Greetings to all the readers of Sword and Shield.

This letter is an open invitation to all members and any friends of the Reformed Protestant Churches to attend a family conference. Members of First Reformed Protestant Church are organizing and hosting the conference to be held August 15–19, 2022, at Green Lake Conference Center in south central Wisconsin.

During the week we plan, the Lord willing, to have three speeches on the topic of “God’s Sanctification of His People.” Rev. Martin VanderWal will speak on “Sanctification and the Holy Spirit.” Then, Rev. John Flores will speak about “Sanctification and the Covenant.” Finally, Rev. Nathan Langerak will teach us about “Sanctification and Good Works.” Also, there will be a series of morning devotionals, in which Rev. Andrew Lanning will instruct us in the truth of union with Christ.

The accommodations at Green Lake Conference Center include lodging in hotel-style rooms in Bauer Hall, Kern Hall, and the Roger Williams Inn. Rooms accommodate four to six individuals, and there are some adjoining rooms for families that need an extra room. There will be eleven buffet-style meals served to guests from Monday evening through Friday morning. The lodging buildings, dining hall, auditorium, play areas, and lakefront access are all within short walking distances from each other.

There will also be organized activities throughout the week for individuals and families to join as they desire. These include team sports of volleyball and softball, as well as large group mixers where everyone can get to know each other better. During the unplanned times of the days, there will be hiking available through the nine hundred acres of land and along the lakefront property of the conference grounds. For those with small children, there are also three different playground areas. If your family loves water sports, there are boats to rent for use on Green Lake, or you may bring your own boat. Besides boating and water sports, there is also a sandy beach area for swimming and playing in the water. The conference grounds include a golf course, and there are two other great courses within eleven miles of the facility.

We encourage all those who are interested in attending the conference to visit the website of Green Lake Conference Center at https://www.glcc.org.

Registration will open on February 1, 2022. Families can register either on the conference center’s website or by a phone call to the conference center. By February 1 links and phone numbers will be posted under the “Family Conference” tab on the website of First Reformed Protestant Church, which is www.firstrpc.org. Half of the reservation fee will be due when the reservation is made, and the balance will be due upon arrival at the conference grounds. The approximate cost will be $700 per couple to about $2,000 for a family of ten. These costs include lodging and meals. Food sensitivity options are available upon request when reservations are made.

Those in need of financial assistance with expenses or those who are willing and able to donate to help those in need, please contact one of the men on the finance committee: Bob Birkett (roberttbirkett@gmail.com), Dewey Engelsma (dengelsma@hotmail.com), or Jeremy Langerak (jeremylangerak@gmail.com).

We look forward to seeing you all at the conference and anticipate a week of great fellowship and blessed communion among brothers and sisters in Christ.

On behalf of the steering committee,
Matthew Overway, President