I am Indigenous
Article in Christian Courier: The parallels between indigenous peoples, like those in Canada or northern Holland, are significant. Up until a century ago, most lived modest, simple lives. They were people of the land, in tune with nature. They were industrious, sophisticated (for their time and place) and spiritual. They
Full Circle
My father (1932 - 2004) had no idea that his granddaughter would become a Christian Reformed pastor in 2017 or that he had generations of 'dominees' in his family, as far back as the Dutch Reformation. But recent work with My Heritage has uncovered five centuries of faithfulness and a
Family History
It was a privilege for me to delve deeply into the lives of ‘Opa and Oma’ van der Laan in 2019, while editing and assembling the various writings and photos for the book "The van der Laan Venture" -- memoirs of my grandfather, but also of his wife and several
Jubilee Native Plant Garden
This is an exploratory proposal to add a large native plants garden to the property of Jubilee Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, in the north-west corner of the property
Teus de Jong Verhalen
Tijdens Henry en Wendy's reis door Europa deze zomer bezochten ze Oom Teus en Tante Pieta met Jaap en Aagie op weg naar Kasteel de Haar. Tijdens die koffietijd legde Henry de verhalen vast die Oom Teus vertelde over het leven op de boerderij in de beginjaren.
The Nature of Things
It is now already five years since the Christmas of 2016 when we last gathered fully as family in Niagara, some three months after Stiny de Jong's funeral. We were drawn together to hang on to that sense of belonging that only a matriarch can supply. We gathered for a
Herman de Jong
Writing for his descendants living during the year 2050. Publishing this work is a bit premature, but some of us will not be around in 2050 to read this. So, as Herman would say, let's just jump the gun.
Sarnia Christian School, 1953-1973
Twentieth Anniversary Booklet Written and produced by Herman de Jong In 1973, Herman de Jong (my father) was an upholsterer. Not an obvious choice for authoring this school’s anniversary booklet. Until you know that he taught there, off and on, for fourteen of its first twenty years. He quit teaching
The Living Vine Panorama
This panorama of Jubilee Fellowship's worship space was taken just after Christmas, 2010.
The Living Vine mural, wrapping around the back, takes up more than half of the panorama.
Herman and Stiny de Jong read stories
Once upon a time, I'm sure (though I have no memory of it), my mother and father read or told stories to me and my siblings. Probably every day. Whether they were from the bible or not, these stories pushed us to the frontiers of experience without at all endangering
A Beginning
It's hard to believe that it will soon be forty years since I produced this book, during my break year between studying at the ICS and moving with Wendy to Holland for a year. I'm tempted now to call this "The Beginning and the End", because nothing much came of
The Nature of Things
It is now already five years since the Christmas of 2016 when we last gathered fully as family in Niagara, some three months after Stiny de Jong's funeral. We were drawn together to hang on to that sense of belonging that only a matriarch can supply. We gathered for a
In the Pinery
Prose view: In the Pinery - an album of photos from a family vacation to match a prose play by play of the experience
A place in the heart
Laura's repost in Reformed Journal: Perhaps my father was lucky. There is a place in the world that he called his own. It's a wonderful place that he could visit and remember and which never lost its essence throughout his own variegated life. That place is Terschelling
Terschelling – A place in the heart
Perhaps my father was lucky. There is a place in the world that he called his own. It's a wonderful place that he could visit and remember and which never lost its essence throughout his own variegated life. That place is Terschelling
Summer Quest 2023
In the summer of 2023, Wendy and Henry explored parts of Holland and Europe as well, before and after the van der Laan extended family reunion in Stadskanaal.
Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral - a guided tour with video suggestions and photos from our 2023 summer visit.
The van der Laan Venture (epub)
Memoirs of Harm and Dina van der Laan. A printed book made available here in an ePub viewer.
Hinne de Jong
From the memoirs of Hendrik (Hinne) de Jong (1896-1982, translated/arranged by his son, Sense de Jong and maintained by grandson Henry.
Psalm 138 – music video
Visiting an ancient psalm text, the Genevan tune setting from the sixteenth century and visions of nature that are timeless. This was made in anticipation of a tour by The Psalm Project, and incorporates photos from my own collection to accompany their rendition of Psalm 138.
Herman de Jong – Organ
Herman de Jong plays on the Covenant CRC organ
Objects of Affection
An exhibition of photographs of treasured objects from the home of Stiny de Jong, given new life - transposed, re-imagined and renewed out-of-doors in the natural settings she relished. Consider, from this juxtaposition, what it is to be at home, surrounded by simply lovely mementos, gathered from artisans and nature,
God Includes
God loves you and me. That's the firm foundation for our faith, as it can be for every one of God's children. God's esteem for us is also the foundation of our self-esteem. We know from the history of redemption that God does not hold back this love from those
Herman de Jong – Prose
Prose by Herman de Jong (1932 - 2004) - A set of six short prose poems on matters of faith.
The van der Laan Venture (PDF)
Memoirs of Harm and Dina van der Laan. A printed book made available here in a PDF flip-book viewer.
Newmaker Notes
My life is richly hued and deeply textured. But the light comes and goes, and the details dry out or get roiled under, and the view is often lost to a host of distractions. Sometimes it's clear to see, the epiphany, in moments that I treasure, but more often it
Calvin on Worship Songs
This is my own paraphrase of a translation of the last part of Calvin's Preface to the Psalter.
Summer Quest Videos
I have long been drawn to music animations and have been bookmarking them for two decades. Here, finally, is a place where I can share my fascination. There are some twenty examples. The music is almost all Bach.