NR #1995-107: Trumpeting, Families, and Federating Headline Michigander Meeting Questions regarding whether the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship should have its own official periodical, how the regional fellowship should count its membership, and what will happen if and when the independent churches federate provided the focus of discussion at the October 14 meeting of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship. One center of debate was The Reformed Trumpet, a periodical which some argued was not authorized by the regional fellowship and which others argued duplicated existing periodicals. NR #1995-107: For Immediate Release Trumpeting, Families, and Federating Headline Michigander Meeting by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (October 31, 1995) URNS - Should the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship have its own official periodical? How will its membership be counted? What will happen to the fellowship if the independent churches "federate" this fall? These and similar questions became the major focus of debate at the October 14 meeting of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship, a group of eighteen Alliance congregations with 3600 members, mostly clustered around the eastern, western, and southern shores of Lake Michigan. Perhaps not unexpectedly, the most public activity of the regional fellowship also aroused some of the most significant concern. At its previous meeting in January, the regional fellowship voted "to establish a bimonthly board for a newsletter rather than sending bulletins to all the churches." This motion replaced a program in which each member church mailed its bulletins to all other member churches and led to the creation of The Reformed Trumpet, a multi-page glossy newsletter billing itself as the official periodical of the regional fellowship. Mailed free of charge to the independent churches in the United States but not to Canada, the periodical has so far produced three issues with a press run of 2500 copies per issue. At the meeting, publication committee chairman Ron Springvloed of Beverly CRC (Independent) presented a ten page compilation of policy statements and other documents related to the periodical. Included in the packet was a five-point set of "general guidelines" committing the periodical to "serve as a newsletter for the churches of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship," to "support the Holy Bible and the Reformed confessions," to be "a part of the building of the body of Christ," and to "promote unity and support for the churches through sharing, encouraging, providing spiritual food, expressing spiritual joys as well as revealing the needs of the churches, so that we might better support one another in prayer." A final guideline states that "the Trumpet can only be effective if it evades criticism in as much as possible. Therefore, every attempt must be made to avoid negative attacks and the promoting of controversial persons and issues, and to do only those things which support our mandate, basis, and objectives." Springvloed reported that as of the end of September the committee had received $5513 in contributions and a $1000 loan from Beverly CRC(I), leaving a balance of $79 in the Trumpet account after expenses and the outstanding loan. "We aren't going to trash any other person's paper, but some of the other papers that are popular have articles which are deeper, longer, and that it's difficult for laypeople to read," said Springvloed. Some delegates questioned whether the committee had exceeded its mandate to replace the bulletin exchange program by creating a full-scale periodical; others noted that only a few pages of the paper were explicitly devoted to news coverage. According to the information packet, regular features are to be a cover article, a "Dear Reader" column, an editorial page, a meditation, two theological articles, a calendar of upcoming events, a teen page, a puzzle page, a children's page, a "news from the pews" item, and a "meet your neighbor" page. "We already have the Mid-America Messenger, Christian Renewal, Outlook; I'm concerned that we are duplicating money and wasting effort," said Elder Pete Yonker of Reformed Heritage Community Church of Holland. "Our church would like to see you move back toward a newsletter," said Elder Henry Visser of the Free CRC of Kalamazoo. "We don't need more redundancy; with our funds being limited we need to prioritize, and I don't think our church can continue to contribute the amount that is being requested." However, Springvloed noted that the periodical currently had news contact people in only half of the regional fellowship's churches and expressed concern that not all the churches were submitting items. "There are several pages of news in the Trumpet, if you understand news in a broader sense," said Springvloed, noting that the paper printed local church bulletin covers, reports on special events, and a list of member churches. A different concern was raised by Rev. Jerome Julien of Lynwood CRC (Independent). "Why cannot this be broadened out so it would reflect all the