Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Biography of Jules Taco Van Popta
RPPress is putting the last touches on our first biography, Man of the First Hour: A Son’s Story. The story of Jules (Jelle) Van Popta is a remarkable one and it has fallen to his youngest son to give an account of his father’s struggle and triumph. This is the story of the first minister who served within the Canadian Reformed Churches. As such, we gain a uniquely personal perspective of some of the ecclesiastical issues that have faced our church federation. In addition, the details of the political and ecclesiastical trials in the Netherlands during the war years, and the early years in Canada will no doubt resonate with all children of Dutch immigrants. We have benefitted enormously from the choices of those who, post WW II, voyaged across the Atlantic to make a new beginning for themselves and their offspring. How the Lord has blessed those who had the courage to cast their bread upon the waters! This story provides reasons for opportunity to shed tears, laugh heartily, and truly, to thank the Lord for His faithfulness! With this book, George van Popta goes beyond family history, as fascinating as this is, and salutes all parents who journeyed as pilgrims in a strange land, never losing sight of the heavenly city.