Bethel Church Story The year was 1954, when a Dutch immigrant family got word that a Rev. Ten Zijthoff was pastor of a Reformed Church in Vancouver. The Schurers contacted the van Tilborgs, and together they spoke to the Waardenburgs. This nucleus of three families visited other Dutch immigrants who were interested in worshipping God according to the Reformed tradition. Rein Leyen, Bart Schurer, Jan van Tilborg and Gerrit Waardenburg were chosen to represent the group. They rented the Baptist Church in Matsqui Village, and on December 11, 1954, Rev. TenZijthoff traveled from Vancouver to conduct the first worship service. On that first Sunday evening, Rev. TenZijthoff suggested the services continue every Sunday evening. As time passed, interest in the small group was expressed by neighbouring Reformed Churches. The First Reformed Church of Lynden, for example, provided hymn books, church furniture and leadership in the church services. Then on October 30, 1956, a meeting was held under the direction of the Classis Cascades of the Reformed Church in America to officially organize Bethel Reformed Church—30 families, 46 communicants and 75 baptized members. December 1956 was an exciting time for Bethel Church. Rev. Boekhoven from Edmonton accepted a call to become the new pastor. That month, also saw the purchase of a new church building. An offer was made to the Pentecostal Church in Abbotsford to purchase its former sanctuary on the corner of Laurel and Montrose. Bethel initially offered $10,000, but the offer was rejected by the Pentecostal Church. The asking price was $15,000 with no furnishings. Bethel agreed with this price, but wished the furnishings included. To finalize the agreement, a joint meeting of Bethel's consistory and the Pentecostal Church board was held. An extract from the minutes of that meeting reveals the following: “The terms set by the Abbotsford Pentecostal Church board had been accepted with the understanding that the pews were included in the deal. This was agreed upon. Further equipment agreed to be left were: all light fixtures except plug-in lamps; all Venetian blinds, one roll-top desk, the pulpit in the main auditorium, the rubber mat in the centre aisle and all curtains. Also in the basement: the kitchen range, and all brown painted benches.” The Pentecostal Church would continue to occupy the building until their new sanctuary was completed. Bethel used the church facilities on Sunday afternoons and throughout the week. With its new pastor and its new building, Bethel Church was off in its service to God. In May 1961, Bethel Church found itself for the first time without a pastor. The vacancy was short. Rev. Henry Franken became Bethel’s next pastor in October of that year, but his stay was brief. By April 1964, Bethel Church was without a pastor again. That vacancy was also short. Rev. Frank DeVries was installed as Bethel’s pastor only four months later on August 14. Pastor DeVries stayed with Bethel for many years and was much loved. It was in the spring of 1976 when he announced to the congregation that he had accepted a call from the Presbyterian Church in Wick, Ontario. Bethel’s third vacancy was another brief one. On November 19, 1976, Rev. LeRoy Sandee became pastor. One year later, the congregation ventured into a building project. At the February 1979 meeting, the congregation decided to purchase the Gladwin Road property for the sum of $125 000. In February 1980, Rien van Tilborg, Wayne Waardenburg and Pastor Sandee were appointed to get the professional help needed to draw up detailed plans for a new church building. Mr. Cy Eden advised this committee. The goal for the new church was set for October 30, 1981. In September 1980, the congregation approved the sale of the old building to the Matsqui Arts Council and the basic building plans were also approved. At the congregational meeting in March 1981, they proceeded with construction of a new sanctuary on the Gladwin Road property for $321,421. Hank Appeldoorn accepted the appointment as construction supervisor of the new sanctuary. On October 18, 1981, the Bethel Church met for the final time in the building that had been their home for almost 25 years. Pastor Sandee led the short service with a meditation followed by the hymn, “O God Our Help in Ages Past”. During the final verse of that hymn, the consistory and congregation followed Pastor Sandee out of the sanctuary for the final time. As a symbol of the move, Pastor Sandee carried the Pulpit Bibles, the consistory members took the communion set, baptismal font and the offering plates, and the congregation carried the hymnbooks and the pew Bibles. Pastor Sandee left Bethel Church in October of 1982. A year later, Pastor Strik was installed as Bethel’s pastor on September 23, 1983. Five years later, Pastor Bill Wensink was welcomed as a youth pastor. Pastor Bill stayed at Bethel Church from August 1988 to May 1992. Three years later, Pastor Strik retired and in April 1995, Bethel Church was without a