EBENEZER CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH (JARVIS)

1948 -- Eben-Haezer

Little did a small group of  immigrants know that their vision of a place to worship their God would become a thriving mother church of three daughter churches. We are deeply grateful to those first families for their vision, faithfulness and complete dependence on God and His Word.

In 1947 the first Dutch immigrants came to this area. They were in a foreign land, heard a strange language and faced much loneliness. On January 19, 1948, Rev. A. Persenaire came as a home missionary to ministry among the scattered immigrants. On February 20, 1948, fourteen people met for the first time in the basement of Hagersville Presbyterian Church. Soon this facility became too small and we moved to the "Stone Church" east of Jarvis. On November 28, 1948, the Jarvis congregation was formally organized with twenty-two families and six single charter members with the name, Erie Christian Reformed Church.

By May 5, 1949, we became a calling church and had grown to 100 worshippers. The choice of pastors was difficult, as he would have to speak and preach in Dutch. On June 22, 1950, Rev. G. Lyzenga arrived from Ellsworth, Michigan. Just 5 months later, on December 11, 1950, as a result of a tragic car accident, Rev. Lyzenga went to his eternal home.

In April 1950, two acres of land next to the parsonage was bought and building plans for a church were made. Services in the church began before the building was complete. A budget of $0.75 a week was decided on, which increased to $1.50 a week, per family, in March 1952. Society life had also begun. We decided to have one service on English and one in Dutch each Sunday.

On April 9, 1952. Rev. J. M. Dykstra, from Battle Creek, Michigan, was installed as our new pastor. A dedication service for our new church was held on April 23, 1952. There were now 110 families. We thanked Chalmers Presbyterian Church for their help, and with their generous gift of an organ. We became a corporation on August 11, 1954 with the name Ebenezer (hitherto the Lord has helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12) Christian Reformed Church of Jarvis. At this time the church library was started, a choir was set up, Sunday School and Catechism classes began.

The congregation was soon outgrowing its facilities. In 1957, on October 4 and 6, two daughter churches were started. Sixteen families left for York Maranatha CRC and twenty-nine for Immanuel CRC.

In 1959, Rev. Dykstra accepted a call to Momence, Illinois. The next year Rev. A. Haalboom of Truro, Nova Scotia came to us. Once more we were shocked when a tragic accident took his life in May 1962.

Rev. P. Kranenburg, from Springdale, Ontario, came to us in 1963. From now on, both services on the first Sunday of the month would be in English. In July 1964, the Lord's Supper format was changed. Individual cups would be used and the communicants would remain in the pews instead of going to sit at the Lord's table. In 1966, Boys' and Girls' clubs were changed to Cadets and Calvinettes. A new parsonage was built. In December 1966 Rev. Kranenburg accepted a call to Red Deer, Alberta.

In April 1967 Rev. D.C. Los came to from Grimsby, Ontario. The Thanksgiving Day collection in 1968 was $5,658.10, a lot of money at that time. As our congregation continued to grow, discussions were held on building a new church. Meanwhile, Rev. Los accepted a call to Peterborough, Ontario in March 1972. Just two months later, the Lord sent us a new pastor, Rev. P. Brouwer from Acton, Ontario.

November 28, 1973 marked our 25th anniversary. By this time Ebenezer had 138 families and 653 souls.

As our church kept growing, we decided to build. The proposal was for a new church, parking area and landscaping for $390,000. A drive result in $250,000. The building was completed in December 1975. Soon a fund was set up for a new organ.

In June 1979 Rev. Brouwer left us for New Westminster, B.C. In November, 1980 candidate J. Tuininga was welcomed and stayed with us until 1984 when he accepted a call to Chatham, Ontario. We were without a pastor until Rev. N. Cornelisse came in July 1985. As he was from the Nederlands Gereformeerde Kerk, his ministerial credentials had to come before Classis and Synod. His examination was held in our church with many of us observing.

By now the organ funds had been raised enabling us to purchase a Kawai Grand Piano and a Johannes Organ. These were dedicated on September 20, 1985.

Our church continued to grow. In 1986 we had 191 families and 751 souls. An intern was called to assist the pastor. Tom Huizinga served for one year. John Roke served the following year. In October 1989 Rev. Cornelisse left us for Edmonton, Alberta and in January 1990 we welcomed candidate Harold VanderSluis. Harold stayed until September when he accepted a call to Rimbey, Alberta and was replaced by Rev. R. Praamsma from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Forty-two families and five singles left to form a daughter church in Hagersville in August 1990.

In September 1992 the Ministerial Association of Jarvis hosted a Marney Patterson Campaign for Christ in which we participated. Many of us were involved in various activities, including a Billy Graham Crusade and Simcoe Fair ministry. We also protested abortion and Sunday shopping. Jesus films were also distributed.

Rev. Praamsma accepted a call to Brighton, Ontario in May 1997. Jeff Janssen came to us as an intern for a year in June 1997. In July 1999 Pastor Ken Benjamins came to us from Wyoming, Ontario.

Though we have gone through many changes over the years, our God, whom we serve, remains the same yesterday, today and forever. As He guided our early families with their unique struggles, so He leads us who are here at the beginning of a new millennium.

Great is the faithfulness of our God.