–Past History–

The Northern California Chapter, I believe, was the first chapter to be organized in 1960. Dr. Gilbert Den Dulk, who was then a board member of the national organization, encouraged the forming of local chapters. At an organizational meeting six men signed up as charter members: Rev. Jacob Weersing, Rev. John DeJong, Dr. Gilbert Den Dulk, Raymond Geerdes, Gordon Vander Ark and Bert Van Dyken. Dr. Gilbert Den Dulk was elected the first president.

The chapter grew to 14 members. Regular meetings were held about four times a year. One of the highlights of these meetings was the annual report on the actions of Synod by some person who had attended· Synod and whom we felt would be able to give an informative report.

After a period of reduced interest a reorganization meeting was called in 1974. Rev. Simon Viss was elected the new president. Under Rev. Viss’s able leadership the chapter grew in numbers. The reason for this was that many people in Central California were becoming concerned and even disturbed about the decisions of Synod, the new hermeneutics, and the issue coming before the churches of having women in office.

Today we have over 100 active members, most of whom live in the Ripon, Modesto, Escalon, Oakdale, and Manteca area.

Activities

We try to have four meetings a year. Our activities basically fall into two categories: Promotion and Information.

Under promotion, our chapter is growing in numbers due to a great extent to the work of our promotion and circulation chairman, Mr. Wm. Poot, Sr. He started a program of trial subscriptions. Three month gift subscriptions would be sent out to 50 families in our area each year. These were paid for by the chapter. A three-month gift subscription costs $2.00 each. After the subscription has run out each family is contacted by a letter asking them if they enjoyed the Outlook and if they would subscribe to it for the following year . They are also informed of the local chapter and are invited to become members.

The result of the program for the first year was about 12 new members and a number of new subscriptions for The Outlook.

Secondly, we try to keep the membership and the churches informed about what is taking place in our denominations and in our schools, and especially in what is happening at our Synods.

In January of each year we have our membership meeting. At this meeting new board members are elected, committees are appointed and plans are made for the new year’s activities. Usually two or three public meetings are scheduled for the year. One of these meetings is in July when we obtain a speaker who has been at Synod. In t his way we can get an eye–witness report on what actions were taken or not taken. This also gives an opportunity for discussion and helps to keep people informed.

For a Fall mass meeting we try to secure a speaker on some of the controversial matters which we are facing in our churches and issues on which we as members should take a stand. In the past we have had Dr. Lindsell, former editor of Christianity Today, speak for us on the inerrant Bible. Last year, Dr. Gary Parker, from the Institute for Creation Research, spoke on “Creation vs. Evolution.”

This past year we tried a new venture. The last week in September Dr. Parker was here again for a two-day seminar on, “Whatever Happened to the Case for Evolution.” This was held in the Christian High School. The Friday p.m. session was for the students. Over 300 high school and Jr. high school students attended the lecture and a film on the “Great Dinosaur Mystery.” Eighty of the students who attended were from the local public school. After this a session was held for the teacher s on how to teach Creationism in the schools. In the evening at the mass meeting the same film “The Dinosaur Mystery” was again shown, followed by a lecture on fossils and “Darwinism and False Religion.” The Saturday sessions were designed more for the general public.

The response to the Seminar was good. One of the local Baptist pastors made a public statement that through the Seminar he was converted from theistic evolution to six day Creationism.*

After the 1980 Synod we had our editor of The Outlook, Rev. Peter De Jong, give us a report on Synod. He did t his in a unique way, giving a birdseye view of Synods, past and present.

There are other activities in which a chapter should take action: It might promote an overture to synod to change the rules to require a 2/3 vote of Synod to change the “church order.” (The existing rule is a simple majority.) A corporation, (our de· nomination), should not change its articles of incorporation, (the church order), with less than a 2/3 majority vote. Also consideration could be given to have ratification by 2/3 of the local church consistories for any major policy change made at the latest Synod. A chapter may appoint an action committee to encourage and help members to bring such overtures to church assemblies.

We hope this will interest and help other chapters to plan their activities. We hope others will report on their activities so we can all profit from them.

Just as a suggestion maybe we should have a “chapter page” in the Outlook magazine once in a while.

Northern Calif. Chapter Reformed Fellowship

Bert VanDyken, president

Editor’s Note: The OUTLOOK welcomes such news reports as this from our chapters and affiliates.

*A brochure is available for others who might wish to plan such a seminar. Write to 13328 West Ripon Road, Ripon CA 95366 or phone (2091 599-3780.