Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 10:35:57 EST From: Darrell128 Subject: NR 98018: URC's Classis Southwest US Convenes for Routine Meeting in CRC Building NR #1998-018: URC's Classis Southwest United States Convenes for Routine Meeting in Christian Reformed Building Classis Southwest United States of the United Reformed Churches held its March 10 organizational meeting in an unusual place - Palm Lane Christian Reformed Church of Scottsdale, Arizona. According to classical stated clerk Rev. Bradd Nymeyer of Phoenix URC, who pastored Phoenix CRC until a 1996 split in the congregation, Palm Lane's decision to allow the United Reformed Churches to hold a classis meeting on their premises stemmed from good relations he has sought to maintain with local CRC ministers, including Palm Lane's pastor, Rev. Gilbert Kamps. NR 1998-018: For Immediate Release URC's Classis Southwest United States Convenes for Routine Meeting in Christian Reformed Building by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (March 11, 1998) URNS - Classis Southwest United States of the United Reformed Churches held its March 10 organizational meeting in an unusual place - Palm Lane Christian Reformed Church of Scottsdale, Arizona. According to classical stated clerk Rev. Bradd Nymeyer of Phoenix URC, who pastored Phoenix CRC until a 1996 split in the congregation, Palm Lane's decision to allow the United Reformed Churches to hold a classis meeting on their premises stemmed from good relations he has sought to maintain with local CRC ministers, including Palm Lane's pastor, Rev. Gilbert Kamps. "One morning at breakfast, I asked if he thought his consistory would be open to allowing us to use the church, and he said, 'We'd love to have you.' Their consistory wrote back and said we can use the church," said Nymeyer. "We thank Palm Lane for their help very much. When I came by at 7 am, Gil was already there and helped me set up tables." While the meeting location was out of the ordinary, most of the rest of the classical business was routine. After electing Westminster Theological Seminary president Dr. W. Robert Godfrey as chairman, Rev. Ron Scheuers of First URC of Chino as vice-chair, and Nymeyer as stated clerk, classis proceeded to the main items of business by examining Rev. Randy Lankheet of Ontario URC in California for admission into the denomination and dealing with an overture to grant Zion URC of Ripon, California, permission to organize as a URC congregation. "We had a nice turnout, everyone was there. We didn't have much business to do, it was mostly administrative," said Nymeyer. "We received the church in Ontario subject to ratification by synod and we gave the Ripon church permission to organize." Ecumenical affairs also consumed a fair portion of the classical agenda. "We had two ecumenical observers, one was Elder Hal Reyburn from the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America and also Rev. Wayne Buchtel from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church; both of them brought greetings and encouraged us along the way," said Nymeyer. "We also appointed [retired Westminster professor] Dr. Derke Bergsma as a classical ecumenical observer to be someone to go to other classes and presbyteries to bring our greetings when it fits in his schedule." While Nymeyer said Classis Southwest United States enjoyed its stay in a Christian Reformed church building, it doesn't plan to do so again in the immediate future. Classis' next scheduled meeting is at Cloverdale URC of Boise, Idaho on September 15. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1998-010: Classis California South Loses Third of Membership #1998-015: New United Reformed Churches Classis Southwest United States to Face Dramatic Expansion Contact List: Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, President, Westminster Theological Seminary 1725 Bear Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA 92027 O: (760) 480-8474 * H: (760) 741-1635 * FAX: (760) 480-0252 Rev. Gilbert Kamps, Pastor, Palm Lane Christian Reformed Church 7300 East Palm Lane, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 O: (602) 947-3211 * H: (602) 947-0389 Rev. Randal Lankheet, Pastor, Ontario Christian Reformed Church 125 East Philadelphia St., Ontario, CA 91761 H/O: (909) 984-8201 Rev. Bradd Nymeyer, Stated Clerk, Phoenix United Reformed Church 2418 North 127th Ln, Avondale, AZ 85323 Study: (602) 935-2200 * E-Mail: BLNymeyer@aol.com Rev. Ron Scheuers, Pastor, First United Reformed Church 12943 Magnolia Ave., Chino, CA 91710 O: (909) 591-9111 * H: (909) 590-2324 * FAX: (909) 464-9636 * E-Mail: FirstURC@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive98: nr98-018.txt .