From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 03:54:52 -0500 (EST) Subject: NR 97029: Muskegon Admits Trinity Mt. Pleasant CRC; Allows Bouma Ordination NR #1997-029: Classis Muskegon Admits Trinity CRC of Mt. Pleasant; Vote Allows Ordination of Mary-Lee Bouma as Third Christian Reformed Woman Pastor Meeting March 6 at Fellowship Christian Reformed Church of Big Rapids, Classis Muskegon voted to admit Trinity CRC, located on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, to membership in the classis. The vote means that Trinity CRC will be allowed to ordain Mary-Lee Bouma, who has served as unordained pastor of the church since 1994. The Muskegon vote was an unintended consequence of a compromise made by Synod 1996 responding to conservative opponents of women in office. Christian Reformed conservatives convinced last year's synod to allow churches to cite reasons other than geography for transferring from one classis to another -- a compromise intended to allow conservative churches to leave classes that allowed women's ordination and give them an alternative to secession. The compromise has already been used by Pine Creek CRC of Holland to transfer to Classis Zeeland from Classis Holland because of Classis Holland's allowance of women's ordination. NR #1997-029: For Immediate Release Classis Muskegon Admits Trinity CRC of Mt. Pleasant; Vote Allows Ordination of Mary-Lee Bouma as Third Christian Reformed Woman Pastor by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (March 6, 1997) URNS -- Meeting March 6 at Fellowship Christian Reformed Church of Big Rapids, Classis Muskegon voted to admit Trinity CRC, located on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, to membership in the classis. The vote means that Trinity CRC will be allowed to ordain Mary-Lee Bouma, who has served as unordained pastor of the church since 1994. The Muskegon vote was an unintended consequence of a compromise made by Synod 1996 responding to conservative opponents of women in office. Christian Reformed conservatives convinced last year's synod to allow churches to cite reasons other than geography for transferring from one classis to another -- a compromise intended to allow conservative churches to leave classes that allowed women's ordination and give them an alternative to secession. The compromise has already been used by Pine Creek CRC of Holland to transfer to Classis Zeeland from Classis Holland because of Classis Holland's allowance of women's ordination. Since 1995, the Christian Reformed synod has allowed each of its 47 regional classes to decide whether or not to allow the ordination of women within its bounds; the decision is scheduled for review by Synod 2000. So far, 16 classes have approved women's ordination, some with restrictions. Classis Red Mesa has approved only the ordination of women elders and several classes have voted to allow the ordination of women ministers and elders but prohibited churches from delegating them to classis meetings. Classis Muskegon voted to allow women's ordination without restriction in March of 1996. Trinity CRC has twice overtured its current classis, Classis Northern Michigan, to allow the ordination of women ministers and elders with the understanding that they would not be delegated to classis meetings. At the September meeting of classis, the delegates voted against allowing women's ordination but encouraged Trinity CRC to seek a new classis. The church met with the interim committees of Classis Lake Erie and Classis Muskegon and decided to join Classis Muskegon for geographical reasons. "Trinity has been in conversation with their classis and they are very comfortable with this," said classis president Rev. Leonard Troast, who also chairs the classical interim committee. "They are concerned about ministry issues; they want to have their pastor ordained and she can't be ordained in their current classis." Although the issue of women's ordination was settled for Classis Muskegon last year, some delegates opposed transferring a church into the classis to allow its female pastor to be ordained. "I speak against this motion because this would in effect realign our classis along ideological lines," said Rev. Allen Petroelje of First CRC in Fremont. "If synod would approve the change in the church order in a couple of years and allow all churches in all classes to ordain women, would Trinity still want to be in Classis Muskegon? If in five years they would call a male pastor, would they stay in Classis Muskegon?" Petroelje also warned that the transfer would set a bad precedent for the future. "If there is a church in our classis which feels in conscience they cannot be in a classis with women