Released Time Bible Education has a long history in the Hamilton Community Schools.
It began at Sandyview Elementary in the 1980's when a group of moms heard about this opportunity and approached Overisel Reformed Church and Overisel Christian Reformed Church to partner with them to begin the program. The program ran a few years, learned many things and stopped for a bit. The program was brought back in the mid-90's and has been going strong ever since. During the 2011-2012 school year, we ministered to about 100 Sandyview students (around 95%) with 16 volunteers from 5-6 churches. 8 Bibles were given to students who did not have one, and 19 kids prayed to accept Jesus as their Savior. Go God!!!!
Bentheim Reformed Church also has a program with Bentheim Elementary that has also been going for many years.
The leadership coordination of the Sandyview program was handed over to Amy Klanderman, a former Sandyview teacher, in 2000 when she became a stay-at-home mom. She has coordinated the program with many parents of Sandyview students since that time, except for the 2008-2009 school year which she spent with her family in Guatemala. She returned from that year of missions with a passion in her heart to bring the program to Hamilton Elementary where her children attended. When she brought it up to her Moms in Touch group another mom had already been praying about an opportunity like this. A 40+ member prayer team was formed, support from some of the Hamilton Area Churches was acquired, and the school administration was contacted. The program was piloted with the 5th Graders at Hamilton Elementary during the 2010-2011 school year and was a blessing to many. During the 2011-2012 school year the program expanded to include the 1st-4th Graders as well.
The program at Hamilton Elementary is supported by Hamilton Christian Reformed Church, Hamilton Reformed Church and Haven Reformed Church. During the pilot year, we had 18 volunteers from 8 different churches minister as small group leaders and nursery helpers. We ministered to 42 students and gave away 10 Bibles to kids who didn't have one. During the first year of 1-5th Grade attendance we had almost 250 students attend, gave away 41 Bibles to those who did not have a Bible of their own, and had 49 children pray to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God's mercies poured out and overflowing! God, You are good!
Praying God continues to use this ministry to grow all of us, leaders and students alike, as we remain faithful to the calling.
2015 update...What God has been up to in our Community....
Amy Klanderman has been a blessing to the Hamilton Community and to Released Time for over 13 years and we thank God for her willingness to serve Him and us in this way. Amy has heard God's call and is now in her senior year of seminary and we want to wish her the best in wherever God calls her to serve. Thank you Amy!
Released Time will continue to bless the children of Hamilton Elementary and Sandyview Elementary schools with the help of our many wonderful volunteers and or course a new story teller. Holly Kroeze will be taking on that new roll this year. Holly is a stay at home mom but she also works part time at Sandyview.
Released Time has always held a special place in Holly's heart. When she moved to the Hamilton area as a forth grader, Holly had the opportunity to attend her first Released Time at Overisel Reformed Church and that is where she asked Jesus into her heart.
"My hope, and my prayer, is to share the love of Jesus with the kids and families of Hamilton El. and Sandyview!' Holly Kroeze
2022/2023
Released Time is still going strong in our community and we'd like to welcome Kendra Poll as the new coordinator for Hamilton Elementary. Holly will continue her work at Sandyview and programs are still happening at Bentheim and will be returning to Blue Star for the 23/24 school year. Praise God!
It began at Sandyview Elementary in the 1980's when a group of moms heard about this opportunity and approached Overisel Reformed Church and Overisel Christian Reformed Church to partner with them to begin the program. The program ran a few years, learned many things and stopped for a bit. The program was brought back in the mid-90's and has been going strong ever since. During the 2011-2012 school year, we ministered to about 100 Sandyview students (around 95%) with 16 volunteers from 5-6 churches. 8 Bibles were given to students who did not have one, and 19 kids prayed to accept Jesus as their Savior. Go God!!!!
Bentheim Reformed Church also has a program with Bentheim Elementary that has also been going for many years.
The leadership coordination of the Sandyview program was handed over to Amy Klanderman, a former Sandyview teacher, in 2000 when she became a stay-at-home mom. She has coordinated the program with many parents of Sandyview students since that time, except for the 2008-2009 school year which she spent with her family in Guatemala. She returned from that year of missions with a passion in her heart to bring the program to Hamilton Elementary where her children attended. When she brought it up to her Moms in Touch group another mom had already been praying about an opportunity like this. A 40+ member prayer team was formed, support from some of the Hamilton Area Churches was acquired, and the school administration was contacted. The program was piloted with the 5th Graders at Hamilton Elementary during the 2010-2011 school year and was a blessing to many. During the 2011-2012 school year the program expanded to include the 1st-4th Graders as well.
The program at Hamilton Elementary is supported by Hamilton Christian Reformed Church, Hamilton Reformed Church and Haven Reformed Church. During the pilot year, we had 18 volunteers from 8 different churches minister as small group leaders and nursery helpers. We ministered to 42 students and gave away 10 Bibles to kids who didn't have one. During the first year of 1-5th Grade attendance we had almost 250 students attend, gave away 41 Bibles to those who did not have a Bible of their own, and had 49 children pray to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God's mercies poured out and overflowing! God, You are good!
Praying God continues to use this ministry to grow all of us, leaders and students alike, as we remain faithful to the calling.
2015 update...What God has been up to in our Community....
Amy Klanderman has been a blessing to the Hamilton Community and to Released Time for over 13 years and we thank God for her willingness to serve Him and us in this way. Amy has heard God's call and is now in her senior year of seminary and we want to wish her the best in wherever God calls her to serve. Thank you Amy!
Released Time will continue to bless the children of Hamilton Elementary and Sandyview Elementary schools with the help of our many wonderful volunteers and or course a new story teller. Holly Kroeze will be taking on that new roll this year. Holly is a stay at home mom but she also works part time at Sandyview.
Released Time has always held a special place in Holly's heart. When she moved to the Hamilton area as a forth grader, Holly had the opportunity to attend her first Released Time at Overisel Reformed Church and that is where she asked Jesus into her heart.
"My hope, and my prayer, is to share the love of Jesus with the kids and families of Hamilton El. and Sandyview!' Holly Kroeze
2022/2023
Released Time is still going strong in our community and we'd like to welcome Kendra Poll as the new coordinator for Hamilton Elementary. Holly will continue her work at Sandyview and programs are still happening at Bentheim and will be returning to Blue Star for the 23/24 school year. Praise God!