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Collection Overview
Abstract
Minister of the Christian Reformed Church. The collection includes manuscripts; personal notes; clippings; pamphlets detailing Christian education, missions, Israel, South Africa, and Communism; and a speech given at the Calvin Theological Seminary groundbreaking ceremony, 1959. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Note
The third son in a family of twelve was named John, born October 27, 1894. The Gritter family lived in Daarleveen, the Netherlands. Two years after the family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, John began studies toward the ministry. He graduated from Preparatory School in 1918, from Calvin College in 1921, and from Calvin Seminary in 1924.
In 1924, Rev. John Gritter began his active ministry in the Prosper Christian Reformed Church of Falmouth, Michigan. From 1929 to 1938, he served the congregation in Rock Valley, Iowa. His third charge was Franklin Street CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The good relationship John had with his first congregation in Northern Michigan became evident when many of the young people from that area who came to Grand Rapids for employment joined the Franklin Street congregation. In 1948, John began a ministry in Canada among the Dutch emigrants. He was able to bring together many of the immigrants who came from various parts of the Netherlands so that they established a congregation with a minimum of internal differences. He was, indeed, a pastor to the scattered flocks. In fact, he served a Canadian congregation from 1954 to 1958. He left London, Ontario, in 1958 to serve the Jamestown Christian Reformed Church until he retired at the age of seventy. Immediately John Gritter became an assistant pastor of the Seymour congregation and continued preaching in various churches during the period of his retirement.
Gritter entered the hospital for a routine check-up on Thanksgiving Day in 1970. However, he did not leave the hospital but passed away December 18.
John and Jeanette (daughter of Klass Schooland of the Calvin Theological School) were the parents of eight children.
John served the denomination as well as congregations. He was editor of the Christian Living column in The Banner. He wrote in Calvinist Contact and served for a time as editor. Before the end of his ministry, he wrote a book entitled God Loves.
Twelve times, during his forty years of active ministry, he was delegated to Synod and in 1959, he was elected president. He served on the Board of Trustees, the Board of Foreign Missions and the Publication Committee.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Alternate Extent Statement:
1.0 cubic ft.
Acquisition Source:
Gift of J. Gritter
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Papers and Press Clippings, 1924-1967],
[All]
- Series 1: Papers and Press Clippings --- 1924-1967
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Addresses: Special Days such as Fourth of July, Memorial Day --- 1925, 1941
- Folder 2: "That Calvin University," The Reformed Journal --- June 1962
- Folder 3: Bible: Thoughts on understanding the Bible. Four sermon outlines on I Peter 1:25, II Chronicles 34:14, 15; II Tim 3:16
- Folder 4: Biblical Archeology, press clippings --- 1959-1963
- Folder 5: Birth Control, press clippings --- 1950s and 1960s
- Folder 6: Calvin, John, notes and press clippings --- 1924-1954
- Folder 7: Calvinism, notes and press clippings --- 1925-1959
- Folder 8: Catholicism, press clippings --- 1941-1958
- Folder 9: Christian Labor Unions, press clippings, letters
- Folder 10: Church and Kingdom: Letter and notes of Klaas Schooland --- 1926-1927
- Folder 11: Church music, press clippings
- Folder 12: Common Grace: Notes and press clippings from The Banner --- 1938
- Folder 13: Communism: Speech for Men's League, Press clippings --- October 19, 1961
- Folder 14
- Item 1: Correspondence: Flietstra --- 1953
- Item 2: Correspondence: F. Nymeyer --- 1954
- Folder 15: Dogmatics: Handwritten notes of Ten Hoor's class lectures
- Folder 16: Evolution: Notes and press clippings --- 1940-1960
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Flag Day: Use of flags. Mission Festival speech at Vogel Center: The Red, White, and Blue --- July 5, 1926
- Folder 2: Booklet: "Lingering Memories" - Funeral Messages --- 1944-1946
- Folder 3: Infallibility of the Bible: Paper, letter, press clippings --- 1959-1967
- Folder 4: Israel: Notes on the Diaspora and Jews. Press clippings on The Chosen People
- Folder 5: Jehovah's Witnesses Cult, press clippings --- 1930-1960
- Folder 6: Meuller, George of Bristol, press clippings --- 1932
- Folder 7
- Item 1: Message, Faith Healing --- July 7, 1939
- Item 2: Press clippings
- Folder 8: Messages, Jesus shall come, Acts 1, Rev. 7, I Thess. 5 --- 1940, 1947
- Folder 9: Missionaries, press clippings --- 1927-1946
- Folder 10: New Theology paper
- Folder 11: Our Sabbath (title of proposed book), preliminary notes --- 1930s
- Folder 12: Paper: Kerkeraden en Zondagsarbeid
- Folder 13: Paper: Notes on Revelation - Synopsis of prologue. Revelation 20, 21
- Folder 14: Paper: Should our Consistories discipline members of AFL and CIO? Consistorial Conference --- May 17, 1945
- Folder 15: Paper: Study in Romans 9-11; All Israel Saved
- Folder 16: Poems (Dutch) press clippings --- 1935-1961
- Folder 17: Psychology, press clippings, Letters from members of the CRC
- Folder 18: Sermon notes on Lev. 25:10; Prov. 1:17, 22:6; Is. 2:1-4; Rom. 8:1-4; Luke 21:24; Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 3:16, 17 --- 1942-1961
- Folder 19: South Africa, press clippings --- 1960s
- Folder 20: Talks to Young People, Rock Valley, IA --- 1934-1935
- Folder 21: Worldly amusements
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Papers and Press Clippings, 1924-1967],
[All]
