A new Church called the Irish Reformed Church was inaugurated in Mountmellick last weekend.
The Christian Reformed Church professes the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed.
They believe salvation is God’s work from beginning to end and that humans can do nothing to earn their way into heaven.
During the ceremony, in the Methodist Church building, a deacon, elder and minister of religion of the new Church were ordained.
Ger Nel was ordained as Deacon, Fred Muller became an Elder while Rev Rassie Erasmus was named Minister of Religion.
Other clergy from the community bestowed their blessings on the new group of believers.
Father Michael Murphy spoke on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church.
Rev Tim Irvine spoke on behalf of the Church of Ireland and Beverly Barbour on behalf of the Methodist Church.
Immigrants from other countries where Reformed Christianity is practised find it hard to get hold of a spiritual home in Ireland.
These churches are far and few between and if they do exist, it normally has a few elderly parishioners.
Young people like to have young friends for the sake of their own young children and organisers say the Irish reformed Church is packed with young families that can support each other.
Rev Rassie Erasmus explained: “There are different branches of Protestantism in the world. Henry VIII created the Anglican Church of which the Church of Ireland is a current.
“Luther and Calvin were close in their theological thinking and were the originators of the broad Reformed Tradition we know today.
“Calvin together with Zwingli is the source of a protestant branch we call Calvinism.
“When you are a part of the Calvinism branch of protestants you will find no spiritual home in Laois because there is no church with those beliefs in Laois.
“The Irish Reformed Church has now filled that void. Since the Presbyterians left Mountmellick in 2021, I am the only ordained minister of religion in the Calvinist branch of the Reformation in the whole county of Laois.
“To be a legitimate Church, all leaders need to be ordained by an ordained minister of a similar Church.
“We were fortunate and blessed that the “Rehobothkerk” Woerden in the Netherlands sent their minister of religion the Rev. Dr André Jansen to conduct the installation of our leaders.
“This also created a relationship with a congregation in Europe where the Reformed Christianity we know best, originated.
“We want to strengthen ties and cooperation with reformed Churches outside of Britain and Northern Ireland because as most of us didn’t grow up here, we feel more comfortable that way.
“The Irish Reformed Church will make it its duty to be a church for all people living in and around Laois as well as all immigrants in the area who agree with statements of confession of Calvinism namely the Ordinances of Dort, The Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgian confession, as well as the statements of faith, The Apostolic confession and the Nicene and Athanasian creeds.
“Our ambition is to preach and teach the word of God with a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.”
