Apparently-To: , From: Darrell128 Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 17:24:24 EST Subject: NR 98008: Synodical Deputies Urge Less Severe Treatment of Stastny by Cl. Hudson NR #1998-008: Synodical Deputies Urge Less Severe Treatment of Rev. Jim Stastny Following West Sayville Secession Each time a minister resigns from the Christian Reformed denomination, his classis must adopt a resolution declaring him to be "honorably released," "released," "dismissed," or "to have the status of one deposed from office." That resolution must be reviewed by the synodical deputies from three neighboring classes, who may either concur or refuse to concur in the classical declaration. While synodical deputies usually concur in the classical decision, that doesn't always happen - especially when a classis wants to give mild treatment to ministers who have been involved in secessions from the denomination. However, the synodical deputies to the January 28 meeting of Classis Hudson did something quite different and possibly unprecedented. When classis wanted to "dismiss" rather than "release" Rev. Jim Stastny following the secession of West Sayville CRC, the synodical deputies urged milder treatment. NR 1998-008: For Immediate Release: Synodical Deputies Urge Less Severe Treatment of Rev. Jim Stastny Following West Sayville Secession by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (January 29, 1998) URNS - Each time a minister resigns from the Christian Reformed denomination, his classis must adopt a resolution declaring him to be "honorably released," "released," "dismissed," or "to have the status of one deposed from office." That resolution must be reviewed by the synodical deputies from three neighboring classes, who may either concur or refuse to concur in the classical declaration. While synodical deputies usually concur in the classical decision, that doesn't always happen - especially when a classis wants to give mild treatment to ministers who have been involved in secessions from the denomination. When Dutton CRC seceded from Classis Thornapple Valley, the synodical deputies informed classis that they would not concur in mild treatment of Dutton pastor Rev. Paul Murphy and insisted on harsh treatment. At a special meeting called to deal with the matter, classis revived a long-unused procedure - originally developed to deal with a 1948 case where a minister committed adultery and resigned to evade discipline - to declare Murphy "to have the status of one deposed from office." More recently, synodical deputies successfully urged Classis Grand Rapids North to downgrade Rev. Joel Vander Kooi's status from "honorably released" to "released" following the secession of Walker CRC. However, the synodical deputies to the January 28 meeting of Classis Hudson did something quite different and possibly unprecedented. When classis wanted to "dismiss" rather than "release" Rev. Jim Stastny following the secession of West Sayville CRC, the synodical deputies urged milder treatment. "Basically we saw this as a question of conscience," said Rev. Stan Vander Klay, synodical deputy from Classis Atlantic Northeast. "The church had already made its decision, the pastor came in and agreed, he did not take a leadership part in leading the church out." Vander Klay also pointed to the fact that West Sayville CRC was trying to maintain amicable relations with the other nearby Christian Reformed Church, East Islip CRC, which following West Sayville's secession is now the only Christian Reformed congregation in rural Long Island and is geographically isolated from other churches of classis. "We felt that would be more conducive also to good relations between West Sayville and East Islip, which are still good and we want to keep it that way," said Vander Klay. After debate, Classis Hudson revised its declaration. West Sayville's pastor will now be "released" from the Christian Reformed Church. At present West Sayville is an independent church, but Stastny said the church is considering affiliation with either the United Reformed Churches or one of several Presbyterian denominations. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1993-007: No Deposition for Former Synod President Vander Kam; Synodical Deputies Regret Failure to Take Strong Action #1993-008: Protests Mount Against Deposition Status for Seceding Christian Reformed Ministers #1993-009: Classis Votes to Disband Remnant of Dutton CRC; Former Concerned Members President Banned from CRC Pulpits #1993-014: No Deposition Status for Withdrawing Cornerstone CRC Pastor, But Classis Refuses Honorable Release #1993-023: General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in America Calls Christian Reformed Church to "Repent of Its Sins"; Women in office, homosexuality, theistic evolution, deposition of conservative pastors cited as "departure from the Scriptures in its doctrine and practice" #1993-027: Advisory Committee Majority Recommends Against Women Elders, Reprimands Churches Disobeying Synod; Tuesday Actions Include Providing Alternatives to Declaring Seceding Ministers to "Have the Status of One Deposed," Rebuke of Independent Congregations Using "Christian Reformed Church" in Names, New Financial Formula for Denominational Payments, No Regional Synod for Canada #1993-042: Former Calvin Seminary Professor Granted Honorable Release Following Withdrawal from Christian Reformed Denomination #1993-047: Classis Zeeland "Dismisses" Vander Meulen; Bans Lanning from Preaching in CRC without Advice of Classis #1995-007: Three Conservative Ministers Declared "Dismissed" or "Deposed" for Leaving Christian Reformed Denomination #1995-098: Classis Grandville Refuses to Lift Deposition Status for Beverly Christian Reformed (Independent) Pastor Rev. Art Besteman #1997-018: Outlook Editor Vanden Heuvel Granted Honorable Release by CRC's Classis Grandville to Presbyterian Church in America; Vanden Heuvel's New Church in Holland Over 100 Attenders on First Sunday #1997-037: Classis of the Heartland Declares Seceding Minister "Deposed"; Urges Defeat of Theological Classes and Women's Ordination #1997-096: West Sayville CRC in New York Secedes by 88% Majority #1998-002: Classis Grand Rapids North "Releases" Vander Kooi and Walker CRC to United Reformed Churches; Lets Little Farms CRC Join Orthodox Presbyterian Church Contact List: Rev. John Hoogland, Alternate Stated Clerk, Classis Hudson 90 Sea Girt Ave., Oceanport, NJ 07757 O: (201) 445-4260 * H: (732) 222-0075 * FAX: (201) 445-6424 Rev. Stan Vander Klay, Synodical Deputy, Classis Atlantic Northeast 7821 Hicks Rd., Baldwinsville, NY 10327-9465 H/O: (315) 635-5946 * E-Mail: revsvk@juno.com Rev. Jim Stastny, Pastor, West Sayville Christian Reformed Church (Indep.) 31 Rollstone Ave, West Sayville, NY 11796 O: (516) 589-9281 * H: (516) 589-1281 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive98: nr98-008.txt .