THE SUNDAY MORNIN G POST - East Saugatuck Church

The Reason 

By Tim Dykstra 

THE SUNDAY MORNING POST 

December 2011 

www.espoint.org 

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That special time of year is here, the time of Jesus’ birth, 

When God on high, sent the Christ child, 

His own son of matchless worth. 

To be the light in this dark world, the Savior from our sin, 

For thirty-three years He walked this earth, 

seeking men’s souls to win. 

Born in a lowly stable, on a bed of hay He slept, 

As shepherds saw the shining star, as their flocks they kept. 

Down from the hills they came that night, 

the star showed them the way, 

To see the baby Jesus on that first Christmas day. 

The wisemen too, came seeking the child, as their gifts they brought, 

Traveling far through the long night, 

for it was God’s own son they sought. 

For they knew the child was to be the one, the one to save mankind, 

To heal the sick, make the lame to walk, 

give sight to those once blind. 

And then to die a criminal’s death, nailed to a tree He created, 

While people scorned this Man of Sorrows, 

who they were sure they hated. 

While Jesus cried, “Father, please forgive them, 

forgive them everyone… 

For they know not what they do…hear this prayer from thy dear Son.” 

And then the Lord laid down His life for sinners everywhere 

He paid the price with His own blood, just because He cared. 

And so this year as we give our gifts and celebrate the season, 

Let’s thank the Lord for sending His son and never forget the reason. 

Inside this Issue: 

• Welcome to the VanOrder 

Family 

• Happy Wanderer’s 

• Kyle Chau Update 

• ES History (Part 4) 

• Surviving Christmas 

• Upcoming Dates 

• Bible Reading Plan 

• Kids’ Page 

• Birthdays & Anniversaries

Reading Thru the Bible 

As we finish Reading thru the New Testament, here are the readings for the 

month of December. Keep digging into God’s word, making progress each 

day. 

Thursday, December 01, 2011 --- Revelation 1 

Friday, December 02, 2011 --- Revelation 2 

Monday, December 05, 2011 --- Revelation 3 

Tuesday, December 06, 2011 --- Revelation 4 

Wednesday, December 07, 2011 --- Revelation 5 


















The Sunday Morning Post is 

a monthly publication of East 

Saugatuck Christian 

Reformed Church. Our 

purpose is to keep people 

well informed concerning the 

ministries, activities and 

events of our church. 

East Saugatuck Church 

A3815 56th Street 

Holland, MI 49423 

www.espoint.org 

Pastor Gary Luurtsema 

269-751-5889 

“East Saugatuck Church: 

a Community growing 

in our love for God 

and for other people.” 

Editor: 

Reporters: 

Typist: 

Copier: 

Post Staff: 

Dawn Cook 

Tim Dykstra 

Jenny Scholten 

Ruth Cook 

Jan & Wayne 

Becksvoort 

Deaths: 

Ruth Canaan 

Transfers Out: 

Muriel Prins 

Leon & Louise Koops 

Directory Updates 

02-Nov-2011 

The deadline for the 

January issue of the 

Post is December18. 

Post Articles 

If you have a Post article that is 

already typed up, feel free to email it 

to us for use in the Post. 

Our Email addresses are: 

Dawn Cook: 

r_dcook50@yahoo.com 

Ruth Cook: 

cookrut@sbcglobal.net

East Saugatuck Welcomes the VanOrder Family 

If you haven’t done so already, please take an opportunity to welcome 

Jason and Katie VanOrder and their children into our church 

family. They officially became members of East Saugatuck on October 

16 when Jason, Katie, and their two children, Jodi, who is 

five, and Nathan who is four were baptized. Jason and Katie also 

publicly professed their faith in Jesus Christ. 

The VanOrders are living in Fennville at the current time. Jason 

was raised in Hamilton and Jodie in Saugatuck. Jason and Katie are 

both employed in the auto industry. Jason works at Rowerdink Inc. 

in Holland, delivering auto parts, and Jodie is employed at Ventura 

Manufacturing in Zeeland, where she inspects and assembles auto 

parts. 

Jason and Katie came to a decision late last year that it was important for their marriage and their family to seek a relationship 

with Christ and to find a church home where they could grow in faith with other believers. They started attending 

East Saugatuck the first week in January 2011 and they have not missed a week since. They said they love the 

people and felt welcome and loved from the first time they stepped in the door. 

Jason has already become a Cadet leader and says that he’s willing to help out wherever else he’s needed. Katie loves 

working with kids and can envision herself helping out in the nursery or in other areas of Children’s Ministries. 

It is wonderful to have this young family as part of our fellowship of believers here at East Saugatuck. Please continue 

to make them feel at home. 

Feed the (Paper) Gator 

We hope everyone is using the Paper Gator bin located in the church parking lot near the Point 

doors. 

Maybe you have a stack of magazines that need to get "dumped" or a bookcase that needs to 

be purged of all the books you know you will never read. And of course save your newspapers 

and FEED the PAPER GATOR! Proceeds will benefit the S.A.F.E. ministry. 

What can go in the bin 

Newsprint 

Catalogs/Magazines 

Junk Mail 

Phone Books 

Office/School paper 

Hard and soft cover books 

What can't go in the bin 

Plastic 

Metal 

Trash 

Glass 

Cardboard 

Paperboard (Grocery Item boxes) 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO FEED THE GATOR 

EVERY WEEK! Thank-you!

