Highlights Classis Chatham meeting of November 8, 2003.

 

• 26 Churches of Classis were represented with approximately 133 delegates/visitors attending.

• This special meeting of classis was called for the purpose of addressing the issue of “The Practice of Church Discipline”.

• Rev. Vic VanderMolen was this meeting’s chairman with Rev. John Van Til the facilitator of the plenary sessions.

• Invited to speak on this issue was Rev. Jack Vos who’s address was both informative as well as inspirational and appreciated by those in attendance.

• The morning plenary session “Discipline as Spiritual Care” dealt with Descriptions, Definitions and Present Practices to the Biblical setting of discipline: How Christ builds His church.

• At the start of the afternoon session, Classis met in Executive session to discuss a request from the Wyoming CRC Council for release from ministry of Rev. Peter Moelker.

• The result of this meeting was that Classis Chatham has granted an honourable release from ministry in the Christian Reformed Church of North America to Rev. Peter Moelker under Church Order art. 14-b.

• The afternoon plenary session “Discipline, for What and How” centered on reasons for discipline, how to apply discipline to preventive ministry.

• After each plenary session the delegates met in small groups to discuss the presentation followed by a question & answer period in full session.

• Rev. John Van Til thanked Rev. Jack Vos for his excellent presentations.

• Rev. Rich deLange led classis in closing devotions and the meeting is adjourned.

Next regular meeting of Classis will be January 27, 2004.