CHURCH NEWS

Calls Extended:

To Rev. A.W. Verhoef of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, by the Sioux Center, Iowa, Congregation.

Calls Declined:

To the Sunnyside, Washington, Congregation, by Rev. W. Suijker, of Unionville, Ontario, Canada.

To the Clifton, New Jersey, Congregation, by Rev. J. Van Haaren, of Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

To the Kalamazoo, Michigan, Congregation, by Rev. J. Van Haaren, of Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

To the Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Congregation, by Rev. A. Vergunst, of Veen, the Netherlands.

PASTORAL LETTER FROM THE SYNOD OF THE NETHERLANDS REFORMED CONGREGATIONS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA

The Synod wishes all the congregations peace!

At its meeting on June 18, 1974 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Synod seriously considered the world conformity in our congregations and felt its calling to warn young and old as God has said, “Be not conformed to this world.” Contempt of the will of God is a high road to an immoral life and infidelity. If we continue to stay disobedient to God and His institutions, the Lord will depart from our churches and the world will take His place.

Beloved, much has been written on the evils of television and the powerful influence upon the viewer and therefore the Synod urges you not to expose yourselves or your children to this evil influence. We must also admonish you concerning the vile reading material which is available in these times to not let this wickedness penetrate into our homes. By means of this letter, we also wish to impress upon your hearts not to go along with the worldly hair styles, short dresses, fornication and so many more sins of our time.

It is especially the duty of parents to be an example for their children in word and deeds as we promised to raise them according to God’s will; Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

The Synod is much grieved that this time of prosperity in which we are living does not bring us closer to the Lord but that we have hardened our hearts instead. It is the Synod’s sincere prayer that, with the Lord’s blessing, this pastoral letter may result in discontinuation of the mentioned evils so that the Lord will no longer be provoked to anger.

May obedience to Scripture and our Confession be found among our members and that all may manifest a Christian walk worthy of those who confess the truth so that they may say with David, ‘‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”

Rev. W.C. Lamain, President

Rev. L. Kieboom, Vice-President

Rev. A.W. Verhoef, Vice-President

Rev. A. M. Den Boer, Clerk

Notation: The Synod advises vacant churches to read this letter before the congregations when they read the sermon written by Rev. A. Vergunst regarding worldly conformity (Blue book #123).

COLLECTIONS AND GIFTS RECEIVED FOR THE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL OF UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Month of September:

Waupan Congregation $ 105.65

Friend in Michigan 5.00

Friend in Wisconsin 150.00

Kalamazoo Congregation 1013.00

Sunnyside Congregation 173.20

Friend in Michigan 5.00

Chilliwack Congregation 1053.61

Corsica Congregation 222.00

$2727.46

Month of October:

South Holland Congregation $ 100.00

Grand Rapids Congregation 1000.55

Vineland Congregation 792.00

Friend in New Jersey 10.00

Friend in Iowa 25.00

Franklin Lakes Congregation 1854.00

Sheboygan Congregation 425.56

$4207.11

Month of November:

Friend in New Jersey $ 100.00

Rock Valley Congregation 455.63

Artesia Congregation 111.76

Friend in Michigan 5.00

Lynden Congregation 200.00

Fort Macleod Congregation 176.00

Alberni Congregation 200.00

Norwich Congregation 740.80

Unionville Congregation 271.59

Friend in Wisconsin 200.00

Bradford Congregation 305.40

$2766.18

Total for Sept., Oct. and Nov. $9700.75

We want to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks for your generous financial support. May the King of His church add His blessing to it and may He bless you and your gifts. It is a blessing of the Lord that He inclines hearts with love to support this worthy cause.

We also wish to thank those who have donated books for our Theological School. May the God of all grace not only bless all these things for His honor and glory but also for the welfare of the congregations. We hope you will remember instructor and student in your prayers.

Receive our hearty greetings in the name of the Curatorium.

John Beeke, Treasurer

2815 Lowell St.

Kalamazoo, MI. 49001

MINUTES of CLASSIS MIDDLE-WEST AND EAST of the NETHERLANDS REFORMED CONGREGATIONS

Held on Wednesday, October 23, 1974 at Kalamazoo, Mich.

A prayer service was held on the preceding evening, conducted by Rev. A.M. Den Boer. The text for this sermon was Habakkuk 3:2.

Article 1 - Opening

The meeting was opened by Rev. A. M. Den Boer, minister of the calling church of Norwich. After singing Psalter 60, stanzas 1 and 2, he read a portion of God’s Word found written in Psalm 4. He then laid the needs of the congregations before the Lord in prayer, especially the needs of the vacant churches. Elder De Bat, who is still seriously ill, was also remembered at the throne of grace. Rev. Den Boer then welcomed the delegates and friends of the Classis and remarked that not any of the office-bearers were taken away by death since our last Classical meeting. He recalled that since that time two ministers, Rev. C. Harinck and Rev. A. Elshout, accepted calls and left for the Netherlands and that Rev. J. C. Weststrate accepted the call to Vineland and was installed June 15. A few words of welcome were spoken to him. Rev. Den Boer then directed the attention of the delegates to the words read in Psalm 4, especially this portion, “Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us”, and expressed the hope that unity and brotherly love may be in our midst this day. With these words the meeting was declared open for business.