Surviving Christmas 

By Marilyn J Ehle, 

Used with permission: Thoughts About God website www.thoughts-about-god.com 

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/christmas/me_surviving.htm 

I am not a regular purchaser of magazines. 

But recently in a desire to make 

the coming holiday season truly enjoyable, 

I blew the budget. In one issue I 

read how to make beeswax candles and 

how to prepare Spiced Roast Turkey 

which only requires that I re-hydrate 

dried tomatoes, gather ingredients such 

as garlic, finely grated lemon rind, coriander 

and cumin and then finally, 

“using my fingers, spread tomato/herb 

mixture under the skin of the turkey 

breast and thighs.” Then “skewer the 

neck skin to the turkey back, tuck wing 

tips under shoulder joints and tie drumstick 

ends securely together with 

string.” 

Recipes in another magazine highlighted 

Artichoke and Goat Cheese 

Bundles, Tequila Marinated Shrimp 

and Mushroom Paté. And I could add 

to my Christmas household decorations 

by preparing “A Chair with Flair”: 

Romantic enough for a dinner for two 

and lovely enough for a party, billowy 

chair covers of shimmery fabric are 

surprisingly easy to create…Buy a 

sheer curtain panel and two yards of 

wired ribbon for each chair. Thread 

the ribbon through the channel at the 

top of the curtain.. Place the panel 

over the top of your chair with the ribbon 

edge of panel on the front side…” 

Let’s see, I have eight dining room 

chairs…that’s eight sheer curtain panels 

and sixteen yards of wired ribbon…. 

But the magazine that really got me 

excited about the holiday season was 

Martha Stewart’s Living. According to 

Martha’s handy November calendar, I 

should have already potted my amaryllis 

and hyacinths for Christmas; 

drained all my outdoor spigots, pipes 

and sprinklers; ordered the turkeys; 

delivered my boat to the boatyard and 

put up the dinghy; wrapped my ferns 

and shrubs in burlap and mounded and 

wrapped the roses; raked and blown the 

leaves; cleaned out the gutters; cut 

back the perennial beds; groomed my 

dogs and cats; tested the snowplow; 

and shopped for Thanksgiving staples. 

One dictionary defines holiday as: a 

day fixed by law or custom on which 

ordinary business is suspended in commemoration 

of some event or person; 

any day of exemption from labor; a 

religious feast day; a holy day. 

In a recent issue of our local newspaper, 

this full page ad appeared: 

“SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO 

TOWN! ‘Tis the season…come help us 

welcome Jolly Old St. Nick this Friday 

evening at 7:00 p.m…..” All this happening 

in mid-November! 

I can bemoan the encroachment of materialism 

on the holidays. I can fault the 

merchants. I can even say “why does 

the church schedule so much during the 

holidays”; but what I am ultimately 

and personally responsible for is my 

calendar. 

The Christmas holidays look different 

for different people. For some there 

will be family…sometimes too much 

family. Some must cope with parents 

(two or more sets!) who will be hurt if 

you don’t celebrate with them. For others 

there will be no family— perhaps 

children are spending this holiday with 

the divorced mate and you face the 

prospect of an empty house. Perhaps 

you are single—of any age—without 

children, and the walls of your apartment 

will echo with aloneness. 

Too many people or too few. Enough 

money but few to spend it on. Not 

enough money for even the basics. A 

calendar with every square crammed 

with activities or a calendar glaringly 

empty. But we return to those simple 

words: A HOLY DAY. How can we 

begin to truly savor the coming days 

and not merely survive them 

Christmas has always been my favorite 

time of year, but with four children, the 

holiday was frequently not simple. 

Many years ago, however, I chose to 

make it a holy day, both for myself 

and—as much as possible—for those 

around me. Experts do have a few good 

ideas, but let me share some thoughts 

that will perhaps help you turn the holidays 

into truly holy days. 

Prepare yourself: “Be still and 

know that I am God.” 

Be STILL How ridiculous when 

there is so much to do, yet I find this to 

be an absolute prerequisite for holy 

days. Just ten minutes of quiet before 

the house explodes in the morning (or 

perhaps, ten minutes at night when the 

house has stopped exploding) are absolute 

necessities. 

During the days leading up to the holidays, 

I do this primarily by reading 

well-written books and listening to appropriate 

music. Our family had an 

unplanned contest to see who would 

turn on Handel’s Messiah the earliest. 

The record is held by our oldest son: 

October 25th! When the entire family 

joined us for Thanksgiving several 

years ago, no one was surprised to hear 

Messiah music during dinner clean up 

time. 

Continued =========>

Surviving Christmas (con’t) 

Advent will find me re-reading the 

New Testament accounts of Jesus’ 

birth and life. Along with this I will 

choose poetry and prose from some of 

my favorite writers. I have no more 

time than any other working woman, 

but I find these daily few minutes of 

stillness are the essential foundation 

for all else that occurs during the holidays. 

Now come the practical ideas. First, 

have a financial plan. It really isn’t 

necessary to go into debt during the 

holidays. Begin your shopping in 

January. While it’s too late to begin 

shopping the January sales for this 

Christmas, certainly keep it in mind 

for next year. “But I don’t know what 

I’ll want to buy for Joe or Susy or 

Mother” is the usual excuse. If we 

come to understand that it truly is 

merely an excuse, we can escape the 

trap of last minute shopping. Find a 

corner in a closet to store things—and 

label them!—for bargains you pick up 

throughout the year. 

