FIRST CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH, HAMILTON

Place of Worship:
181 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton

"I Will Build My Church"
by Martha (Turkstra) Tigchelaar

As we at First Church look back over our history, we can say emphatically "Here to has the Lord helped us," for one thing stands out clearly and that is the leading of a Sovereign God. It is He who builds the church.

In 1925 the Board of Home Missions attempted to establish a mission in the Burlington area. It failed due to a lack of interest. In 1927 a second attempt was made, this time in the Hamilton area.Three pastors were sent by Classes Grand Rapids East and Holland, Michigan. They found that four of our families and several bachelors had settled in the area and thus determined to start immediately.

They understood that the life of the immigrant can be fraught with difficulties. " He has become a stranger in a foreign land " and it is of utmost importance that spiritual needs are met. So it was that four families and one bachelor began to meet regularly in McNab Street. Presbyterian Church. "Fear not, little flock".

Classis Holland took this small group under its wing and nurtured it during its rather long infancy. The Rev. John Balt accepted the challenge of becoming its first undershepherd. He came to us on March 4^th, 1928. And his first sermon was taken from Acts 8:29 - "The Spirit said:" Join yourself to this chariot".

"Despise not the day of small beginnings" the prophet tells us, (Zach. 3:10). By October of 1928 we had grown to 9 families and felt we should move towards becoming an instituted congregation! This milestone was not reached until April 16, 1929, when in the presence of twenty voting males our first elders R. Turkstra, S. Altena,and A. Biemold and two deacons W. De Jong and Sam Reitsma were chosen to form the first council. Dates were set for a congregational meeting, a baptismal and a communion service. Rev. Balt had purchased a beautiful silver set for $ 35.00 to enhance our first communion celebration.

We had been meeting in the Labour temple on Mary Street and in the Bricklayers’ hall on Catharine Street, but it was decided that we should purchase a proper church building. In 1930 we bought a building from the Methodists for $ 6000.00. A mortgage of $3000.00 was held by the Methodist church and the remaining $3000.00 was paid by Classis Holland. The depression was upon us and held us in its grip for 13 years. It was only after those years that we were slowly able to pay back some of that money.

By the early thirties our group had grown to 35 families, scattered over a large area: Millgrove, Waterdown, Dundas, Ancaster, Burlington and Stoney Creek. On Sunday mornings we would arrive at church by truck, car, bus, streetcar, bicycle or on foot. Sunday was for us ""Day of all the week the best". Lunches were packed so we could take in the morning worship, Sunday School, and the afternoon worship. The Psalms were sung, the Word was preached, and we had an opportunity to share our difficulties. Then we could go home, strengthened in the faith, to face our tasks once again.

In 1934 the governments of Canada and the Netherlands joined hands in converting the marsh lands around Holland Landing into fertile vegetable land. One half of our people left us and moved to the Holland Marsh, where another struggling church was born. It would be 1938 before they could become an organized church.

In 1939 several more families came from Holland and joined our church. Among them was Peter Spoelstra and his wife Claire. He became our organist and led our singing for 57 years.

We said goodbye to Rev. Balt in 1940. He had served our congregation for 11 years and was replaced by Rev. Wm. Meyer, who actually served three churches: Woodstock, Holland Marsh and Hamilton. It was during this time that we received a request from Classis:"Are you ready to walk by yourself?" it would be another six years before we could actually let go of the hand that had so graciously sustained us through those years of poverty.

We had gone from the Depression into the war years. Several of our young men were called to arms. In fact some went abroad to serve in the Army, Air Force or Navy. One lost his life. The joy of welcoming them back into our small community was mingled with sorrow for the one who did not return.

In 1929 we had one English sermon per month. Eighteen years later a second one was introduced. By 1943 some had wanted more English, but that was defeated 15 to 6. The following year (1944) the council proposed a radical change:75% English, 25% Dutch. This caused considerable controversy, -- but was passed.

The post war years brought many changes. Canada had opened her doors to immigrants and we had what could be termed "an immigrant explosion". God’s providential care for His little flock began to take on real meaning. At that time we numbered approx. 35 families, but whithin15 or so years we would be a mother church many times over. An Immigration Society had been established during the thirties. It became properly organized and contact –and field men were appointed. Our elders were sent to Kitchener, Galt (presently Cambridge), Woodstock and St. Catharines to find suitable meeting places. Our church had purchased 50 extra chairs (second hand) and we "thought "we were ready for the influx. Those chairs were put to immediate use .Our modest sanctuary soon spilled over into the basement, on the stairways and the pulpit. In a short time we were meeting in four different places.

