“WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT”

Rev. Andrew Cammenga

June 11, 1936 – January 16, 2019

Andrew Cammenga, the third of eight children, was born to Rev. Andrew and Tillie (Visser) Cammenga on June 11, 1936 in Rock Valley, Iowa.  They moved to Grand Rapids, MI in 1949 where he attended high school and met Millie Wiersma—the love of his life.  Their relationship was put on hold from 1955-1957 while he served in the U.S. Army in Korea. Upon his return, Cam and Millie were married on May 1, 1957 in Grand Rapids, MI.

In 1960 Cam’s sales career moved them to Holland, MI where their first two children (Ellen and Mary) were born. For two years, beginning in 1961, he struggled privately with what seemed an insane call of the Holy Spirit to pursue a preaching ministry—insane, in Cam’s mind because he had no college education, hated school and was certain he could serve God better as a good salesman rather than a poor preacher. Unable to shake the calling he finally shared his struggle with Millie during a camping trip in September 1963 -- certain she would give him a final reason to ignore the call. Not so: she didn’t laugh, instead believed God would provide if He was calling and only two weeks later Cam was a late enrollee at Calvin College taking Freshman English and Latin.  (Dressed in his work clothes, a suit, and already balding, he was not the typical freshman!)

They didn’t think finances would be a problem if Cam could talk his regional manager into a part-time employment arrangement. He couldn’t.  But Millie was not surprised because that same day someone reached out to them saying he heard their house was for sale and wanted to make an offer—apparently God had put their house up for sale! Three months later the sale was completed and they had purchased a fixer-upper in Grand Rapids nearer the college. A needed reminder early on “not to doubt, only believe” (Mark 5:36).

Two more children (Andy & Carol) were born in the next 7 years and God continued to supply all their needs: a night job in a factory during the school year, house-painting in the summer, odd jobs and Tupperware sales for Millie; even anonymous help for the children’s Christian School tuition. God’s amazing provisions and divine encouragements were clearly seen during those difficult years and His faithfulness continued throughout their marriage of 61 years.

Cam spent summers in preaching internships at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, Lynden WA (1968) and at Conrad Christian Reformed Church, MT (1969). In the spring of 1970, shortly before seminary graduation, Cam exhorted at a Christian Reformed Church in Brookfield, WI. They had been vacant for three years and prior to the service Cam was asked to read a letter to the congregation from the 16th pastor to decline their call! After the evening service the elders asked if Cam would consider a call from the Brookfield church after he graduated. He replied that he would have to consider their call but suggested he probably wasn’t the right person for them and that some other churches had already voted to call him after graduation.

God had decided, however, that the Brookfield CRC was the right congregation for Cam; he received the call and could not say “no” to it. Again, what a blessing it turned out to be! Since they had been vacant for three years the elders had learned much about leadership and told him they could do everything but preach and, therefore, Cam was to make study and preaching his priority.  What a blessing for a novice minister; what an opportunity to develop good study habits; what a beautiful congregation; what a good God! After six years in Brookfield, Rev. Cammenga and Millie would serve two more congregations:  Second Christian Reformed Church of Lynden, WA (1976-1985); and the Escondido United Reformed Church, CA (1985-2000). Millie didn’t marry a minister but proved to be a wonderful minister’s wife with gifts of hospitality, teaching, encouragement and trust in God. As for Cam, his call to the ministry which seemed so crazy turned out to be for him the greatest privilege, joy and blessing imaginable.

Rev. Cammenga’s joy was not found in ecclesiastical meetings but he was delegated to the Christian Reformed Synod ten times. Already at his first Synod in 1974, biblical and Church Order issues regarding women in church office were being discussed and debated. Ultimately, these issues and others led to the calling in 1995 of a conference in Chicago for concerned CRC office bearers of which Rev. Cammenga was chosen as chairman. The results of this conference added momentum to the growth of the newly-formed Federation of United Reformed Churches in North America. In 1998, Rev. Cammenga and the Escondido CRC he was serving joined this Federation.

Rev. Cammenga served as a board member of the Reformed Bible Institute (now Kuyper College) and Westminster Seminary California. He was a contributing author in a comprehensive Sunday School curriculum entitled “Life in Christ” published by Reformed Fellowship, Inc.  His book, “Facing Faith’s Challenges”, addresses doctrinal and ethical issues from a Reformed biblical perspective which is geared toward learners in high school or beyond.

Cam always loved wood-working; he built furniture and two camping trailers but his capstone project was an ocean-worthy wooden vessel launched in 1992. This project took “five years of Mondays” to complete and enabled him to enjoy his other preferred leisure activity: fishing.

Upon retiring in 2000, Andy and Millie lived on four wheels for 15 years; they truly enjoyed the adventure of their motorhome years and the ability to extend their ministry (serving a dozen churches for 2-4 months at a time), explore creation, and visit their children’s families who lived in Washington, Iowa and Michigan. Grandpa/Opa loved to hold babies and play with little children. He also often addressed children in his sermons and worked hard at capturing their attention with illustrations and teaching at their level.

Cam will be profoundly missed by his devoted wife Millie and by their children and their families: Ellen & Scott Korthuis, Kathryn & John Van Weerdhuizen (Blake, Avery), Matt & Lisa (Jonathan, Levi), Jeff & Laura;  Mary & Bradd Nymeyer, Nicole & Tim Van Regenmorter (Mikayla, Alexa, Jonathan), Joshua, Kristen & Jordan Kuiper, Rebecca; Andy & Brenda Cammenga, Shelli, Andrew, Janelle; Carol Hagedorn, Davis, Justin, Shannon. Cam was preceded in death by his parents and brother Ron and sister Hildred Geurkink and leaves behind siblings Syd (Carolyn), John, Phil (Marie), Ken (Sue), Beth (Jack) Knol and other dear relatives and many who loved him and benefited from his biblical instruction, counsel, and friendship.

His family does not grieve as those without hope (I Thessalonians 4:13) but rejoices that he is now with his “faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, Who has fully paid for all his sins with His precious blood”. (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1)