This year our family is choosing to 

give “nothing new” for adult gifts. 

Some of us will scour resale shops and 

stores run by charitable organizations 

to find that something special for each 

personality. Others may bake homemade 

cookies to give, while some may 

look through old photos to find that 

special smile of a child, brother or 

sister and include it with a warm note 

telling of 

special 

memories. 

What 

about 

those hard 

-to-buyfor, 

neverquitesatisfied 

people on 

your list I 

have them 

on my list 

too and a few years ago I found the 

perfect solution. We make a contribution 

in their name to a charity or mission 

project that seems to fit their personality 

or interests. 

Next, make a food plan. Shop early 

and spread the food costs. Sometimes 

that means stopping on my way to 

work for the non-perishables. I begin 

buying those usually expensive holiday 

goodies as early as October. In the 

weeks prior to Christmas, several grocery 

stores in our area have turkeys on 

sale for $5.00. When I see a special 

sale I pick up bags of almonds for my 

special sugared orange nuts. 

No time to bake those special rolls 

that mother always made Frozen rolls 

served warm from the oven seem to 

satisfy any longings for the good old 

days. Christmas cookies Kids love 

them but you hate the mess Make up 

a batch of cookie dough, put Saturday 

Morning Mess on your calendar, give 

the kids your full attention and a pail 

and mop when the project is over. 

Instead of filling the menu with every 

imaginable goody, concentrate on one 

thing everyone loves. In our family, 

cinnamon rolls made a week before 

December 25th, frozen, then thawed 

and baked while gifts are opened spell 

(and smell!) “Christmas.” 

Have an activity plan. 

Prioritize. Sit down, alone or with 

your family, and decide what’s truly 

important. Here are a few ideas: 

• Make an Advent wreath, light 

candles each Sunday of Advent, 

read the appropriate scripture, and 

decide on a practical application 

of the topic. (This can be done as 

a single person or as a family.) If 

the subject is hope, ask what you 

and the family can do to bring 

hope to someone this week. Have 

a practical plan. This is an excellent 

way to distract children from 

the pull of commercialism. Teens 

may seem uninterested—that’s 

because they’re teens--do it anyway! 

• Plan one special event for the 

family. Maybe it’s the church concert, 

a Nutcracker Suite performance, 

ice skating, leaving cookies 

on a doorstep, inviting someone 

for a special meal. Learn to say a 

resounding—but polite!—NO 

when tempted to overindulge in 

activity. 

• Include others in your holiday 

plans. A wonderful way to teach 

our children generosity is to include 

others in a family celebration. 

• A word for singles: self-pity 

creeps in to the single life during 

the holidays but be on your guard. 

If family is not nearby, don’t wait 

for others to invite you. Plan the 

holiday in your home. Take the 

initiative. If you absolutely can’t 

find anyone else with whom to 

celebrate, volunteer at an assisted 

living residence, hospice, etc. Be 

creative. 

You may wish to try solitude for part 

of Christmas Day. One year our 

daughter living in New York City enjoyed 

a quiet morning of tea and 

homemade scones, then went to Central 

Park to make snow angels. 

A humble Jewish girl sang a song of 

praise even though her circumstances 

were difficult (and about to get more 

difficult), her family would not understand 

her and she had no idea of the 


Nach Chauv Returns to Cambodia 

to Search for Answers about Childhood 

By Megan Schmidt, The Holland Sentinel, Used by Permission 

Note: Some of you may remember when our church helped bring Kyle Chauv to Holland many years ago. The Holland 

Sentinel ran this story concerning Kyle and we thought it would be beneficial to reprint the article here. 

Nach Chauv was 9 years old when he traveled on foot 

through miles of mine fields, escaping Cambodia after 

the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. 

Bandits and soldiers lurked, and the sound of land 

mines blasted around him during the journey 

through the jungle to Thailand. 

Months later, he and his brother were on a plane to 

be reunited with their mother in Holland. Chauv has 

never been back. 

On Nov. 20, however, he will return to Cambodia 

with a film crew in tow to document his search for 

answers to lingering questions about his childhood 

and his father. The project is titled “The Search.” 

“My biggest question is if my father passed away of a 

natural cause, or was it something else” said Chauv, 

who goes by Kyle. 

Joining him will be director Jeff Nichols, screenwriter 

Michael Walton and creative/fundraising consultant 

Steven Nicolet. All are from Holland. 

The crew will spend 20 days visiting the capital, 

Chauv’s birthplace, in the Battambang province, the 

Tuol Sleng torture prison museum and more. 

The East Saugatuck Christian Reformed Church 

brought 10-year-old Chauv and his brother to the 

U.S. where other family members already were waiting. 

It was Chauv’s final destination after being ripped 

away from his family several times during childhood 

under the Khmer Rouge. 

The Khmer Rouge, Cambodia’s communist party, intended 

to turn the country into a pre-industrialized, 

rural society where economic class didn’t exist. People 

were forced from cities to do agricultural work in 

the country. Money was abolished, private property 

seized and citizens were treated like prisoners. Many 

of the two million people who died under the regime 

were murdered for being considered traitors. 

When he was 5 years old, Chauv and his brother were 

sent to a labor camp, where, he said, authorities tried 

to brainwash the children. 