Article 2 - Credentials

Credentials were examined and approved as follows:

Vineland - Rev. J.C. Weststrate, Elder L. Nieuwenhuyzen

Grand Rapids - Rev. W. C. Lamain, Elder O. Kamp

Unionville - Rev. W. Suyker, Elder A. Fintelman

Norwich - Rev. A. M. Den Boer, Elder P. Van Vliet

Bradford - Elder G. Van Leeuwen, Elder B. Brouwer

Franklin Lakes - Elder M. Pikaard, Elder C. Rose

Kalamazoo - Elder P. Beeke, Elder N. Timmer

Clifton - No delegates present

Article 3 - Election of Officers

Officers were elected as follows:

President - Rev. A. M. Den Boer

Assessor - Rev. W. Suyker

Clerk - Elder J. Beeke

Treasurer - Elder R. Van Vliet

Article 4 - Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.

Article 5 - Reports

1. It was reported that since our last meeting, church visitation was held in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo and that matters were found to be in good ecclesiastical order.

2. Rev. W. Suyker reported for the Canadian committee named to examine the credentials of ministers entering and leaving this Classis. The committee found the credentials which were presented by Rev. J.C. Weststrate in good order.

3. Report of the Classical Committee appointed regarding a marriage problem in the Vineland congregation.

The consistory of Vineland was given permission to accept this person as a member after confession of guilt.

4. A report was submitted by the Macedonia Mission Society as follows:

Balance as of March 31, 1974..........$ 220.29

Receipts ...........................1083.17

Total.............$ 3303.46

Less Disbursements .................2259.18

Balance as of September 30, 1974.....$ 1044.28

Whereas the balance of this fund is somewhat lower than our previous meeting, it was suggested that all consistories should collect for this worthy cause.

5. The following report was submitted by the Banner of Truth Tract Committee:

Receipts

Church Donations................$2464.87

Misc. Donations ..................2149.50

Total Receipts ...........$ 4614.37

Total Disbursements .............3403.67

Bank Balance............$ 1210.70

The clerk of the Classis informed the delegates that so far 255,000 tracts have been mailed to various places on this continent and also some abroad. Many requests are coming in for some of the first ten tracts published but the Tract committee does not have the funds available for re-publishing some 5,000 to 10,000 of each of these tracts to fill these requests. The Classis instructed the clerk to write and inquire if the American Mission Fund would be able to give some financial support for this mission work of distributing tracts.

Article 6 - Instructions

KALAMAZOO

Point 1 - The consistory of Kalamazoo asks about dismissal papers in releasing a minister.

One of the delegates presented all the necessary papers used in the Netherlands. It was agreed to have these translated into the English language so that we can use the same dismissal papers as our congregations in the Netherlands.

At this point, a suggestion was made that our churches on this continent should have a central point to obtain all ecclesiastical papers, Catechism books, creeds, psalters, etc. It was agreed to present this suggestion to the next Synod, D.V.

Point 2 - The consistory asks the Classis for advice in a particular case concerning a person who has a desire to become a full member of the congregation.

The Classis advised that a member of the local consistory and their moderator should visit this person.

UNIONVILLE

Point 1 - Unionville proposes to grant the branch at Ancaster the status of an individual congregation.

Some of the delegates expressed their opinions on this point and then a vote was taken on this proposal. By a large majority, the Classis is in favor of making Ancaster an individual congregation not later than Jan. 1, 1975. The Classis appointed Rev. A. M. Den Boer to be their moderator.

Article 7 - Customary Questioning

Six consistories were given advice on questions asked according to Article 41, D.C.O.

Article 8 - Expenses

The expenses of the Classis meeting were $1255.11. Minus net proceeds from the Prayer Service, $185.65, left a balance of $1069.46. This balance was prorated as is customary.

Article 9 - Calling Church

Vineland will be the calling church for the next Classical meeting which will be held, D.V., on May 13, 1975 at 9:00 A.M. in Vineland, Ontario. Rev. Lamain will lead the Prayer Service the preceding evening commencing at 7:30 P.M.

Article 10 - Closing

Rev. A. M. Den Boer made a few closing remarks acknowledging the Lord for His mercy bestowed upon us again in this Classical meeting.

At this time the president also spoke a few words to Rev. Lamain who, since our last meeting, has commemorated the event that the Lord has used him as a minister in His vineyard for forty-five years.

The meeting was closed with the singing of Psalter 312, stanzas 1 and 6, and prayer was offered by Rev. W. C.’ Lamain.

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