afternoon the present pastor preached his inaugural
         sermon based on 2 Cor. 3:4, 5. Till the present time he labors in our
         midst with joy and receives a blessing upon his work. In 1930 the language
         problem again came up and it was decided that one service on the Lord’s
         day would be in the Holland language and the other in the English lan-
         guage. A weekly budget was adopted about two years ago. Notwithstand-
         ing the depression we still press on to the mark which God has set for His
         servants in His kingdom. Two new societies have made their appearance
         in the last four years. The Borculo Band was organized in 1929 and a
         young men’s society was organized last fall under the leadership of Mr.
         Dick Walters. And in the winter of 1932 a new garage was built for the
         auto of the pastor.
         
           We are thankful for the many blessings which God has so graciously
         bestowed upon us. We are also very thankful that some of our sons serve
         the Lord in the ministry, Rev. J. Hiemenga of Paterson, N. J.; Rev. H.
         Goodijk of Reeman, Mich.; Rev. J. Steigenga of Lee Street, Grand Rapids,
         Mich.; Rev. J. Boerman of the Reformed Church of Three Oaks, Mich., and
         Candidate Dick Walters, who is now eligible for a call from our churches.
         
           May the Lord, the Shepherd and King of the Church guide us and bless
         us in the future as He has done in the past, and prepare us for His glorious
         kingdom.