“On the weekend, we were able to go back home,” he 

said. “We were taught to spy on our parents for the 

government.” 

After the boys spent four years in the camp, the 

Khmer Rouge regime lost power. 

For their safety, Chauv and his brother were adopted 

by a Thai family, whom they stayed with until emigrating 

to the U.S. 

Chauv isn’t certain his own presumed birth date or 

age are correct, he said. 

Chauv went on to graduate from Holland High 

School. He started his career at Haworth 17 years ago 

and recently finished a bachelor’s program in public 

administration at Grand Valley State University. 

He believes his father died in 1975, possibly of illness, 

but the details are murky. 


Kyle Chauv (con’t) 

The family had been split up, and saw little of each 

other until one day news arrived his father was dead. 

Finding the paper trail to these answers has been difficult, 

Chauv said. 

Chauv’s brother previously found a grave site bearing 

their father’s name. Chauv hopes to get a bone sample 

from the body for DNA testing, he said. 

Otherwise, the film crew will be scouring the community 

to see if anyone remembers the family from that 

turbulent era. 

While there, the team will blog about their experiences. 

Two project contributors — Susan Vanderbilt 

and Matt Cushman — will stay behind to focus on art 

and outreach aspects of the documentary. 

There is no telling what video footage they will capture, 

but the group plans to shop around the documentary 

to a number of film festivals, project member Steven 

Nicolet said. 

Some memories are hazy, but Chauv remembers some 

of the events of his childhood very clearly — especially 

that dangerous journey to Thailand. 

He remembers clutching tightly to a Mickey Mouse 

watch his brother gave him, trying to keep it from the 

bandits. 

Surviving Christmas (con’t) 

stark reality of her future. I’ve paraphrased part of 

Mary’s song for me; you can do it for yourself. 

“My soul chooses to glorify the Lord, and my spirit 

rejoices in God my Savior, for He is always mindful 

of me and my situation… 

The Mighty One has done great things for me…holy 

is His name. His 

mercy extends to 

all those who fear 

him, From all 

past generations, 

to me and to all 

those to come. 

He has performed 

mighty deeds even 

for me… 

He continues to fill my hungry soul with good things. 

He has helped me, His servant; He remains merciful 

to me even as he promised.” 

Therefore today—and all through this coming season 

of holy days, 

I stand quiet before Him, 

I stand still; 

I know that He is God.” 

“I tried to hide it, but they still took it,” he said. 

By filming “The Search,” Chauv said, ‘”it’s kind of like 

I’m going back to get that watch.”

