During the mid-1980s a number of families from a local Christian Reformed Church became greatly concerned about the liberal trend in that denomination. It led to much tension, and around 1993 about half a dozen families left the CRC and started worshiping in the Ottawa, Ont., RPC.

At that church, we grew to love Pastor Richard Ganz for his preaching of the gospel with clarity and authority. God in His mercy knew we needed healing from our battle scars, and He provided it through faithful preaching and the fellowship of the saints.

During those years, Matthew Kingswood, a student of Ottawa Theological Hall, graciously agreed to lead us in a biweekly Bible study. We came to love and admire him and his wife, Tara, during this time. When Matt was in his final year of theological studies, at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the Ottawa RPC session encouraged us to extend a call to him, asking him to become our pastor in a new congregation east of Ottawa.

Our call was accepted, and we started worshiping in Russell every Lord’s Day evening in October 1997. Within a year we were holding morning and evening services.

God graciously provided us with a building owned by the Separate (Catholic) School Board. We were informed numerous times that this building would likely no longer be available to us. God has heard our prayers in this regard. Not only are we still there, we no longer pay any rent, because the Ontario government provides funding for schools that are made available to community groups. The money we save has been earmarked for community projects. Any money left over will be used to support other young congregations in Ontario.

Over the years, a few more families from the Ottawa congregation have moved to Russell. We have seen a number of conversions, too, but the greatest number of families joining us have come from other denominations. None of our families grew up in the RP Church. On a given Lord’s Day morning we will have about 120 people worshiping with us, many of them children.

Families in the congregation have felt the need for different ministries and have been instrumental in starting a young people’s group, a girls’ group and recently a boys’ group. These groups are well attended and strongly supported by families. About 40 teenagers, many of whom do not belong to our congregation, attend the young people’s group.

We have a building committee, which concerns itself with the possibility of buying land in or around Russell for future building plans. Part of our annual budget surplus is set aside for that

The elders have a desire to be able to start and support a new work in the near future. They are excited not by bricks and mortar, but by ministry.

The saints in Russell are thankful for faithful preaching, a pastor who is an example to his flock, the conversion of covenant children, the unity of the brethren and the love of the saints in Russell bound together in Christ.

Pray that the evil one may not get a foothold, but that we may continue to love one another with Christian love, spurring one another on to good works and using our God-given talents for the building of His kingdom.