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"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."  -- Psalm 126:3

  February 6, 2012  
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Up to 1956, the majority of the Christian Reformed people in the Georgetown area attended the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Brampton, Ontario. Since the church building became overcrowded and people were still coming at a good rate, one of the largest groups from the Georgetown - Glen Williams area met together with the Brampton consistory on August 12, 1956. During this meeting, which was held in the basement of John Meyer's home in Glen Williams, plans were made to have this "group" establish a new congregation in Georgetown.

Around that time, there was a building for sale at 55 Main Street South in Georgetown. It was a former bargain barn, a dairy building and before that, an old railroad station. It was large enough to be made into a meeting place and it was acquired by the Brampton consistory for this "group". This building is where Canada Trust stands today.

On January 27, 1957, the Georgetown CRC had their first Sunday service on their own as a congregation. While renovations and cleaning were being done to the building at 55 Main Street South, the first services involving 46 families were held in the Esquesing Community Hall in Stewarttown, Ontario. When the building was ready, a dedication service was held on Wednesday, July 17, 1957.

The next step was to find a minister who would serve for the Georgetown CRC. Reverend John VanHarmelen (1957-58) who was more correctly "counselor" of the Georgetown church first served while also being the minister of Immanuel CRC in Brampton. The first full-time pastor at Georgetown was Reverend Dick Los (1959-62) who came from Ferweld in the Netherlands. He was installed as the first minister on March 19, 1959. On April 12, 1959, he read the entire Lord's Day 1 from the pulpit in the English language. There was a gradual movement to more English services, alternating with Dutch. When English was used in both services, there were Dutch services held in the school. Reverend Los was followed by Reverend James Joosse (1963-67), Reverend Al VandenPol (1967-73), Reverend William Postman (1973-77), Pastor John De Jong (1978-88), Reverend William Suk (1980-81), Reverend Bert Slofstra (1984-90) and Reverend Paul Stadt (1989-97). Reverend Mark Verbruggen served Georgetown CRC from 1995 until May 2005 when he left to become senior pastor at a church in Sioux Center, Iowa. For the first two of his nine-and-a-half years at Georgetown Verbruggen worked as associate pastor under Paul Stadt. On average CRC ministers stay at one church for eight years before moving on to new challenges.

Since the congregation was growing, planning began in 1961 to find a more suitable place to buy some property where a good church building could be built. A serious attempt was made to acquire some property in the planned Moore Park subdivision in March 1966, but the planning there was not yet ready for approval and it could take another three years before construction would begin.

The present site of the Georgetown CRC and the Georgetown District Christian School was bought and the church was built in 1966-67. The dedication service was held on February 10, 1967. Since the old Main Street South building had been sold prior to the building of the new one, services were held in the Georgetown High School. Nine years were spent worshipping in the Main Street South building.

The first joyful sounds during the worship services were produced by the organists, Mrs. I. VandenBerg and Mr. John DeBoer, on a Halman electronic organ in the Main Street South church in 1957. The Organ Committee, consisting of Messrs. Wm. Braam, J. DeBoer, G. DeKleer and Wm. Hegi, were fortunate to find a good used organ located in the Knox Presbyterian Church in Guelph, Ontario. The Keates Organ Co. in Acton, Ontario, did the installation and some alterations for a total of $11,800.00. The Woodstock Organ has over 1,200 speaking pipes. It is an instrument not only excellent for leading the congregational singing, but also for recitals.

Today, the GCRC worships in a church that completed a $1.6 milion expansion in 2004. the sanctuary is on of the largest in any church in the Town of Halton Hills.

Each year on November 11, Remembrance Day has a special significance for the Georgetown CRC as many members either suffered under the Nazi occupation in Holland in World War II or fought with the Allies.

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