Remkes Kooistra Collection, 1933-1995 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Remkes Kooistra Collection, 1933-1995

ID: COLL/148

Primary Creator: Remkes Kooistra (1917-2005)

Extent: 35.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Minister of the Christian Reformed Church and editor of Church and Nation. The collection includes papers, reports, correspondence, sermons, editorials, articles, class notes, press clippings, and subject files on churches in the Netherlands during World War II; Klaas Schilder case; Canadian churches; Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada; Christian Labour Association of Canada; Church and Nation; Christian education; Synodical Committee on Race Relations; Synodical Committee on Infallibility and Inspiration; and campus ministry at the University of Waterloo and at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Biographical Note

Remkes Kooistra was born in the village of Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands on May 22, 1917. Kooistra attended the seminary in Kampen and went on to earn this doctorate in theology and sociology from the Free University of Amsterdam. In 1943, Kooistra married Jantje (Jannette) Feddema and together they had four children. Kooistra served the following congregations in the Netherlands Siegerswoude (1943-1947); Hengelo (1947-1951); and The Hague (1951-1955).

In 1955, Kooistra and his family immigrated to North America and settled in Alberta, Canada to serve the congregation of Red Deer. Kooistra served at Red Deer until 1960; where he went on to serve the churches of Trenton, Ontario (1960-1964) and First, Toronto, Ontario (1964-1974). In 1974, Kooistra decided to serve university campuses. He became campus chaplain at Wilfred Laurier University, University of Waterloo, and University of Guelph. He taught Greek and Dutch courses at St. Paul’s college and University of Waterloo. He also occasionally taught classes or gave lectures at the Institute for Christian Studies, Calvin College, and Redeemer University College. In 1982 Kooistra retired from active ministry and teaching.

Kooistra also served as a hospital chaplain in Waterloo, comforting and tending to the sick and their families. Kooistra found time to serve on several boards and committees including First Committee on Women in Office, member on the Board of Home Missions, and Christian Reformed World Relief Committee to name a few. In his free time, Kooistra liked to write. He wrote several catechism booklets such as By Grace Through Faith. He published a collection of stories from Holocaust survivors called Where Was God?

Kooistra passed away unexpectedly on May 30, 2005 in Brampton Ontario.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical Notes, Ministry in the Netherlands, 1943-1969],
[Series 2: Activities in the Netherlands, 1944-1955],
[Series 3: Correspondence: University and First Congregation, 1933-1946],
[Series 4: Correspondence, 1946-1948],
[Series 5: Correspondence, Hengelo 's-Gravenhage, Red Deer, 1949-1955],
[Series 6: Correspondence, Red Deer and Ebenezer, Toronto, 1956-1963],
[Series 7: Correspondence, Trenton and First Toronto, 1964-1967],
[Series 8: Correspondence, First Toronto, 1968-1972],
[Series 9: Correspondence, Campus Ministry and Retirement Period, 1973-1974],
[Series 10: Ebenezer, Trenton and First Toronto, 1960-1974],
[Series 11: First Toronto and Waterloo, 1964-1981],
[Series 12: Christian Education Material, 1955-1979],
[Series 13: Christian Labor Association of Canada (CLAC) and Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada (CCRCC), 1956-1963 and 1968-1973],
[Series 14: Church and Nation Material, 1958-1972],
[Series 15: Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada (CCRCC), 1973-1980],
[Series 16: Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada (CCRCC); Lord's Day Alliance of Canada, 1965-1979],
[Series 17: Committee on Confessional Revision on Gravamen of Dr. Harry Boer, 1977-1979],
[Series 18: Interchurch Project on Population, 1973-1975],
[Series 19: Interchurch Project on Population and Race Commission, 1977-1980 and 1965-1970],
[Series 20: Race Commission [Synodical Committee on Race Relations (SCORR)]; Eastern Canada Interclassical Conference, 1970-1975],
[Series 21: Varia, 1947-1987],
[Series 22: Articles Published, Book Reviews, 1960-1987],
[Series 23: Book Reviews, Committee Activities, 1965-1984],
[Series 24: Committee Activities, Huron Campus Ministry, 1967-1984],
[Series 25: Huron Campus Ministry, 1976-1981],
[Series 26: Huron Campus Ministry; Issues of Interest, 1960-1984],
[Series 27: Reports; Issues of Interest, 1963-1986],
[Series 28: Diaries, 1946-1984],
[Series 29: Varia],
[Series 30: Canadian Congress on Evangelism, 1967-1971],
[Series 31: Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, 1960-1962],
[All]

Series 5: Correspondence, Hengelo 's-Gravenhage, Red Deer --- 1949-1955

Box 5

Folder 1: Correspondence, Hengelo, includes communications of the Oranje Committee --- 1949

Folder 2: Correspondence, Hengelo (includes order of worship, July 9, 1950) --- 1950

Folder 3: Correspondence, includes correspondence on call to serve 's-Gravenhage West --- January - June 1951

Folder 4: Correspondence, 's-Gravenhage West, includes letters from Hengelo --- July - December 1951

Folder 5: Correspondence, 's-Gravenhage West, includes letters dealing with College van Advies --- 1952

Folder 6: Correspondence, 's-Gravenhage West --- January - September 1953

Item 1: Letter concerning serving as chaplain on board ship Grote Beer --- September 4, 1953

Folder 7: Correspondence, includes letters on experiences as a ship chaplain --- October - December 1953

Folder 8: Correspondence, includes letters from Red Deer, Alberta --- January - June, 1954

Folder 9: Correspondence, general, includes acceptance of call to Red Deer and delay in traveling to Canada --- July - December 1954

Folder 10: Correspondence, Red Deer, Alberta, family letters, experience of emigrating to Canada --- 1955