Sea to Sea Celebration Set for Dordt College
Having left Nebraska in their wake on Monday, Sea to Sea riders were to arrive in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Tuesday in time to participate in a ministry fair and community celebration on the campus of Dordt College.
A community celebration has been planned for 7 p.m. in the B.J. Haan Auditorium, "providing the opportunity to gather with cyclists and, through video and riders’ testimonies, rejoice over what God is doing on the tour," says a Dordt College news release.
Set up in Dordt’s Campus Center, the ministry fair is to include Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Greater Sioux Community Health Center, Justice For All, Farmer to Farmer, the Bridge, Atlas, and Hope Haven’s wheelchair ministry. Christian Reformed and Reformed Church mission, social justice, and world relief agencies will also be represented, to share the opportunities available to Christians who are willing to help those in need.
Sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America, the Sea to Sea tour was hosted by three churches on Sunday—two planned and the third a delightful surprise. Neither the CRC or RCA have congregations in Fremont, where the tour stopped for the weekend, so for their Sunday morning worship service, participants were bussed to Omaha and Lincoln, the site of two CRC congregations. Some stayed in Fremont to watch over the camp and attended a Lutheran Church service across the street.
Leanne Talen Geisterfer, of Grand Rapids, Mich., says that when the Lutherans heard about Sea to Sea, they spontaneously organized a show of hospitality. “They opened their doors, providing refreshments and an air conditioned space to hang out."
Marti du Plessis, of Newmarket, Ont., attended the service at Northern Lighthouse CRC in Lincoln. “The pastor spoke on examples from the Bible that show how we should respectfully treat and help the poor, as all people have dignity and society unfortunately rates people according to their income, and they get the corresponding amount of respect, which is so wrong,” she writes in her blog.
“He recommended we leave a margin in all aspects of our lives—time, skills and funds—so we have something to draw on to help another person in need when our paths should cross. He stressed the importance of developing a good biblical attitude in ourselves and our environment about the challenges related to poverty.”
Jim Holwerda, of Grand Rapids, Mich., also attended the service in Lincoln. "The service was vital and full of life. There were two adult baptisms, by immersion, which made it especially meaningful. The music was wonderful, led by a band with a country western flavor."
In Omaha, Rev. Dan Steen, pastor of Prairie Lane CRC, was in the middle of a sermon series on social justice and the tour’s visit on Sunday fit right in, says Barb Mellema, of Sioux Center, Iowa. “The support from this congregation is wonderful–overflowing with graciousness and kindness. It takes effort from so many to carry it off and we appreciate it.”
Later this week, riders will be challenged by three 100-plus-mile days in a row, Wednesday to Friday. Ed Witvoet, tour operations and logistics manager, says some construction along the planned route may result in detours that could lengthen the already long rides.
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