Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Artesia, Calif., hosted more than 500 people at its Harvest Festival in January. But it wasn’t a celebration of harvest of the land; it was a celebration of the harvest of souls gathered into Christ’s kingdom.
Fourteen Christian Reformed church planters, 14 ethnic congregations, and 10 parent churches joined in the celebration.
The service was an opportunity for the new churches, the church planters, and the mother churches to celebrate the fruits of their labor. “Every ethnic church-planting congregation represented shared the joy of their salvation through cultural dance or praise songs in their language,” said Rev. Elmer Tandayu, the CRC’s New Church Development Specialist for Greater Los Angeles.
It was also a demonstration of unity. Rev. Peter Holwerda, Christian Reformed Home Missions Regional Team Leader for the West Coast, said, “It was a great testimony to God’s awesome work in removing racial barriers and in bringing hundreds of new people into his church and kingdom.”