Birthdays and Anniversaries 

December 

1 Jasmine Hamilton 

1 Lois (H) Tucker 

2 Ruth Cook 

2 Ashley Duer 

4 Hunter Alofs 

5 Lynn Pouliot 

6 Stan Ellens 

6 Luke Scholten 

6 Tracy Michaud 

6 Roger Timmerman 

7 Kyle Tucker 

8 Jo deJong 

8 Paula Bakker 

10 Samuel Tucker 

10 Molly Madigan 

10 Justin Volkers 

12 Leon Koops 

12 Rebecca McIntyre 

12 Terry Arens 

13 James Soerens 

15 Andrew Huizenga 

16 Louise Brinks 

18 Dale Boersen 

20 Matthew Kolean 

21 Pietje Doolaard 

21 Jennifer Hendrick 

22 Andrew Kolean 

23 David Hokse 

23 Alec Overbeek 

23 Tiffany Taylor 

24 Carl Voorhorst 

27 Mary Jo Draisma 

28 Quentin Soerens 

29 Tanner Edewaard 

30 Shirley Greving 

1, 1972 Curtis & Jean Mans 

15, 1967 Paul & Judy Koeman 

16, 1953 Stan & Joanne Ellens 

17, 2010 Andrew & Lynn Pouliot 

20, 2002 Wes & Gretchen Scott 

28, 1988 Gary & Lisa Luurtsema 

2 Tim Haverdink 

2 Abby Tubergen 

2 Leslie Kay 

3 Carter Kragt 

6 Willard Brink 

6 Joanne Ellens 

6 Larry Homkes 

6 Aleta Koops 

8 Laverne Bouws 

8 Ashley Dykstra 

9 Cassie Lamar 

10 Scott Tucker 

11 Josie Fynewever 

11 Shawn Scholten 

12 Kristi Rhoda 

13 Rob Hamelink 

14 Larry Cook 

15 Caitlin Lohr 

15 Jill Fynewever 

16 David Haverdink 

18 Scooby deJong 

19 Junior Tucker 

24 Coby Nyland 

25 Grace Scott 

26 Blair Kay 

27 Earl Nyland 

27 Nancy Schrotenboer 

27 Howard Tucker 

28 Hannah Luurtsema 

28 Maritza Voorhorst 

29 Judie Brinks 

30 Maxine Brink 

30 Dave VandenBerg 

30 Nichole Poll 

31 John Taylor 

January 

19, 2002 Dan & Julie Bauman 

25, 1947 Ted & Maxine Brink 

30, 2004 Kelly & Elizabeth Krueger

Sunday Ministry Schedule 

9 AM Journey 11 AM Starting Point 6 PM Traditional 

Dec 4 Greeters East: Elders 

West: Elders 

East: Elders 

West: Elders 

Dave & Deb Brink 

Park 

Nursery 

Offering 

Vern Bouws 

Heidi Scholten 

Maritza Voorhorst 

Tim Schoolten 

Gretchen Scott 

Jill Fynewever 

Emily Tucker 

Allison Tucker 

Anna Frost 

Debt Retirement 

Dec 11 Greeters East: Hank & Marcia Balder 

West: Mark & Cathy Dykstra 

East: Jack & Emma Bakker 

West: Glenn & Vicki Overbeek 


Park 

Nursery 

Offering 

Vern Bouws 

Wanda Slenk 

Dawn Cook 

Chloe Zwart 

Christie Maatman 

Sherri Kragt 

Karen Smith 

Kaitlynn Hall 

Jess Ter Haar 

Samaritans Purse 

Dec 18 Greeters East: Chad & Leane Overbeek 

West: Jay & Nancy Tucker 

Park 

Nursery 

Offering 

Vern Bouws 

Marcia Balder 

Jan Becksvoort 

Austin Hamelink 

Dec 25 Greeters East: Lloyd & Sandy Koops 

West: Dave & Deb Brink 

Park 

Vern Bouws 

East: Dan & Roberta Molenkamp 

West: Dave & Sue DeVries 

Rosemary Meyer 

Beth Scholten 

Melissa Topp 

Vicki Taylor 

Sam Tucker 

Blue Star Bible Club 

East: Rolfe & Stacy Timmerman 

West: Tom & Dee Prins 



Nursery 

Offering 

Laurie Lohr 

Becki Nyhof 

Jed Lurrtsema 

Vicki Overbeek 

Glenn Overbeek 

Jacob Tucker 

Jen Hendrick 

Tiffany Taylor 

East Saugatuck Ministries

Happy Wanderer’s Visit Some Cows (and Eat Some Ice Cream) 

On October 13, about 40 of us Happy Wanderer’s set out to the great north to see some beautiful color, eat some amazing 

food and tour Country Dairy in New Era. In the early morning we set out first to enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared 

by Glenn and Nancy Schrotenboer at their log home on Ackor Lake near Freemont. With the help of Wayne and 

Bev, Earl and Dort, and Herb and Lois, we were fed a fabulous meal! We also were able to enjoy the beautiful fall colors 

and the beauty of the lake for a bit before we ventured out towards Country Dairy. 

On the way to the farm we stopped at an Amish bulk food store. Many purchases 

were made and many snacks for on the way home! Once we arrived at the farm we 

were shown a short video describing the dairy and then were brought out to the 

barns by the wagon. We toured the plant where they package milk and cheese, the 

chocolate milk was in process and we saw the storage unit where cheese is aged. 

We also saw some of their champion cows and the adorable baby cows! 

After just beating the rain on our tour we went inside the store and enjoyed milk, 

ice cream, and other goodies. We were also able to make a few more small purchase. 

John Tolsma had the biggest purchase of the day though, he was able to 

find two bulls with the help of his “test prod” to see how good they were (not quite 

sure how you would do that, you would have to ask John!). BUT, they did not go home on the bus with us, that took 

another trip later in the day. 

Such a fun group and a great 

day fellowshipping with each 

other. Thanks to Tim for driving 

so faithfully and for Glenn 

and Nancy for sharing their 

blessings with us! 

Christmas Cards 

For our Widows, Widowers and Shut-ins 

This year there will not be an organized Church-Sponsored 

Christmas Caroling Event. Small Groups and families are 

still encouraged to go caroling to anyone on the Special 

People List, which is in this December Post. 

Families can still give Christmas cards to the names on 

this list. We will have a Christmas bag for each person, 

and they will be located on tables upstairs in front of the 

office. We are asking that you place your cards in each 

person’s bag by Saturday, December 17; thus eliminating 

the need for sorting. Those who are able to come to church 

can pick up their cards on Sunday, December 18. Cards for 

our shut-ins will be delivered. We will not be asking for 

donated Christmas cookies.

Special People List 

Nella Balder 

53 Old Mill Drive #20 


Rosemary Bannerman 

122 Burke Ave - Unit B13 


Linda Boertje 

4539 48th Street 


Gert Brink 

3583 Brook Point Drive 

Hamilton, MI 49419 

Gladys Brink 

755 East 16 th Street 


Judie Brinks 

Providence Nursing Home 

Willow Unit - Rm #111 

285 North State Street 

Zeeland, MI 49464 

Louise Brinks 

Warm Friend Rest Haven 

5 East 8 th Street Rm #308 


Larry Cook 

Academy Home 

1454 Goodrich 

Allegan, MI 49010 

Dean DenUyl 

The Devonshire 

1700 Robin Lane 

Apartment #309 

Lisle, IL 60532 

Joyce DeZwaan 

3448 - 58th Street 


Pietje Doolaard 

3820 - 56th Street 


Frances Eding 

836 Millbridge 


Kyrene Fortune 

4154 Beeline Road 

Holland MI 49423 

Shirley Greving 

5218 138th Ave. 


