Reformed Church in America celebrated the 375th anniversary last Sunday, Associated Press reported on 9.

The anniversary ceremony was held on 8 at Christ Memorial Church, Michigan, as part of the RCA's 197th General Synod, a six-day meeting lasting on 10.

During the meeting about 300 pastors and elders participated in making decisions about RCA policies.

Rev. James O'Connell, the co-host of the ceremony told the congregation, "the first congregation of RCA started gathering in the loft of a grist mill in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in 1628. that continued to grow and it bacame today's the Collegiate Reformed Church in New York."

In 1819 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church was incorporated and in 1867 it changed its name to the Reformed Church in America.

During the anniversary ceremony, the leaders of RCA retrospected the path that the church had followed. Rev. Edwin Mulder, a former RCA general secretary and Elder Sara Smith talked about the church's long stand against apartheid in South Africa.

Rev. Irving Rivera talked about the RCA's Hispanic ministry and Rev. Byung Chul Kim led the hymn in Korean.

Harry De Bruyn, co-chair of the 375th anniversary committee said "RCA become a worldwide group. The church is getting firm and strong as we believe in the teachings of Christ and teach them to the world."

By Young Sun Lee
funnysun@hotmail.com