Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/73

Contributor - Albert Un-Rau

Title - New Life At New Hope Reformed

Topic - Hope Reformed, Vancouver

Not that Hope Reformed Church in the Grandview area of Vancouver is so old. The congregation is actually only some twenty years old. However, the roots and traditions are historic and solid as durable as the dykes that keep back the often rampaging North Sea upon The Netherlands.

Hope Reformed Church came into existence during a high peak of Dutch migration to the greater Vancouver area in the early fifties' The Church provided a spiritual home and/or refuge for the newly arrived from the low country. The medium of verbal communication was by and large Dutch until about seven years ago.

Only as late as a year and a half ago -did the congregation begin asking, "What can or should we be doing in the general area or community in which the church building is situated?" The only project begun that would approach any social -activity are the Coffee Parties that have been initiated for the Senior Citizens in the area around the church building.

The men of the church have during the past year had a little involvement with the M2 Program, which is a man to man type of rehabilitation that is carried on, in the penal institutions by men from the various Christian churches in the Vancouver area. It would be correct to say that the readiness for social help and involvement in the community has been in a process of gradual evolution.

The 70 families that make up the structure of Hope Church come from a radius of about fifteen miles in every direction from the meeting place, on 920 East 19th Street in Vancouver.

The only really exciting thing that had ever taken place at Hope Church was what might be termed a trip into some charismatic adventures. This whole affair did seemingly little for the church but cause -division and dissension. The loss to Hope Church from this happening Was about twenty families.

To this somewhat dismal and divided congregation came the minister Domini John Opmeer in May 1969. The term ",domini" comes from the latin and simply means, "from God". Opmeer is a well trained and dedicated minister of the Christian ministry. He has an M.A. in Economics from the University of Toronto and a D.D. degree from Western Reformed Seminary in Holland, Michigan.

Opmeer provided a stable and spiritual leadership in the pulpit and the consistory as well. He fed and is still feeding those who come to worship on the living Word of God. His expository preaching addresses itself to some practical and workable applications of the Bible to the issues and burdens of the day. Quite obviously, the care for the Senior Citizens in the Coffee Parties was an outgrowth of his concerns for Biblical -applications today.

But what about the application and the release of the Person and work of the gracious Holy Spirit? This was to Opmeer and the rest of the consistory at Hope Church of no small concern, of deep soul search. In addition there was a measure of consternation and some rather solid and deep Dutch skepticism on the whole matter of the movements of the Spirit or the lack of movement.

No one was hardly interested in another so-called Pentecostal trip. The emotionalism generally associated with this type of involvement does not auger too well with the Dutch Reformed tradition. Furthermore, Hope could hardly afford to lose another 10-20 families - which was a fear equated with the prospect with yet another charismatic adventure.

About a year ago the Whalley Reformed Church (about ten miles to the south-east) had had a Lav Witness Mission. This, made in the States United Methodist low-key weekend renewal, had brought new life and hope to that sister congregation. In the consistory meeting Opmeer began talking about a Mission for Hope. He reasoned that what worked for Whalley Church might well do something for his church. After much discussion, doubting and some daring, a decision was made to conduct a Lay Witness Mission at Hope during the middle of March, 1973.

What follows now is a simple and forthright report on what happened at Hope Church during the Mission. It is my purpose to study this congregation again -about six months from now and again very simply report on what is happening at that time.

Some of the loosening up of the solid Dutch characteristics began in the planning and committee work for the Mission - which began some six months before the actual momentous weekend in the middle of March.

Herman Jonker the overall chairman of the Mission described the weekend in this way, "the low key confessional that took place during the Sunday morning worship service during the Mission was most meaningful - it was needed and helpful". The co-ordinator of the Lay Witness Team, guided persons in that worship service to write on a small piece of paper some sin" Or "habit" anyone wished to get rid of. These pieces of paper were then individually brought to the communion table and burnt during the evening service. The fire may have been quite symbolic of the cleansing and warmth that were integral parts throughout the whole Mission.

