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My Grandfather, John Slotemaker
by Eleanor Zylstra
My earliest memory of First Lynden (Christian Reformed Church) is attending church with my grandpa John Slotemaker. He was an elder, and sometimes I would sit with him in the front of the church. During 'long prayer' the elders and deacons stood up. I remember sitting there, dangling my legs, looking at their backs, and not understanding a word that was being said because it was all in Dutch.
John Slotemaker just missed being a charter member of First Lynden. He came to Lynden in the late
1890s and attended meetings here before it was organized. He then went back to Iowa to get married and returned to Lynden with his bride in November 1900.
Grandpa never learned to drive so his sons would take him to church meetings. He would walk back home late at night, usually refusing a ride because, as he said, it gave him time to pray and talk aver
church business with his God. He lived about a half-mile east of where Bertha Meenderinck now lives, so the walk was a long and lonely one.
In those days if there was no minister to preach on Sundays, elders would have to read sermons. When Grandpa's time came for him to read, he would be found practicing his sermons and prayers in front of the cows, using them as an attentive congregation!
In later years he was asked to take his turn monitoring the young people in the balcony during church services. It seems that when you
became a teen-ager you no longer sat with your parents in church. If the kids did not behave, or would whisper, they would get a tap on the shoulder
by the person in charge. The elder used a stick that could reach over a couple of rows if necessary.
Another job that was often given to John Slotemaker was the committal services held at the cemetery when a member of the church died. The pastor had the funeral, but the elder would conclude it at the cemetery.
John Slotemaker was a talented poet and often wrote about his faith and his church.
We still have many of his
poems. To Grandpa the church was always of first importance in his life, and he gave his family a great heritage and example to follow.
memories
of Tillie
If you have an memories of the older
generations of Slotemakers that you would like to share, please email
them to the website.
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