churches in the North American continent?" asked Julien. "Why can't this publication be expanded into Canada?" "There is a limit to how far we dared to broaden this," said Springvloed, noting that two other regional fellowships already existed in Canada. Trumpet editor Jack Haagsman assured the delegates that there was no ill will toward Canadians. "When the churches federate this magazine will probably be taken over and promoted as the official publication of that federation," said Haagsman, urging the delegates to adopt a five-point motion placed before the regional fellowship by the publication committee which would approve the general guidelines as presented and settle some additional logistical details. Not all delegates thought it was wise for the regional fellowship to consider a motion which came from a committee rather than from a church council. "I'm wondering if this committee, again, has the authority to bring proposals here, or should this be a council?" asked Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen of Eastmanville Reformed Bible Church. Regional fellowship chairman Rev. Wybren Oord ruled the motion legally before the fellowship, but Oord's ruling was promptly challenged by Rev. Dennis Royall of Trinity Reformed Church of Cape Coral, Florida. "This is a very significant act," said Royall. "This is setting up a board of publication before we have a federation." After debate, the regional fellowship agreed to refer the proposal back to the Beverly CRC(I) council for action. The fellowship's vote left the status of the periodical uncertain. "How do we proceed?" asked Springvloed. "Do we stop until this gets approved by the regional fellowship? Do we continue and hope we don't get tarred and feathered in the future?" While Springvloed received no official motion answering his question, he also received no formal objections to continuing the publication - presuming that the churches continue to express their support through their financial contributions. Counting the Hosts The regional fellowship agenda contained only one formal overture: a proposal by Dutton Independent Reformed Church "to devise a uniform method of counting the membership of our respective congregations." "Our suggestion is that we consider households to be the basic unit," said the Dutton overture. "This could well be the understood definition of 'family' that we have used in the past." Dutton's overture raised questions about its intent as well as about what it meant. "I have no idea what that definition of family is," said Rev. Duane Vedders of Immanuel Fellowship Church of Kalamazoo - a congregation which, unlike most of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship churches, traces its roots to the Reformed Church in America rather than to the Christian Reformed denomination. Rev. Jerome Julien of Lynwood CRC(I) - who also serves as stated clerk of the Alliance of Reformed Churches - cited the official Christian Reformed definition of "family" used for the purpose of assessing quotas. "Many of us have been functioning with a definition of 'family' that we have been using through the years, but not all of us," said Julien. Rev. Steve Arrick from Cornerstone Church of Hudsonville expressed concern that the historic CRC definition could be unfair to those who are not married. "It's been pointed out that when a single member is living as an adult separately from his parents, pastorally, there is a benefit in treating adult singles separately," said Arrick. "We don't want to say we have 42 families and then some oddball singles out on their own." After debate, the regional fellowship voted to refer the proposal to a committee consisting of two members from Dutton and one member from Cornerstone. To Federate or Not to Federate Following a tradition dating back to the early meetings of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship, the end of the meeting consisted of a discussion on various items in the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the Alliance of Reformed Churches. The issue of federation - already raised by the suggestion that the Trumpet should become the official periodical for the federated churches - stirred strong feelings among some delegates to the regional fellowship. "One of the proposals by the three churches that have called for federation is that the regional fellowship should become a provisional classis," said Elder Pete Elzinga from Reformed Heritage Community Church of Holland, alluding to a proposal by Beverly CRC(I), Trinity Reformed Church of Lethbridge, Alberta, and the Orthodox Reformed Church of Wellandport, Ontario. "Where does that leave those of us who will not federate?" asked Elzinga. Fellow Holland delegate Elder Peter Yonker expressed even stronger concerns. "I'm concerned that this is a hijacking of the regional fellowships," said Yonker. "This concerns all of us, not just a few of us." Rev. Duane Vedders from Immanuel Fellowship Church of Kalamazoo asked for a count of how many churches wanted to federate - a request which was declined by a number of delegates who said that delegates from churches which had not formally