Herman Jonker, Domini Opmeer and others I interviewed talked rather freely and often about the release of love that came to a beautiful eruption during that same Sunday morning worship service. Apparently, it happened something like this: At the close of the service Bert Wellman, the Mission co-ordinator, made the following observation and invitation: "Your minister John Opmeer together with his wife -and family have been serving you now for some time. They love you and the word here at Hope Church. However, sincerely they try to do the will of God they make mistakes. Sometimes -they become lonely and may perhaps wonder whether you really still love and appreciate them. Perhaps, many of you nave not told them for some time that you really care and' love them. Why don't you come up and tell them of your love and, concern."

Wellman then had the Opmeer family come to the altar. It was at that point that the flood of love and concern broke loose. The old - the young - and those in between came to visibily express their love and care for their minister and his family. Tears flowed freely and genuinely. This release of love was still flowing when I visited Hope Church a week after the flood gates had given way. They expressed love in various ways knowing full well that I had come as a prying and probing reporter.

Just what were the mechanics and ginunicks used during the Lay Witness Mission? The procedure was simply this: About thirty persons who had been involved in other Witness Missions were engaged, to come and spend Friday-Sunday in a low-key Witness Mission at Hope Church. These witnesses were a: cross section of male and female - old and young straight to somewhat hip, type. Their assignment was clear and simple, namely to, share what the living Christ had and was doing in their lives. The Witnesses did their sharing in such situations as breakfast meetings, in the more traditional church meetings, in small group meetings in homes, at youth coke get-togethers and in one to one encounters.

The comments on what'.. took place during the weekend Mission go something like this: "Joy came to our church as we had never seen it before", Those Witnesses were such real people", "Our church came together in a way that made us all feel so close together", "There was emotion in the Mission; but it was not the kind of emotionalism that most of us had been afraid of", "the ten younger witnesses got through to the young people in our church", "There seemed to be the beginning of an attitude of sharing", "A new type of question was being asked, such as, what things can and should we be doing in our community?", "Many people in our church got nearer to God, I know I, my husband and our children did. We also got closer together as a family", "The minister seems so much happier now", "Since the Mission I enjoy praying in a group situations. One lady remarked about the big circle they made in one of the weekend get-togethers and many in the circle began taking part in sort of conversational praying. She continued by saying, "we all felt so much closer to God and to one another".

And the statements continued, "there is a new closeness in our church - we all feel like sharing our problems with others, even with those whom we really do not know too well. Anyway, we soon get to know each other now", "Our skepticism regarding the Mission has turned into a new spirit of confidence and togetherness kind of faith that expects that better and more meaningful things are yet to come".

A number of the persons I interviewed attributed the success of the Mission to the twenty-four Prayer Vigil that was held shortly before the Mission took place. Even this came off with a good deal of unspoken skepticism. Not a few wondered how they could ever find enough material to pray about for a full thirty minutes. Once they began to pray many found that the half hour was actually not enough time.

One young person I chatted with put it this way, "as we paired off into small groups we started freely talking about what we believed and what we did not believe". She also mentioned how so many people in the church had moved so much closer together. She indicated that she would like o and share in other churches and groups what the living Christ had done in her life during the weekend Mission.

It would appear to me that the effect at this point in time of the Lay Witness Mission with regards to Hope Church could be summarized in this way:

1. The staid Dutch reserve of somewhat cold Calvinism got loosened up and warmed through by a new release and application of the working of the Holy Spirit.

2. The flowing tears indicated a release of love for one another as well as a greater love and concern for those outside the, church family.

3. Some gains were made in breaking down the age barriers that existed in the church.

4. Some gains were made in the emergence of greater Team Work in and through the church.

5. The pronounced Dutch ethnic flavour received some infusion that will help Hope Church in getting into the Canadian cultural milieu. Most of the Witnesses were not Dutch. In this regards the experience may have been as traumatic and far reaching as letting go of the Dutch language some seven years ago.

Almost, everyone that responded to an interview was forthright and quite articulate in recommending the Lay Witness Mission to other churches. They all seemed quite willing to come and share in the envisioned Mission at All Saints Anglican and as St. Andrew's United Churches in Mission City later this fall. Quite frankly, I hope that this vision will become a reality.

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