Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 10:34:57 EST From: Darrell128 Subject: NR 98016: Classis Michigan Approves Official Classis Newsletter NR #1998-016: Classis Michigan Approves Official Classis Newsletter At its first organizational meeting on March 3, Classis Michigan of the United Reformed Churches voted to establish what will also be a "first" in the denomination - an official classical newsletter to share news of local churches." The overture from Faith URC of Holland didn't pass without scrutiny, however, and classis also voted to ask the newsletter's new editor to develop publication guidelines for presentation to the next classis session seven months from now. NR 1998-016: For Immediate Release: Classis Michigan Approves Official Classis Newsletter by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service ALTO, MICH. (March 3, 1998) URNS - At its first organizational meeting on March 3, Classis Michigan of the United Reformed Churches voted to establish what will also be a "first" in the denomination - an official classical newsletter to share news of local churches. The proposal came from Faith URC of Holland, which overtured Classis Michigan "to begin a newsletter for the churches within our classis, with the possible expansion to other URC churches." As grounds for its overture, Faith URC said that "as a young and growing federation we need some means of a) identifying ourselves, b) gathering information about ourselves," that "our members have a desire to know the news of our federation," and that "our churches can lift one another up in prayer when concerns are made known." The overture didn't pass without scrutiny, however, and classis also voted to ask the newsletter's new editor to develop publication guidelines for presentation to the next classis session seven months from now. Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen of Bethel URC in Jenison spoke for a number of delegates in expressing qualified but not unequivocal support. "I am very much in favor of the idea of this overture, but this overture leaves a lot of questions unanswered," said Vander Meulen. Faith URC pastor Rev. Wybren Oord tried to answer some of those questions. "This would be just one page tacked on to the back of a newsletter so people would know what is going on," said Oord. "I don't know if it's being nosy or what, but I think we should know what's going on in other churches." Rev. Art Besteman of Beverly URC in Wyoming strongly supported Oord's idea. "Our council enthusiastically endorses the overture," said Besteman. "We need to know we are no longer independent but are part of a larger body." While Besteman has previously endorsed the idea of an official periodical under the control of the United Reformed synod, not all overture proponents agreed that should be the eventual goal. "I certainly hope the intention was only a newsletter and not another church paper, just items that a council and congregation would want other churches to know about," said Rev. Steve DeBoer of Eastmanville Reformed Bible Church. After further discussion, Rev. Steve Arrick of Cornerstone URC in Hudsonville asked delegates whether they were willing to consider augmenting the overture by producing guidelines that would answer delegates' questions. "So what you are asking is that we approve the concept of this overture, not all of the details which we can deal with later?" asked Arrick. Besteman finally moved to accept an offer by DeBoer to edit the paper, "give him leeway to develop this, and come to the next classis with some guidelines in consultation with the clerk." When questioned by Rev. Peter Adams, Besteman indicated that the intent of his motion was to begin publication immediately rather than wait for approval of the guidelines at the next classis session in October. Classis passed the motion without dissent. "It should be very clear that this is not designed to have editorials, articles, or anything like that," DeBoer told the classis. "Every church should limit themselves to six or seven lines, not anything that would be full of articles." In other business, Classis Michigan defeated a motion to add a set of questions about church life to the printed credentials, thus requiring each church to verbally answer questions about its conduct of church affairs. Classis also voted to elect Oord as its stated clerk, to adopt a set of classical rules of procedure originally drafted by Classis Midwest of the URC, make copies, and distribute them to the churches, and to continue Classis Midwest's treasurer, Clarence Kamstra, as the Classis Michigan treasurer with Henry Rubingh as his assistant treasurer. Due to the division of the former Classis Midwest into four classes, Classis Southwest United States, Classis Central United States, Classis Eastern United States, and Classis Michigan, Classis Michigan also voted to return funds donated by churches which are now in other classes to the classical treasurers of the three new classes. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1995-107: Trumpeting, Families, and Federating Headline Michigander Meeting of Independent Reformed Churches #1998-014: United Reformed Classis Michigan to Consider Official Classical Newsletter #1998-017: Classis Approves Jamaican as URC Ministerial Candidate Contact List: Rev. Peter Adams, Pastor, Grace United Reformed Church 9658 -60th St. SE, Alto, MI 49302 O: (616) 891-8440 * H: (616) 868-2068 Rev. Steve Arrick, Pastor, Cornerstone United Reformed Church 6442 - 36th Ave., Hudsonville, MI 49426 O: (616) 669-2190 * H: (616) 669-3457 * FAX: (616) 669-4321 Rev. Art Besteman, Pastor, Beverly United Reformed Church 2420 Avon Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509 O: (616) 532-1708 Rev. Steve DeBoer, Pastor, Eastmanville Reformed Bible Church 16353 - 68th Ave., Coopersville, MI 49404 O: (616) 837-9554 Rev. Wybren Oord, Pastor, Faith United Reformed Church 12191 Polk St., Holland, MI 49424 O: (616) 875-4654 Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen, Pastor, Bethel United Reformed Church 1950 Cedar Brook Dr., Jenison, MI 49428 O: (616) 457-4001 * H: (616) 457-9652 * E-Mail: derrickvm@juno.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive98: nr98-016.txt .