spread, he would journey three to four times a week to an outlying schoolhouse to preach to those who lived far from the church. Later, when churches organized in Sioux Center and Alton, he preached to these congregations until they received their own ministers. In addition to being a minister, Bolks was often called upon to care for the sick and injured. In the absence of a medical doctor, Bolks used his limited medical training to perform amputations and to assist midwives. Once a trained doctor arrived at the colony, Bolks refused to make any more calls. Due to failing health, Bolks handed over his responsibilities to Rev. Buursma, though he remained active in the community until his death on June 16, 1894. Rev. Ale Buursma - 1879–1889 Rev. Ale Burrsma was a Frisian-born Civil War veteran and a member of the first graduating classes of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary. He was called three times before he decided to leave his church in South Holland, IL to come to Orange City. He was the first pastor at FRC to be able to preach in English, though he rarely did so. The growing 'American' population led to the formation of the English-language American Reformed Church in 1885. Buursma cared deeply about Christian education and was given a three-month leave of absence in 1883 to fill a vacancy at the new Northwestern Classical Academy. Buursma also acted as principal for a year at the school. He served for a decade at FRC and left in 1889 to be the pastor of Fifth Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI. Rev. Harm Vander Ploeg - 1890–1893 After Rev. Buursma left, FRC was without a minister for over a year, eventually calling Harmen Vander Ploeg. His pastorate was shortened by ill health, but he was valued for his strong morals and theology as well as his concern for missions. He served the church until his death in 1893, little more than two-and-a-half years after beginning at FRC. Rev. Matthew Kolyn - 1893–1898 Rev. Matthew Kolyn was the first American born pastor at First Reformed. A Wisconsin native, he graduated from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey. His pastorate showed the beginnings of the Americanization movement within the church as First Reformed established a branch of Christian Endeavor - an evangelical, interdenominational youth organization that exposed the youth, in English, to non-Reformed theology