pastor. This time, the vacancy lasted more than two years. During that time, Pastor Bernie Brouwer and Pastor Steve Tamminga helped out with preaching and pastoral care. In 1997, Pastor E.J. de Waard accepted a call to Bethel Church and arrived with his wife, Sharon, and their family in August of that year. Exactly two years later, Rev. de Waard left Bethel Church. Despite Pastor E.J.’s short two year stay, he was instrumental in helping Bethel to become mortgage free. This achievement was assisted through a series of fundraisers which spanned a number of years. It all started back in November 1978 when Pete Gemser arrived unshaven to the congregational meeting. Pastor Sandee, not missing an opportunity for some teasing, suggested a collection be taken to buy Pete some razor blades. Pete explained that he was growing a ‘building fund beard’ and he would remain unshaven for five months, hoping Bethel members would sponsor him. Five months became a year and when Pete finally shaved, he had raised $3 000. During the late 1990’s, an aerial photo was taken of the church property. An enlargement of the photo was made and cut into pieces to form a puzzle. Pieces could be purchased with proceeds to help pay down the mortgage. In October 2001, Chris Postma, Jerry Feenstra, Bernie Smid, and Pete Gemser were part of a hair and beard cutting. With Jerry Woelinga as barber, the quartet generated almost $5000—which represented the final amount needed to bring the mortgage home. One month later, a catered roast beef dinner was served to celebrate the occasion. In the fall of 1999, Pastor David Vandervelde preached every second week at Bethel Church. He and his wife would drive from Vancouver to spend the Sunday with us. By March of the following year, Pastor David was our new pastor. Pastor David and Heather have been with us over eleven years. During that time their family has grown with the addition of two beautiful girls. The number of children in our congregation has also grown during that time, and so has an increased emphasis on families. A special treat for young and old is the weekly Children’s Message delivered by Heather. The joy of children and families keeps us all young and brings much joy to Bethel Church. Pastor David and Heather Vandervelde left Bethel Church in December 2011. In January 2012, Pastor Ron Opmeer accepted a call to be our new pastor. He and his wife Melanie and their four boys moved to Abbotsford from Athabasca, Alberta in August 2012. Children have always been important at Bethel Church. The enduring emphasis on the Sunday School programs bear this out. Sunday School was started during that first winter of 1954 by Corrie Schurer. She started with 15 pupils, ranging in age from 3 to 14. That year, the first Christmas Program was presented by the children on the evening of Christmas Day. Assistance was provided by the Lynden and Vancouver churches, who provided gifts for all the children, and Dutch treats arrived from the Holland-America line! When the church moved to a new building in 1957, facilities were improved for the children.The Sunday School grew to almost 80 kids under the care of Nancy Schurer. In 1965, Mrs. DeVries took over. She served for ten years and was always liked by the kids. In 1975, Jerry Feenstra was appointed Superintendent. Until that time, Sunday School was always held during the morning worship service. That changed in 1976, when Sunday School began meeting after the morning service. It continued after the morning service for many years, with dozens of faithful teachers nurturing the faith of more than a hundred of our children. The Sunday School program is always adapting. In the late 1990s, Sunday School went back to its initial time spot during the morning service. Children's Church is a rather recent innovation. It takes place once a month in the Fellowship Hall during the worship service. Audrey VanderSchans explains it like this: “We sing lots and lots of praise songs with the help of our tambourine, our maracas and lots of clapping, finger snapping, arm waving and even jumping up and down. We feel that "make a joyful noise unto the Lord" was just written for us. Children's Church is real worship on a child's level. We share prayer requests and each child is encouraged to say their own prayers to the Lord. We also have a bible story every week. Our leader never hesitates to stop the story anywhere and ask what it would be like to be that character. It makes us think about life in Bible times compared with life today.” Today Sunday School continues weekly during the morning service, with Children’s Church on the fourth Sunday of each month. The annual Sunday School Kick-off began as an idea from Pastor David and Heather Vandervelde. It’s great fun, where the teachers manage to raise some laughs and focus the Sunday School year. The Annual Christmas program continues each year, involving the children, youth and adults, making our effort a joint one as we worship God together as the Bethel Church family.

