From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Sat, 4 Jan 1997 02:05:25 -0500 (EST) Subject: NR 001: Sexual Misconduct Allegations Stall Rhem Separation Agreement NR #1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem The Reformed Church in America's Muskegon Classis opened a new chapter in its long-running dispute with the fourth-largest church in the RCA, the 2800-member Christ Community Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, by voting at a January 2 special meeting to suspend a previously negotiated but unsigned October 1 separation agreement between the classis, the church, and Christ Community senior pastor Rev. Richard Rhem. In the words of an official statement approved by the classis executive committee and released to the media by classis minister Rev. Richard Veenstra, "the classis executive committee has suspended action on that separation agreement until an appeal to the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes involving the charges against Rev. Rhem is resolved." While the prepared statement does not specify the charges against Rhem, the official call to the meeting, mailed to each church in the classis and usually distributed by each church to all of its elder delegates, stated that "classis will review executive committee actions regarding a charge of 'gross sexual misconduct' filed against Richard Rhem in May of this year." NR #1997-001: For Immediate Release Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service MUSKEGON, Mich. (January 3, 1997) URNS -- The Reformed Church in America's Muskegon Classis opened a new chapter in its long-running dispute with the fourth-largest church in the RCA, the 2800-member Christ Community Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, by voting at a January 2 special meeting to suspend a previously negotiated but unsigned October 1 separation agreement between the classis, the church, and Christ Community senior pastor Rev. Richard Rhem. In the words of an official statement approved by the classis executive committee and released to the media by classis minister Rev. Richard Veenstra, "the classis executive committee has suspended action on that separation agreement until an appeal to the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes involving the charges against Rev. Rhem is resolved." "Tonight the Classis of Muskegon affirmed the suspension of action pertaining to that separation agreement," the prepared statement continued. "In the light of the unsigned separation agreement Christ Community Church and Rev. Rhem remain under the jurisdiction of the Reformed Church in America." While the prepared statement does not specify the charges against Rhem, the official call to the meeting, mailed to each church in the classis and usually distributed by each church to all of its elder delegates, stated that "classis will review executive committee actions regarding a charge of 'gross sexual misconduct' filed against Richard Rhem in May of this year." The call to the meeting also noted that "this charge was not brought before classis by your executive committee because that group determined there was insufficient evidence from which to proceed. This charge, and how it was handled, is now under appeal to the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes. There is question as to whether or not this appeal can and/or should halt the separation agreement from being finally realized." The call to the meeting brought a controversy out into the open which had been simmering for almost half a year since a female former member of the Christ Community Church music staff brought the allegation to classis. The allegation, made in the midst of a heated controversy that began with Rhem's decision to allow a predominantly homosexual congregation to use the Christ Community facilities for worship services and later focussed on Rhem's views about the authority of Scripture and salvation apart from Jesus Christ, resulted in a cancellation of an earlier effort to come to an amicable separation agreement between the classis and the church. The executive committee's decision not to bring the allegation before classis was not for lack of effort to document the charges. At an earlier July 17 meeting of classis, Veenstra told the assembled delegates that "the negotiations with Christ Community Church have been frustrating and unprofitable" and that "we feel we have been stonewalled at every step of the way." According to Veenstra, one major source of delay was that "other serious charges of a personal nature have been brought against Richard Rhem," charges the classical executive committee decided not to pursue after seeking the advice of a committee of inquiry. Classis president Elder Howard Connell was even stronger in his criticism of Christ Community's handling of the allegations. "We have been accused in the media by Christ Community Church with stalling the process; what they don't say is that we have received charges against Dick Rhem that we needed to process," said Connell in his opening speech to the July 17 meeting, also alleging that Christ Community members had "used profanity in addressing our classis minister" and made "threats of legal action against classis if they continued to seek out the facts of the charge." "It is my hope that we might take up the helm of salvation and the sword of the spirit and take up the fight against heresy," said Connell. "Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone and it is my hope that we by our actions tonight would affirm that." Classis eventually voted on October 1 by a narrow 27 to 23 margin to approve a modified form of the separation agreement which would allow Christ Community Church to keep its building along with a $1.3 million mortgage in return for a pledge to negotiate a financial settlement with the denomination and provide for a 115-member minority which voted against leaving the RCA along with Rhem. Details of the settlement were to be worked out at a later date. That never had a chance to happen. On October 4, the woman alleging "gross sexual misconduct" against Rhem appealed to the regional synod claiming procedural errors in the classis' handling of her allegations. After the appeal to the regional synod, the classis president and stated clerk, with the concurrence of the classis executive committee, declined to sign the settlement agreement. The Regional Synod of the Great Lakes, which normally meets only once per year, handles much of its work through committees which are advisory but whose recommendations are generally followed. Subsequent to the appeal, the regional synod's Overtures and Judicial Business committee recommended on Nove mber 22 that the appeal not be heard on the grounds that "Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Reformed Church in America" and that for that "due to the lack of jurisdiction of the Reformed Church in America any further consideration of the case is moot." The classis' assertion that Rhem and his church remain under the jurisdiction of the denomination until the appeal is heard because the settlement agreement was never signed will now be sent to the regional synod's executive committee meeting on January 8. The regional synod executive committee could take a number of actions, including concurring with the recommendation of the overtures and judicial business committee, concurring with the recommendation of the Muskegon Classis, sending the whole matter back to committee for further study, or calling a special meeting of the regional synod to deal with the matter directly. Unless a special meeting is called, the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes will next meet in May at Camp Geneva in Holland, Michigan. Christ Community Church did not send representatives to the special classis meeting. Rhem, who is staying with relatives in Kalamazoo, could not be reached for comment following the meeting. According to Ron Zoet, director of operations and spokesman for Christ Community Church, the church had not seen a copy of the prepared statement or heard of the classis decision until contacted by United Reformed News Service. According to Zoet, the church was not surprised by the classis action. "We really did not expect any major change and do not view this as any major change," said Zoet. "Basically classis is looking for closure; as they seek that, they have pursued the courses that are open to them and that's understandable," said Zoet. "This is really not a huge issue, it's very quiet, and in the past after classis meetings it was a media blitz." Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality, Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ #1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture #1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with Christ Community Church #1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon #1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church #1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word" #1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views #1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church #1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?" #1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose" Contact List: Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499 Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476 Rev. Richard Veenstra, Classis Minister, Classis of Muskegon (RCA) 17432 North Shore Estates Rd., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 788-2321 * H: (616) 842-0454 Rev. Sherwin Weener, Synod Minister, Regional Synod of the Great Lakes 4500 - 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 O: (616) 698-7071 * H: (616) 457-3572 Ron Zoet, Director of Operations, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * F: (616) 842-3476 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-001.txt (minor revision 1-24-97) .