Because of World War II, Calvin Seminary students decided against the luxury of a 3-month vacation and went to class for the summer; the class graduated on March 13, 1945 at Calvin Seminary Chapel on Franklin Street, and a special committee of Synod examined the candidates. Henry Vander Kam accepted the call to the Prosper Christian Reformed Church at Falmouth , Michigan, in May and moved with his wife and son into the parsonage in June. After a special meeting of Classis Muskegon on August 1 to examine two candidates, on Friday, August 3, he was ordained as a minister at the Prosper Church. On August 5 he preached his inaugural sermon from the text Rev. 1:13, 16 – “Christ’s Presence in the Church.”

On July 28, 1985 he returned to the Prosper Church to begin celebrating 40 years in the ministry. He used the same text as for his inaugural, saying that he thought it safe to do so, as not too many were left to recall that sermon. The elders in the present consistory were former catechumens of his and some of the deacons had not been born when he began his ministry. In the evening his sermon was from 1 Timothy 1:12 –“Gratitude For The Ministry.” The welcome from this congregation was overwhelming.

The following Sunday he conducted the morning service at the 12th Ave. Christian Reformed Church of Jenison, Michigan where he served as the first minister from 1955–65. Here his sermon was based on Romans 1:16 – “Paul’s Evaluation of the Gospel.” During the time of his ministry at 12th Ave. the church grew from 100 families to 260 in five years. In 1960 The Baldwin Christian Reformed Church was organized. During those 10 years there were 343 baptisms but only 13 funerals. Here he taught a men’s society with as many as 100 men in attendance as well as 2 large women’s societies.

On the evening of that same day he preached in Grace Christian Reformed Church of Kalamazoo where he served for 13 years—1965–78. Here his sermon was also from I Timothy 1:12 – “Gratitude For the Ministry.” Coffee and refreshments were also served here in his honor and was well attended.

During his ministry he served as a member and president of the Board of Home Missions; was a Synod delegate ten times, serving as an officer six times and as its president in 1976. He was also a member and served as president of the Board of Trustees of Calvin College and Seminary from 1970–73. In 1968 he was chosen by the Synod as a delegate to the Ecumenical Synod which was held in the Netherlands. He was chairman of the committee of which one issue was women in office. He has also served on several synodical committees. For 13 years he has written the Bible Outlines for The Outlook.

Other churches he has served are Pella II (1950–55), Lake Worth, Fla. (1978–79), and he retired from Doon Christian Reformed Church where he served for 3 years. He also taught part-time as Professor of Dogmatics at Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

This was a nostalgic pilgrimage, but also one for which we give thanks to God for sparing his life for service in his Kingdom.