In 1949 a solution was found to our space difficulties: A sharp decrease in membership had been experienced by our Baptist brothers and sisters who worshiped in the building situated on Charlton and Hess sts. And we were able to exchange buildings. Our building plus $23.000.00 constituted the exchange and we could once again worship under one (leaking) roof. But it soon became evident that meeting under one roof was not what everyone wanted.
 

Our second daughter congregation was born in 1950 and bears the name Fruitland C.R.C. In the meantime three pastors had served us briefly: Rev, Meyer had left us in 1942 and this time we called our first pastor Rev. David Grasman. He only stayed for two years, then moved on to serve as Chaplain in Hoboken. He was followed by Rev. Sam Dykstra who left us in the midst of the great influx of immigrants. Rev. T..C. Van Kooten took up the challenge and he was indeed God’s man for us during those turbulent years. He and his wife Tina joined us in January of 1952. "Take Heed to yourselves and to the flock".

It did not take long for the sanctuary to be filled to overflowing again. So another daughter left us in the fall of 1951. She became the Mount Hamilton C.R.C. and was formally organized in 1952.

A mammoth task faced us during those years. So many young lives needed the solid foundation found only in the Scriptures. Catechism and Sunday School classes were immense. Every evening the church was ablaze with light. Young Mens’, Young Women’s Society, two Ladies’ Societies ( one Dutch, one English), choir, and on Saturday evenings even an "Instuif" to provide wholesome entertainment for our young people. Another daughter church was added to our ever growing family, Burlington C.R.C. was officially organized in June 0f 1953.

That was also the year we renovated the annex of our church. That renovation meant.that we now had a Fellowship Hall, more Sunday School rooms, in short- a much more functional and inviting annex. We managed to purchase an electric organ and on our 25^th anniversary it was dedicated to our God and to the memory of Gaele Visser, our member who lost his life in World War Two.

Another daughter congregation left. Calvin C.R.C. Dundas was organized in 1954. With a nice new annex, our attention turned to our dark and very Baptist sanctuary. In 1955 major renovations were undertaken in the auditorium. Because of a fire of unknown origin things were a bit hectic that summer, but neighboring churches graciously allowed us to worship in their buildings.

Pastor Van Kooten served us for eight and a half years with faithfulness and dedication to the truth of God’s Word. He had, during that time, received 34 calls. But on July 24, 1960, he had to leave us for Edmonton. Someone asked him:"Dominee, why, after declining 34 calls, do you have to accept this one?" His answer: " I never felt free to leave. This time I did not feel free to stay". We were sorry to see him go. During his years with us as many as one thousand immigrants per year passed through First Church. His was no mean task but God graciously equipped him.

For a short time the Rev. W. Van Dyk led us while he was also the principal of the Chr. Highschool. No doubt he was relieved when Dr. P. Y. De Jong took the call we extended to him. We certainly were a varied group during those years. There were the "old" pre-war- and then the "new" post-war immigrants. It was no easy task to minister to a people with such varied backgrounds.

Dr. P. Y. De Jong’ ministry only lasted for two and a half years. Rev. and Mrs. Kuyvenhoven accepted our call and arrived on July 1, 1964. We were in for another time of change. Women getting voting privileges came first. Sunday School children now graduated at 12 years, rather than the customary 16 years. Cadets and Calvinettes were started and one Dutch service per Sunday would take place in Immanuel C.R.C. We were still a church with a constantly varying membership roll . The following statistics of 1967 reveal this:

16 complete families received
19 complete families transferred
77 confessing members received
45 confessing members transferred
Total on the rolls: 243 families -- 1186 members. 628 confessing members.

For a few years Rev. C. Vriend also pastored in our midst alongside of Rev. Kuyvenhoven.

Another large group left us in 1969 to become the Aldershot C.R.C., which is now Bethel C.R.C. Waterdown.

Rev. Kuyvenhoven departed from us on March 15, 1970. Once again we were without a pastor.
 

"Go Ye- Teach and Preach".

In 1946 we had built a small chapel on Munn St. which is on the Hamilton mountain. For several years we held Sunday School there with as many as 40 children in attendance. For some time Evangelists H. Boehm and H. Van Til worked in the community, but it was eventually decided to give it up and the property was sold.

We have continued to reach out to the infirm in various seniors’ Homes. This ministry began in the late fifties and continues to be a blessing.