Bethel Community (Reformed) Church

3260 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7B4 604.854.5710 office@bethel-church.ca

Bethel Church Story

The year was 1954, when a Dutch immigrant family got word that a Rev. Ten Zijthoff was pastor of a Reformed Church in Vancouver. The Schurers contacted the van Tilborgs, and together they spoke to the Waardenburgs. This nucleus of three families visited other Dutch immigrants who were interested in worshipping God according to the Reformed tradition. Rein Leyen, Bart Schurer, Jan van Tilborg and Gerrit Waardenburg were chosen to represent the group. They rented the Baptist Church in Matsqui Village, and on December 11, 1954, Rev. TenZijthoff traveled from Vancouver to conduct the first worship service. On that first Sunday evening, Rev. TenZijthoff suggested the services continue every Sunday evening.

As time passed, interest in the small group was expressed by neighbouring Reformed Churches. The First Reformed Church of Lynden, for example, provided hymn books, church furniture and leadership in the church services. Then on October 30, 1956, a meeting was held under the direction of the Classis Cascades of the Reformed Church in America to officially organize Bethel Reformed Church—30 families, 46 communicants and 75 baptized members.

December 1956 was an exciting time for Bethel Church. Rev. Boekhoven from Edmonton accepted a call to become the new pastor. That month, also saw the purchase of a new church building. An offer was made to the Pentecostal Church in Abbotsford to purchase its former sanctuary on the corner of Laurel and Montrose.

Bethel initially offered $10,000, but the offer was rejected by the Pentecostal Church. The asking price was $15,000 with no furnishings. Bethel agreed with this price, but wished the furnishings included. To finalize the agreement, a joint meeting of Bethel's consistory and the Pentecostal Church board was held. An extract from the minutes of that meeting reveals the following: “The terms set by the Abbotsford Pentecostal Church board had been accepted with the understanding that the pews were included in the deal. This was agreed upon. Further equipment agreed to be left were: all light fixtures except plug-in lamps; all Venetian blinds, one roll-top desk, the pulpit in the main auditorium, the rubber mat in the centre aisle and all curtains. Also in the basement: the kitchen range, and all brown painted benches.” The Pentecostal Church would continue to occupy the building until their new sanctuary was completed. Bethel used the church facilities on Sunday afternoons and throughout the week. With its new pastor and its new building, Bethel Church was off in its service to God.

In May 1961, Bethel Church found itself for the first time without a pastor. The vacancy was short. Rev. Henry Franken became Bethel’s next pastor in October of that year, but his stay was brief. By April 1964, Bethel Church was without a pastor again. That vacancy was also short. Rev. Frank DeVries was installed as Bethel’s pastor only four months later on August 14. Pastor DeVries stayed with Bethel for many years and was much loved. It was in the spring of 1976 when he announced to the congregation that he had accepted a call from the Presbyterian Church in Wick, Ontario.

Bethel’s third vacancy was another brief one. On November 19, 1976, Rev. LeRoy Sandee became pastor. One year later, the congregation ventured into a building project. At the February 1979 meeting, the congregation decided to purchase the Gladwin Road property for the sum of $125 000. In February 1980, Rien van Tilborg, Wayne Waardenburg and Pastor Sandee were appointed to get the professional help needed to draw up detailed plans for a new church building. Mr. Cy Eden advised this committee. The goal for the new church was set for October 30, 1981. In September 1980, the congregation approved the sale of the old building to the Matsqui Arts Council and the basic building plans were also approved. At the congregational meeting in March 1981, they proceeded with construction of a new sanctuary on the Gladwin Road property for $321,421. Hank Appeldoorn accepted the appointment as construction supervisor of the new sanctuary.

On October 18, 1981, the Bethel Church met for the final time in the building that had been their home for almost 25 years. Pastor Sandee led the short service with a meditation followed by the hymn, “O God Our Help in Ages Past”. During the final verse of that hymn, the consistory and congregation followed Pastor Sandee out of the sanctuary for the final time. As a symbol of the move, Pastor Sandee carried the Pulpit Bibles, the consistory members took the communion set, baptismal font and the offering plates, and the congregation carried the hymnbooks and the pew Bibles.

Pastor Sandee left Bethel Church in October of 1982. A year later, Pastor Strik was installed as Bethel’s pastor on September 23, 1983. Five years later, Pastor Bill Wensink was welcomed as a youth pastor. Pastor Bill stayed at Bethel Church from August 1988 to May 1992. Three years later, Pastor Strik retired and in April 1995, Bethel Church was without a pastor.