ordained, are we giving impetus for them to leave us and go to another classis?" asked Petroelje. Troast responded that the Trinity church intended to remain in the classis regardless of future women in office developments at synod or in other classes. Rev. John Terpstra of First CRC in Grand Haven noted that the proposed transfer was not unprecedented. "I was at Classis Holland when Pine Creek CRC requested and received permission to transfer to Classis Zeeland, and the fact is we are already aligning according to ideology," said Terpstra. Trinity CRC clerk Elder John Grebe said the church had little choice but to transfer classes in light of the Classis Northern Michigan decision. "We have a very large campus ministry and our classis does not understand that as well as Classis Muskegon," said Grebe. "It was a choice between asking Mary-Lee to come or the end of Trinity Church. Since she has arrived, our ministry began to grow, we brought new people into the council, and our church started to grow." While Petroelje continued to urge caution, other delegates said caution and further postponement would only impair the ministry of the church. "There is a point to church order, precedent, and all of that, it is important, but it is not as important as ministry," said Rev. Jack Vander Plate of Trinity CRC in Fremont. "Who knows? If we wait until the year 2000 we might be counselled to wait until 2005, 2010, that is our history on this." When the classis debate ended, the delegates voted by a wide voice vote majority to admit the Trinity CRC. As with all classis transfers, the annual Christian Reformed synod will make the final decision on transferring Trinity CRC of Mt. Pleasant, Pine Creek CRC, and any other tranfers that may be requested. Under normal circumstances, synods approve classis transfers without significant debate if both classes concur with the transfer -- which is the case for both Pine Creek and Trinity. Bouma, currently on vacation, did not attend the classis meeting and could not be reached for comment. In a previous interview, Bouma -- who was opposed to women's ordination when she first entered seminary and used to tell her female friends who wanted to be ordained that they were sinning against God -- said she didn't see herself as a crusader for women's issues or a role model for future women pastors. "I don't tend to militate for women going into the ministry," said Bouma. "I think it's great when women go into the ministry, I think it's great when men go into the ministry. I just think it's great when people use the gifts God has given them. I just want us, as a local congregation, not to be hindered." Cross-References to Related Articles: #1994-043: Second Woman Pastor to Serve Christian Reformed Church; Mary-Lee Bouma to "teach, expound the Word of God, and provide pastoral care" as an unordained solo pastor of Trinity CRC, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan #1996-026: Northern Michigan: No Ordination for Mary-Lee Bouma #1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End to Classical Option on Ordination of Women #1996-077: Churches Allowed to Switch Classes for Theological Reasons #1996-101: Northern Michigan Nixes Ordination for Mary-Lee Bouma #1997-025: Christian Reformed Church's Classis Muskegon to Vote March 6 on Admitting Church With Woman Minister Contact List: Miss Mary-Lee Bouma, Expounder, Trinity Christian Reformed Church 211 W. Broomfield, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 O: (517) 772-0664 * H: (517) 772-1029 Elder John Grebe, Clerk, Trinity Christian Reformed Church c/o Trinity CRC, 211 West Broomfield, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 H: (517) 772-7473 Rev. Allen Petroelje, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church 203 N. Decker, Fremont, MI 49412-1318 O: (616) 924-6222 * H: (616) 924-9549 Rev. John Terpstra, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church 15088 Robinwood Ct., Grand Haven, MI 49417 O: (616) 842-6370 * H: (616) 842-8447 * FAX: (616) 842-7380 Rev. Leonard Troast, Interim Committee Chairman, Classis Muskegon 679 Brook Ridge Dr., Muskegon, MI 49441 O: (616) 737-5207 * H: (616) 798-0155 Rev. Paul Veenstra, Stated Clerk, Classis Northern Michigan 11520 Atwood Rd., Ellsworth, MI 49729 H/O: (616) 599-2765 Rev. Jack Vander Plate, Pastor, Trinity Christian Reformed Church 529 Iroquois, Fremont, MI 49412 O: (616) 924-5893 * H: (616) 924-2660 * FAX: (616) 924-3045 * E-Mail: jvdplate@ncats.newaygo.mi.us Pastor George Vander Weit, Stated Clerk, Classis Lake Erie 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: northhills@juno.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-029.txt (corrected version) .