Blanche Haverdink 

The Village at Appledorn 

630 Hastings Avenue 

Room #239 


Gord Haverdink 

Appledorn Living Center 

727 Apple Ave. Rm D-14 


Justin Keen 

Rest Haven Care Ctr Rm 37 

280 West 40 th Street 


Aleta Koops 

The Village at Appledorn 

630 Hastings Ave Rm #305 


Jeanette Koops 

5791 - 138th Avenue 


Doris Kotman 



Gary Molengraff 

6113 138 th Avenue 


Gladys Ryzenga 

Julianna Ryzenga 

950 College Avenue 


Karen Smith 

5904 142 nd Avenue 

Lot #11 


Judi Staat 

3906 56th Street 


Howard Tucker 

Tendercare Health Center 

1221 East 16 th Street 


Julius Tucker 

5591 136 th Avenue 


Junior Tucker 

Sanctuary At The Shore 

900 South Beacon Blvd. 

Room 30-1 

Grand Haven, MI 49410 

Karen Tucker 

A5347 140 th Avenue 


Sarah Tucker 

1139 Lincoln Ave. #143 


Hazel Van Netten 

52 Old Mill Drive #4 


Kathryn Van Tubergen 

1139 Lincoln Ave. #138 


Lola VandeBerg 

4154 Beeline Road 


Nancy VandenBosch 

Rest Haven Care Center 

Room #42 

280 West 40 th Street 


Evelyn VanderKolk 



Clarence Veldhof 

3586 Brook Point Drive 


Justin & Joan Volkers 

Oak Crest Manor 

Driftwood Manor 

11907 James Street A-3 


Mildred Zoerhof 

197 Park Lane 

Zeeland, MI 49464 

Jarvis Zoerhoff 

A-5362 138 th Avenue 


MISSIONARIES 

Rachel Brink (Cambodia) 

CRWRC USA 

2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE 

Grand Rapids, MI 49560 

rbrink@crwrc.org 

Larry Spalink 

1-15-24 Shinkawa Cho 

Higashi Kurume Shi 

Tokyo 203-0013, Japan 

LSpalink@aol.com 

Brenda VanderSchuur 

BP 34, Dalaba 

Guinea-Conakry 

West Africa 

bvanderschuur@cs.com

East Saugatuck History—Part 4 

By Tim Dykstra 

One of the first trials that our young 

church faced came just 10 months 

after they had installed their first pastor, 

when he made the decision to accept 

a call to another church in the 

neighboring community of Zeeland. 

The young congregation at Collendorn 

did not lose faith however, and 

they soon made a call to a pastor who 

was still residing in the Netherlands. 

The call was declined, but undaunted, 

our church placed a call to a Reverend 

Jacob R. Schepers from Lafayette, 

Indiana. Reverend Schepers accepted 

the call and became our church’s second 

pastor. 

Under the new pastor’s leadership, 

the congregation continued to grow 

and the physical condition of the 

church property were also improved. 

The church building, as well as the 

newly built parsonage were brightened 

up with a coat of paint and the 

congregation at Collendorn had every 

reason to be optimistic about their 

future. They had their own church, a 

new pastor, a new parsonage, and 

their congregation was steadily growing. 

It was in the face of this optimism 

that a disaster was looming, not 

just for the new congregation, not 

even only for West Michigan, but for 

much of the Midwest. 

The autumn of 1871 was extremely 

dry; it had rained very little all summer. 

On top of that, other conditions 

were also ideal to make this a disaster 

of epic proportions. The great White 

Pine forests of Michigan were being 

cut at a record pace, leaving in its 

wake huge brush piles, known as 

“slash”. Also, most of the buildings of 

the day were constructed of wood 

siding and topped with wooden shingles. 

The morning of October 8, a 

strong cold front was moving through 

the Midwest, bringing with it a stiff 

wind and a sense of foreboding. Animals 

were acting strangely, and it 

wasn’t long before the reason became 

apparent. The air was soon filled with 

thick smoke and ashes began to rain 

down, carried on an ever increasing 

west wind. There is no shortage of 

theories on what was the actual cause 

of the fire… ranging from ashes carried 

across Lake Michigan from the 

Great Chicago fire, to a meteor 

shower that rained down on the Midwest. 

There is little doubt, however 

that conditions could not have been 

more volatile on that fateful autumn 

day, and any arrant spark had the potential 

for disaster. 

The next day, Monday, October 9 th , 

1871, the fire continued to spread, 

causing many to turn their animals 

loose, allowing them to run for their 

lives from the flames. All over the 

Midwest, the fires raged. In Chicago, 

17,500 buildings were destroyed and 

90,000 of the city’s 300,000 residents 

were left homeless. In Peshtigo, Wisconsin, 

1.5 million acres were destroyed 

and between 1200 and 1500 

lives were lost, making it the single 

most devastating fire in U.S. history. 

In Michigan, Manistee was destroyed, 

and on the east side of the state, Port 

Huron, and much of Michigan’s 

thumb area was wiped out. In our 

own community, over 300 area homes 

were destroyed, much of Holland 

went up in flames, and the little 

church on the corner of 56 th St. and 

136 th Ave., known as Collendorn, 

including the brand new parsonage… 

were gone. 

As the flames roared everywhere and 

the smoke hung thick in the air, a 

Deacon of the church by the name of 

Harm Dobben, who lived just a quarter 

mile to the south, was determined 

to do everything he could to save his 

house of worship. Soon however, it 

became clear to him that he was no 

match for the intense flames. Finally, 

with only moments left before he 

would have to flee for his life, Deacon 

Dobben grabbed the only thing he 

could think of…The pulpit Bible. 

