News from Fall 2011 Classis Meetings

Two or three times each year, Christian Reformed churches send representatives to classis, a meeting of their regional group of churches. Delegates at those meetings review and make decisions about their shared ministries and practice mutual accountability for their congregations’ individual ministries. Here are highlights from the most recent classis meetings:

Entering Ordained Ministry in the CRC
Classes examined and approved the following candidates (seminary graduates):

Jason De Vries
Adam Eisenga
Rodolfo Galindo
Philip Landers
Raidel Leon Martinez
John Moelker
Adam Nordyke
Martin Sisneroz
Matthew VandenHeuvel
Bernhard VanderVlis
Ashley Van Dragt
Geoff Van Dragt
Mark Van Dyke
Terrence Visser
Brian Willats.

Transferred in from other denominations:

Rev. Phil Covert
Rev. YoungYoul Ki
Rev. SeongHwan Kim
Rev. Yun Jin Kim
Rev. Jung Suh
Rev. SeongChuil Youn

Readmitted to ministry:

Rev. Doug Hunderman

Loaned to Another Denomination:

Rev. Phil Apol.

Leaving a Congregation
When neither retirement nor discipline is involved, a minister can, for weighty reasons, be released from ministry in a specific congregation, at the request of the pastor, the church council, or both. Classes released from their congregations the following ministers:

Rev. Bob Kim, Sa Rang Korean Fellowship CRC, Kamloops, British Columbia
Rev. Daryl Meijer, Barrhaven Fellowship CRC, Ottawa, Ontario
Rev. Karen Norris, West End CRC, Edmonton, Alberta
Rev. Philip Rose, Harderwyk Ministries, Holland, Mich.
Rev. Gerry Van Dam, Immanuel CRC, Burbank, Ill.

Leaving Ordained Ministry in the CRC
Classes may end ordained ministry status of a pastor if the minister has voluntarily left the CRC or has taken up a non-ministerial vocation. A classis may also end ordained ministry status if a minister released from a congregation does not receive a call to another church within two years. Those whose status as an ordained minister in the CRC was ended include

Simon Kim
Woo Chun Lee
Byung Nam Moon
Lucas Rodenhouse
Timothy Van Zalen
Michael Veenema
Gene Vis.

Ministry Associates
Ministry Associates are elders called to a specific ministry and ordained to function within classis in that role. The following were approved by classes as ministry associates:

LeeVale Butler (California South)
Adrienne Croskey (Hackensack)
Heather Cowie (Alberta South/Saskatchewan)
Caleb Dickson (Red Mesa)
Eric Fluit (Hackensack)
Gary Foster (Chicago South)
Chris Ganski (Wisconsin)
Sean Hall (Pacific Northwest)
Charles Ho (Greater Los Angeles)
Anthony Jansen (British Columbia South-East)
Daniel Lindley (Northcentral Iowa)
Darlene Lirson (Red Mesa)
Janice McLean (Hackensack)
Brian Na (Hackensack)
Gary Nibbelink (Northcentral Iowa).

Released from Role as Ministry Associate

Bill Hodgman (Atlantic Northeast)

Leadership Issues and Leadership Training & Development

Classis Grand Rapids East discussed best practices for elders and deacons, and Classis Toronto discussed the role of elders in the church.
Classis Red Mesa discussed best practices for pastoral care.
Classis Huron discussed ministry in light of lifestyles such as couples living common-law.
Classis Illiana discussed how churches are dealing with children at the Lord’s Supper.
Classis Grandville received communications from Trinity CRC in Sparta, Mich., and Second CRC in Kalamazoo, Mich., about transferring to a classis that does not permit women delegates.
Classes Alberta North, Niagara, and Quinte discussed restorative justice.
Classes Lake Superior and Chatham discussed ministry with aboriginal and First Nations people.
Classis Central Plains held training on disability concerns.
Classis Chicago South held training on worship.
Classis Eastern Canada discussed campus ministry.
Classis Grand Rapids East formed a group to discuss issues surrounding Synod 2011’s action on homosexuality.
Classis Grand Rapids North discussed pastor coaching.
Classis Minnkota discussed support for Christian education.

New Ministries and Ministry Changes

Classis Holland approved a new ministry to individuals and families affected by autism.
Classis Hudson approved a church plant called Restore, meeting at Cedar Hill CRC in Wyckoff, N.J.
Classes Hudson and Hackensack approved a church plant in Manhattan, New York City, called Dwell.
Classis Pacific Hanmi approved a Los Angeles church plant called Tree of Righteousness.
Classis California South approved the merger of Trinity Fellowship CRC and Monte Sion CRC, both in San Diego.
Classis California South approved the transfer of Shema Presbyterian CRC to Classis Pacific Hanmi.
Classis Hackensack welcomed New Song Community Church in Harlem, N.Y., as an emerging congregation.

Ministries Ended

Bridge Community CRC in Frankfort, Ill., was disbanded.

Finances

Classis Red Mesa entered into insurance contracts to provide pensions for those not included in the CRC ministers’ pension plan.
Classis Toronto rejected a proposed budget that included a ministry share increase of 20 percent. Classis will hold a special meeting about the budget in December.

Belhar Confession
Whether to adopt the Belhar Confession as a fourth Reformed standard for the Christian Reformed Church (alongside the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort) will be decided at Synod 2012.

The following classes held discussions about the Belhar Confession:

Alberta North
Pacific Hanmi
Georgetown and Iakota sent overtures (requests) to Synod 2012 recommending the Belhar Confession be adopted as a testimony or statement of faith, not as a fourth confession.
Alberta South/Saskatchewan sent an overture to Synod 2012 to not adopt the Belhar Confession.

Other Overtures (Requests) to Synod 2012