This time, the vacancy lasted more than two years. During that time, Pastor Bernie Brouwer and Pastor Steve Tamminga helped out with preaching and pastoral care. In 1997, Pastor E.J. de Waard accepted a call to Bethel Church and arrived with his wife, Sharon, and their family in August of that year. Exactly two years later, Rev. de Waard left Bethel Church.

Despite Pastor E.J.’s short two year stay, he was instrumental in helping Bethel to become mortgage free. This achievement was assisted through a series of fundraisers which spanned a number of years. It all started back in November 1978 when Pete Gemser arrived unshaven to the congregational meeting. Pastor Sandee, not missing an opportunity for some teasing, suggested a collection be taken to buy Pete some razor blades. Pete explained that he was growing a ‘building fund beard’ and he would remain unshaven for five months, hoping Bethel members would sponsor him. Five months became a year and when Pete finally shaved, he had raised $3 000. During the late 1990’s, an aerial photo was taken of the church property.

An enlargement of the photo was made and cut into pieces to form a puzzle. Pieces could be purchased with proceeds to help pay down the mortgage. In October 2001, Chris Postma, Jerry Feenstra, Bernie Smid, and Pete Gemser were part of a hair and beard cutting. With Jerry Woelinga as barber, the quartet generated almost $5000—which represented the final amount needed to bring the mortgage home. One month later, a catered roast beef dinner was served to celebrate the occasion.

In the fall of 1999, Pastor David Vandervelde preached every second week at Bethel Church. He and his wife would drive from Vancouver to spend the Sunday with us. By March of the following year, Pastor David was our new pastor. Pastor David and Heather have been with us over eleven years. During that time their family has grown with the addition of two beautiful girls. The number of children in our congregation has also grown during that time, and so has an increased emphasis on families. A special treat for young and old is the weekly Children’s Message delivered by Heather. The joy of children and families keeps us all young and brings much joy to Bethel Church. Pastor David and Heather Vandervelde left Bethel Church in December 2011.

In January 2012, Pastor Ron Opmeer accepted a call to be our new pastor. He and his wife Melanie and their four boys moved to Abbotsford from Athabasca, Alberta in August 2012.

Children have always been important at Bethel Church. The enduring emphasis on the Sunday School programs bear this out. Sunday School was started during that first winter of 1954 by Corrie Schurer. She started with 15 pupils, ranging in age from 3 to 14. That year, the first Christmas Program was presented by the children on the evening of Christmas Day. Assistance was provided by the Lynden and Vancouver churches, who provided gifts for all the children, and Dutch treats arrived from the Holland-America line!

When the church moved to a new building in 1957, facilities were improved for the children.The Sunday School grew to almost 80 kids under the care of Nancy Schurer. In 1965, Mrs. DeVries took over. She served for ten years and was always liked by the kids. In 1975, Jerry Feenstra was appointed Superintendent. Until that time, Sunday School was always held during the morning worship service. That changed in 1976, when Sunday School began meeting after the morning service. It continued after the morning service for many years, with dozens of faithful teachers nurturing the faith of more than a hundred of our children.

The Sunday School program is always adapting. In the late 1990s, Sunday School went back to its initial time spot during the morning service. Children's Church is a rather recent innovation. It takes place once a month in the Fellowship Hall during the worship service. Audrey VanderSchans explains it like this: “We sing lots and lots of praise songs with the help of our tambourine, our maracas and lots of clapping, finger snapping, arm waving and even jumping up and down. We feel that "make a joyful noise unto the Lord" was just written for us. Children's Church is real worship on a child's level. We share prayer requests and each child is encouraged to say their own prayers to the Lord. We also have a bible story every week. Our leader never hesitates to stop the story anywhere and ask what it would be like to be that character. It makes us think about life in Bible times compared with life today.”

Today Sunday School continues weekly during the morning service, with Children’s Church on the fourth Sunday of each month. The annual Sunday School Kick-off began as an idea from Pastor David and Heather Vandervelde. It’s great fun, where the teachers manage to raise some laughs and focus the Sunday School year. The Annual Christmas program continues each year, involving the children, youth and adults, making our effort a joint one as we worship God together as the Bethel Church family.