Running through the burning church, 

he grabbed the Bible as the flames 

climbed the walls and engulfed the 

roof. Exiting the building with his 

hair singed, his eyebrows burned off 

and his clothes smoking, Deacon 

Dobben ran a mile north of the church 

to what was known as the Ten Cate 

clearing, where other neighbors had 

already escaped to. The anxious 

friends were all relieved to see Harm 

appear out of the smoke, carrying the 

heavy Bible under one arm, he and 

his wife’s wedding clock under the 

other, and the pastor’s tall, expensive, 

black top hat sitting on his head. (In 

his haste to escape the flames, the 

Dominie had lost it, and coming upon 

it, the deacon picked it up and 

plopped it on his own head. 

The Bible that the good Deacon so 

bravely saved is one that held special 

significance for our young congregation. 

Printed in Dutch, the Bible was a 

gift to our church when it was organized 

two years earlier. It was over 2 

centuries old by the time it was given, 

and was printed by a widow in the 

Netherlands in the year 1663. It continued 

to be used as our pulpit Bible 

until 1919, when our church celebrated 

its 50 th anniversary and a new 

Bible was given to the congregation. 

The Bible saved in the fire is still on

ES History (con’t) 

display in a glass case in the narthex of the upper level 

worship center. Knowing the history of this particular 

book, it’s hard to look at the large pulpit Bible, written in 

what today seems like a very strange tongue, without 

imagining that harrowing day in October of 1871. 

When you consider that the Civil War had just ended six 

years before, a war that claimed the lives of over 600,000 

Americans, and with all the fires in the Midwest in 1871, it 

must have been easy for American Christians of the day to 

believe that they were living in the last days. 

The little congregation at Collendorn however did not lose 

faith. The Bible, the only thing from the church that was 

saved from the great fire, became a symbol of hope and 

promise, and the members, with a symbol to rally around, 

did just that. Acknowledging God’s preserving grace, the 

congregants vowed to rebuild. There was also a growing 

conviction that within the devastation, there was also great 

blessing. While the fire had produced much fear and destruction, 

it had also done in a couple of very scary days 

what would have taken human hands years of back breaking 

work to accomplish. Through this single act of God, 

the land was now virtually cleared of the bothersome 

“slash” that was left behind from the relentless timber industry; 

acres and acres of rich farmland now lay open and 

ready for the crops that would be planted the following 

spring. 

Although the church building was gone, the young congregation 

was still intact, but soon faced another potential 

threat. Having no building to preach in, Dominie Schepers 

received an offer from a neighboring congregation, of a 

home and a secure salary if he would serve their church for 

the winter months. He declined the tempting offer, refusing 

to leave his little congregation in their hour of need. It 

is hard to say how far reaching the decision to stay was in 

the big picture, but it is certain that his refusal to leave endeared 

him to his congregation and helped them to face the 

future with optimism. 

It is with this undying optimism and faith that our forefathers 

once again began to build. The new building would 

be 40 by 50 feet, and placed in the same area as the old 

church, just a little further north on the lot. Soon Collendorn 

had a new church building and a new parsonage and 

congregational life began to return to a more normal state. 

By 1874, the congregation had grown to 250, and perhaps 

feeling that he had sufficiently shepherded the young 

church to a degree of stability, reverend Schepers accepted 

a call to pastor a church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and on December 

27, 1874, preached his farewell message at Collendorn. 

The Lord willing, next month we’ll see how our congregation 

continued to grow, partially due to disputes that arose 

in other local congregations, and we’ll see what brought 

about a name change that would make the name Collendorn 

fade into the history books, and consequently, how 

we came to be known as East Saugatuck Christian Reformed 

Church. I hope you can be with us. 

What Version of the Post 

Do you enjoy reading the printed version of the Post Or would you prefer to read it online—either from the church 

website or by having it emailed to you We would like to give you the format option of your choice. (And if you no 

longer need a printed version, save some paper by reducing the number of copies printed.) 

If you no longer need a printed version of the Post, please let us know (changes will start in January 2012). If we do not 

hear otherwise, a printed version of the Post will continue to be placed in your mailbox monthly. 

Name (please print): ________________________________________________ 

I would like: 

_______ to read the Post online from the website 

_______ to receive an Adobe Acrobat (pdf) file emailed to me at: ____________________________________ 

Please return this section to the mailbox of Dawn Cook or Ruth Cook. 

Otherwise, you may email us the information at: r_dcook50@yahoo.com or cookrut@sbcglobal.net

Library Book Review 

Angels on Call 

by Dr. Robert Lesslie, MD 

Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in the Emergency Room of a hospital It is a daily 24/7 of not 

knowing what will challenge you next. You face all sorts of dilemmas, sickness, and accidents. 

Dr. Robert Lesslie, a Christian doctor practicing in Rock Hill, South Carolina, tells of very interesting, sad, unbelievable 

and tragic emergencies. He shows much concern and compassion for his patients in spite of the circumstances. Most of 

the time you do not know the outcome because the the patient is discharged or transferred elsewhere for care. Too 

many times you are helpless to save a life and must face the distraught family. 

I recommend this easy-to-read book. You will be more aware of what goes on in the ER and thankful for the good 

medical care we have available to us. You will laugh hilariously at some stories and cry with others. 