discussed the matter could not properly represent their councils. Several churches, however, said they had already decided to send observers rather than voting delegates to the federation meeting. "I would think that what would happen to the churches in our fellowship who do not want to federate would have to be decided by this fellowship at the point that it decided to become a classis," said regional fellowship chairman Rev. Wybren Oord. "We don't want anyone to feel they are being coerced or anyone being hijacked," said Rev. Art Besteman, pastor of Beverly CRC(I). "We have no intent, no intent at all, to be hijacking any regional fellowship," said Besteman. "What will happen to the regional fellowships, I don't know, they may exist until the Lord comes home if there are churches that do not want to federate." While the October meeting did not decide the future of the Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship, the next meeting may have to do so. Scheduled to meet on January 20, 1996, at the newly purchased facilities of Bethel Independent Reformed Church of Jenison, the first regional fellowship to meet after the November Alliance meeting will be chaired by Elder Bob Knaack of Messiah's Independent Reformed Church of Holland and receive as its new clerk Elder Marv Mingerink of Kettle Lake Independent Reformed Church. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1993-012: Independents and Conservative Christian Reformed Leaders Plan New Regional Fellowship in CRC's West Michigan Heartland #1993-049: Midwest Churches Seceding from Christian Reformed Denomination Meet to Plan Future #1994-039: Canadian Independent Reformed Churches Organize "Ontario Regional Fellowship of Churches" #1994-060: Alliance of Reformed Churches Adopts Westminster Standards; Seceding Christian Reformed Congregations Move to Convene New Federation; Church Order Committee Avoids Explosion Over Federation Question; Sharply Divided Committee Reaches Unanimous Compromise on Inclusion of Westminster Standards in Alliance Purpose Statement; Independent Churches Decide to Federate Apart from Alliance; Unauthorized Letter to 600 PCA Churches and Leaders Prompts Protests in Presbyterian Church in America and Alliance of Reformed Churches; Alliance Declines Offer of Dordt College Board Position; Confessional Conference on Ecclesiology Scrapped for 1995; Other Matters: Yearbook Problems, Reading Sermons Proposal Rejected, Proposals on Ministerial Training, Revenue Canada, Contact Committee with CRC, Equalizing Travel Costs Voted Down, Alliance Stays in Chicago for 1995 Meeting, Julien Re-Elected Stated Clerk, P.Y. DeJong Addresses Alliance #1995-015 Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship Holds Fifth Meeting; Discusses State of Alliance of Reformed Churches #1995-027: Western Independent Churches Organize Regional Fellowship Contact List: Rev. Steve Arrick, Pastor, Cornerstone Church 6442 - 36th Ave., Hudsonville, MI 49426 * O: (616) 669-2190 * H: (616) 669-3457 * FAX: (616) 669-4321 Rev. Art Besteman, Pastor, Beverly Christian Reformed Church (Independent) 2420 Avon Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509 * H/O: (616) 532-1708 Elder Pete Elzinga, Interim Committee Chairman, Alliance of Reformed Churches 3984 North 168th Ave., Holland, MI 49423 * O: (616) 399-1009 Elder Jack Haagsman, Editor, The Reformed Trumpet 4120 Grandview Terrace SW, Grandville, MI 49418 * H: (616) 538-3322 Rev. Jerome Julien, Stated Clerk, Alliance of Reformed Churches 3646 - 193rd Pl., Lansing, IL 60438 * H/O: (708) 418-5321 Elder Bob Knaack, Messiah's Independent Reformed Church A6472 - 140th Ave., Holland, MI 49423 * H/O: (616) 335-5516 Elder Marv Mingerink, Clerk, Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship PO Box 313, Alto, MI 49302 * H: (616) 897-6941 Rev. Paul Murphy, Pastor, Dutton Independent Reformed Church 6940 Hanna Lake Rd., Caledonia, MI 49316 * H/O: (616) 698-7467 Rev. Wybren Oord, Pastor, Faith Independent Reformed Church 12191 Polk St., Holland, MI 49424 * H/O: (616) 875-4654 Rev. Dennis Royall, Pastor, Trinity Reformed Church of Cape Coral 2223 SE 1st St., Cape Coral, FL 33990 * H/O: (813) 574-5360 Elder Ron Springvloed, Publication Committee Chairman, The Reformed Trumpet 4097 Grandview Terrace, Grandville MI 49418 * (616) 530-3391 Rev. Jelle Tuininga, Pastor, Trinity Reformed Church 1807 2nd Ave. "A" N., Lethbridge, AB T1H 0G4 * (403) 328-4799 Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen, Pastor, Eastmanville Reformed Bible Church 16353 - 68th Ave., Coopersville, MI 49404 * H/O: (616) 837-8645 Rev. Duane Vedders, Pastor, Immanuel Fellowship Church 4430 West "F", Kalamazoo, MI 49009 * O: (616) 343-5357 * H: (616) 375-4012 Elder Henry Visser, Free Christian Reformed Church 3724 Lovers Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49001 * (616) 375-2239 Rev. Joghinda S. Gangar, Pastor, Wellandport Orthodox Reformed Church RR #1, Wellandport, ON L0R 2J0 * H/O: (905) 386-6652 Elder Peter Yonker, Reformed Heritage Community Church 3984 North 168th Ave., Holland, MI 49423 * O: (616) 399-1009 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-107.txt .