NR #1995-035: For Immediate Release Christian Reformed Denomination Moves to Trademark "Christian Reformed" and Related Abbreviations by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 25, 1995) RBPS - Responding to a number of congregations with names such as "Lynwood Christian Reformed Church (Independent)" and "Aylmer Independent Christian Reformed Church," the board of trustees of the Christian Reformed denomination is moving to trademark the terms "Christian Reformed Church," "Christian Reformed Church in North America," "CRC," and "CRCNA." "The Board has considered a number of times the issue of legitimate and illegitimate uses of the denomination's name(s) by our own ministries and churches and by those who have gone out from us," wrote the board of trustees in the Agenda for Synod 1995. "Requests made to cease and desist from using our names in what have been judged to be illegitimate ways have gone unheeded. It appears that moral suasion and reasoned appeals will not attain the desired end, namely, that only our congregations and ministries have legitimate claim to the use of our name(s)." The report indicates that on the advice of legal counsel, the board of trustees filed legal papers in February 1995. The entire trademark process could take up to a year, according to the CRC's attorneys. "This is something that was in process when I became General Secretary and I think it arose in some part out of discussion of appropriateness of congregations which have left the Christian Reformed Church continuing to use the name of the Christian Reformed Church," said CRC General Secretary Dr. David Engelhard. At least nine local churches in the Alliance of Reformed Churches could be affected by the trademark action: the Independent Christian Reformed Church of Ancaster, Ontario; the Independent Christian Reformed Church of Aylmer, Ontario; Bethel Independent Christian Reformed Church of Calgary, Alberta; Hamilton (Ontario) Independent Christian Reformed Church; the Free Christian Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan; the Independent Christian Reformed Church of London, Ontario; Lynwood (Illinois) Christian Reformed Church (Independent); the Orthodox Christian Reformed Church of Toronto (Independent); and Beverly Christian Reformed Church, Independent, of Wyoming, Michigan. In addition, the entire Federation of Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches and all of its fifteen congregations could be affected. Most of the Alliance congregations which had received letters from the CRC declined to comment on the denominational objections to their name. At least one will be changing its name, however. According to Rev. Art Besteman of Beverly CRC, Independent, the name "Beverly CRC" was retained for legal reasons due to a September 1992 decision of Classis Grandville to assign all assets of the 432-member church to a minority, eventually numbering 51 members, that remained Christian Reformed and disbanded after receiving a sizeable financial settlement from the independent church. "It's not going to affect us that much; we are in the process of considering a name change," said Besteman. "We did retain the name to protect us while we were in the process of settling with the minority." Besteman said he did not know what name his church would eventually take and that part of the delay was due to the church's desire to wait until the Alliance of Reformed Churches had agreed upon a common name for member congregations. Dr. B.R. Short, pastor of the Cambridge Orthodox Christian Reformed Church in Ontario and president of his denomination's most recent synod, pointed out that churches in his 1200-member denomination had been using the name "Orthodox Christian Reformed" for fifteen years and formally federated under that name in 1988. Although the board of trustees sent letters to many of the Alliance congregations asking them to cease use of the name "Christian Reformed," Short said he was unaware of any such letter being sent to the churches of his denomination. "Perhaps that was because we were quite early in leaving and quite small," said Short. "I'm not disturbed or upset by it at all. If they want to do that, they can try and we'll see what happens." Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles: Contact List: Rev. Art Besteman, Pastor, Beverly Christian Reformed Church (Independent) 2420 Avon Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509 * H/O: (616) 532-1708 Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Dr. B.R. Short, Pastor, Orthodox Christian Reformed Church of Cambridge 1540 West River Road, Cambridge, ON * H/O: (519) 658-8136 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-035.txt .