In 1971 Rev. and Mrs. Klomps arrived and already during the first year of that ministry an Organ Committee was formed. Previous attempts to purchase a pipe organ had failed and Peter Spoelstra had all but given up on it happening in his life time. "A Pipe Dream" he called it. But it happened with determination and God’s help. Peter Spoelstra was elated! The organ- a Casavant- was dedicated in 1972 and Peter played it until December 1999, just a few months before God took him home at the qge of 85. First Church has always expressed itself beautifully in song, thanks to the musical leadership it has enjoyed, and has consequently gained the title"The Singing Church" from the neighborhood. But it really is her way of expressing its praise and thanksgiving to God.

The Ancaster C.R.C. was our last daughter to leave. Possibly more for the sake of convenience than need, because by then the chairs which used to line our aisles were already no longer needed. In fact, very gradually, but noticeably our members began to leave. At the time that Rev. Klomps left and Rev. Postman came it was already quite apparent. What was most disturbing was the fact that we were losing our young people. Eventually even Cadets- followed by Calvinettes petered out and stopped. When we celebrated our 60^th anniversary in 1989 three of our former pastors were on hand. Revs. Kuyvenhoven, Klomps and Van Kooten. The last named reminded us how he had warned us not to become the Mother church of too many daughters. Especially a city church could lose too many members that way and thus drain the Mother church of her vitality.

Although that had been painfully true during those years, some things were bright spots and should be noted. First Church initiated the Friendship Program for people with mental impairments when it was first published in 1982 and it has been a great blessing to our congregation’s life, even though it was interrupted for a few years until our "elderly" building was upgraded to become more accessible.

Rev. Postman left in 1988. We had appointed a youth worker, John Stellingwerff, because we , by then, were painfully aware of our lack of young people. With the pastor gone, much of the other pastoral work fell to him and he and Doreen, with their children moved into the parsonage for the time being. Shortly after their arrival a meeting was called and our problems were openly discussed. Two options were open to us: 1) Sell the church building and the property and start another C.R.C. in another location. Or 2) stay put and weather the storm. The second option won, but not unanimously. So we stayed and called Rev. Fred Heslinga who accepted our call and arrived with Ella and their children in 1989.

The Stellingwerffs were not with us for long, but they left their mark: John began the Prayer Group which still meets every Saturday morning. The needs of the church, its individual members, its mission in the world are prayed for. Doreen helped start our Coffee Break programme which has proven to be an ongoing blessing to the church and the community.

They served their Lord well while they were with us and left to minister among the Native Indians in Edmonton.

The synodical decision regarding women in office did not affect First Church noticeably even though some did not agree with it. Some families even joined us during those troublesome years. Catechism and Sunday school classes had always been and remained a must. Morning services were still attended fairly well. Evening services were poorly attended. During this time, however, our building became a temporary home for the Hamilton Laotian congregation and although they are still with us to this day, they are actively searching for their own church home.

After the Heslinga’s left us in 1998 we had an intern for a year, Elzo Tenyenhuis.

It was at that time that Pastor Michael Goheen expressed an interest in our church, largely because we are a city church. We proceeded to call him to become our preaching pastor and he and his family have been warmly received. He took up his task in the fall of 1999. Of course, we still needed a full time pastor. Council recommended Andrew Zantingh, soon to graduate from Calvin Seminary. Andrew and Kelly with their family joined us in August of 2000 and Andrew was ordained in our church on October 4, 2000.

Currently the two men ( and their wives) are working together with ONE purpose in mind: to serve God by caring for His people. We are looking UP with grateful hearts. We are growing in number and maturing spiritually. Once again PARKING has become a problem. Young People are meeting again on Sunday evenings. Society life on the whole is flourishing. The ALPHA program has been started.
 

"Let us sing Praise to our God."

We would be amiss if no mention was made of our music. Betty Spoelstra, Peter and Claire’s eldest daughter has taken her Father’s place behind the organ. She has become our Music Director and we are singing praises to our God as beautifully as ever, accompanied by the Music Makers during evening services or the Service Choir in the mornings.

To this day the Mother Church has set a fine example by the way she raises her heart and voice in song. In this way she expresses her joy- her sorrow- and brings praise to our God.

More than seventy years ago a "small thing" took place in Hamilton. Fourteen families and some young men became an organized church. As such we are more, much more than an organization- for the Bible tells us the Church is the body of Christ. This fact has given her life and meaning… It is God’s Word that has guided her through poverty, uncertainty and turbulence.

Our parents accepted that Word, not as human thinking, but as the power of God unto salvation. It is our prayer that First Church will continue to flourish and grow in the midst of the C.R.C. and may the wonderful message of salvation ring out from her to all, those who come to worship and those in our community.