Aunt Sharon’s Blue Ribbon Chili 

From Beth Ludema 

Ingredients: 

2 lb. ground beef or turkey 

4 (12-15 oz) cans of Mexican Homestyle Beans 

"Zesty" (LaPreferida brand) 

1 orange pepper, diced 

1 yellow pepper, diced 

1 red onion, chopped 

2 stalks celery, diced 

4- 10 oz prego pasta sauce with mushrooms 

4- 10 oz medium salsa 

2 Tbsp oregano leaves 

Approx 50 slices of pepperoni 

• Brown meat in large frying pan, meanwhile, saute 

vegetables in one Tbsp of oil until onions are 

transparent. 

• In a dutch oven or large pot, heat remaining 

ingredients and add meat and vegetables. 

• Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat for 

about 2 hours stirring frequently. 

• Serve with your choice of crackers, Frito chips, 

sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese . 

Easy Apple Cinnamon Bunch Bake 

From Beth Ludema 

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp butter 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1- 21 oz can apple pie filling 

12 oz canned biscuits 

2 tsp. cinnamon 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional 

• Melt butter, stir in brown sugar, pie filling, 

cinnamon and vanilla. 

• Spread half of mixture in a 9x13 pan. 

• Separate biscuits, cut into quarters. 

• Arrange pieces over mixture, spoon remaining 

mixture over all. 

• Sprinkle with nuts if desired. 

• Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Books Recently Added to our Church Library 

Christian Living 

Angels on Call 

God's Pencils 

Through Dark Places 

Think No Evil 

Heaven is for Real 

Dancing with Max 

Robert Lesslie MD 

Arden Ruth Post 

Sid Baron 

Jonas Beiler & Shawn Smucker 

Todd Burpo & L . Vincent 

Emily Colson 

Primary 

Who Is Jesus 

What is God Like 

Kathleen Bostrom 

Kathleen Bostrom 

Fiction 

Intervention 

Vicious Cycle 

Seasons Under Heaven 

Showers In Season 

Mountaineer Dreams 

A Cousin's Promise 

The Journey 

Freedom's Crossroad 

A Gift of Grace 

A Promise of Hope 

A Place of Peace 

The Lightkeeper's Ball 

The Lightkeeper's Bride 

Black Hills Blessing 

Cascakes 

White Mountain Brides 

A Wedding Quilt for Ella 

Ella's Wish 

The Christmas List 

The Walk 

Angel Sister 

Winter's Awakening 

Spring's Renewal 

Autumn's Promise 

The Caregiver 

Silver Mountains 

That Certain Spark 

Serendipity 

Rugged & Relentless 

Virginia Brides 

Surrender Bay 

Like Dandelion Dust 

Unlocked 

Leaving 

The Judgment 

The Witness 

Minnesota Moonlight 

Terri Blackstock 

Terri Blackstock 

Terri Blackstock & B. LaHaye 

Terri Blackstock & B. LaHaye 

L. Bliss, I. Brand, & Y. Lehman 

Wanda Brunstetter 

Wanda Brunstetter 

Ramona Cecil 

Amy Clipston 

Amy Clipston 

Amy Clipston 

Colleen Coble 

Colleen Coble 

Mary Connealy 

Mary Davis 

Susan P. Davis 

Jerry Eicher 

Jerry Eicher 

Richard Evans 

Richard Evans 

Ann Gabharfi 

Shelly Gray 

Shelly Gray 

Shelly Gray 

Shelly Gray 

Pamela Griffin 

Cathy Hake 

Cathy Hake 

Kelly Hake 

Hake, McDonough & Davis 

Denise Hunter· 

Karen Kingsbury 



Beverly Lewis 

Josh McDowell 

Becky Melby & Cathy Wienke 

Somewhere to Belong Judith Miller 

The Crossing 

Gilbert Morris 

Hawaiian Dreams Carole Page 

Leah's Choice 

Marta Perry 

Rachel's Garden 

Marta Perry 

Anna's Return 

Marta Perry 

Sarah's Gift 

Marta Perry 

A Dream to Call My Own Tracie Peterson 

Morning's Refrain Tracie Peterson 

Twilight's Serenade Tracie Peterson 

Embers of Love 

Tracie Peterson 

Hearts Aglow 


Hope Rekindled 


A Hopeful Heart Kim V. Sawyer 

Prairie Romance Collection — Several Authors 

No Distance Too Far Lauraine Snelling 

A Heart for Home Lauraine Snelling 

On Hummingbird Wings Lauraine Snelling 

Liberty's Promises Amber M. Stockton 

Against the Wind Bodie & Brock Thoene 

Her Mother's Hope Francine Rivers 

Her Daughter's Dream Francine Rivers 

The Christmas Hope Donna Van Liere 

The Christmas Secret Donna Van Liere 

An Amish Love 

B. Wiseman, D. Fuller 

& K. Long 

The Bridge of Peace Cindy Woodsmall

Dates to Remember 

Sunday December 4 


Monday December 12 


Monday December 19 

Saturday December 24 


Sunday January 1, 2012 

Ballet Return Deadline 

Announce results of voting and draw names of new Council members 

10:15 AM between worship services. 

Council Meeting 

Children’s Christmas Program 6:00 PM - Downstairs Worship Area 

Council Reorganizational Meeting 7:00 PM 

Christmas Eve Service 

Christmas Day Service 

Installation of New Council Members 10:15 AM Between worship services.

THE SUNDAY MORNIN G POST - East Saugatuck Church

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