Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 06:07:51 -0400 From: Darrell Todd Maurina Reply-To: Darrell128@aol.com Organization: Christian Renewal/United Reformed News Service Subject: NR 98079: Two More Denominations Explore Closer Ties with URC NR #1998-079: Two More Denominations Explore Closer Ties with United Reformed Churches in North America At its June General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church in America voted to invite the United Reformed Churches "to take whatever steps are requisite to develop closer relations between the United Reformed Churches in North America and the Presbyterian Church in America." During the same month, Classis Western Canada of the URC approved an overture from Trinity Reformed Church of Lethbridge, Alberta, to "take concrete steps toward full federative union with the Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches by appointing a committee of our classis to begin discussions with them." Classis Western Canada also adopted an overture from Emmanuel Reformed Church of Neerlandia, Alberta, to "extend an invitation to the OCRC's Western Classis to enter into official ecumenical relations and to inform Synod 1999 of the URCNA of our actions." The Orthodox Presbyterian Church voted earlier to invite the URC to enter fraternal relations. The Presbyterian Church in America's vote represents a marked change from the previous attitude of the denomination, which fought for years to keep the Christian Reformed Church in the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council. After Synod 1995 voted to allow each classis to make its own decision on women's ordination, the PCA broke fraternal relations with the CRC and initiated the motion to suspend the CRC from NAPARC membership. NR #1998-079: For Immediate Release: Two More Denominations Explore Closer Ties with United Reformed Churches in North America by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (August 5, 1998) URNS -- At its June General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church in America voted to invite the United Reformed Churches "to take whatever steps are requisite to develop closer relations between the United Reformed Churches in North America and the Presbyterian Church in America." During the same month, Classis Western Canada of the URC approved an overture from Trinity Reformed Church of Lethbridge, Alberta, to "take concrete steps toward full federative union with the Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches by appointing a committee of our classis to begin discussions with them." Classis Western Canada also adopted an overture from Emmanuel Reformed Church of Neerlandia, Alberta, to "extend an invitation to the OCRC's Western Classis to enter into official ecumenical relations and to inform Synod 1999 of the URCNA of our actions." The Orthodox Presbyterian Church voted earlier to invite the URC to enter fraternal relations. The Presbyterian Church in America's vote represents a marked change from the previous attitude of the denomination, which fought for years to keep the Christian Reformed Church in the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council. After Synod 1995 voted to allow each classis to make its own decision on women's ordination, the PCA broke fraternal relations with the CRC and initiated the motion to suspend the CRC from NAPARC membership. "As you know, there has been a lot of debate and discussion in the PCA about relations with the CRC," said Rev. Ric Perrin, outgoing chairman of the PCA's interchurch relations committee. "At the very bottom I don't think there has been much disagreement about the seriousness of the issues the CRC is dealing with. What there was, I believe, was a difference in how all that should be dealt with and timing of all that." "My own position was that while there may have been things going on in the CRC that were disturbing, until they were really dealt with at the level of the synod, the PCA really didn't have any legitimate cause to do very much about that," said Perrin. "They had to deal with their own internal problems and it wasn't at all clear how all that was going to go." Perrin noted that the PCA's letter to the URC was carefully worded, and that the motion passed at General Assembly without dissent. "The letter itself was decidedly an effort, in remembering our own emergence as a denomination, that there were those who quickly wrote to us, communicated with us, and encouraged us," said Perrin, noting that his own denomination was formed only 26 years ago. "When you're just getting started that feels really good. We wanted to say we understand where you are, and if we can let you know we are with you in this, then please do take some encouragement from that." "You'll notice the way the letter was worded and the action of the General Assembly was not to specify what kind of ecclesiastical relationship we might have," said Perrin. "It's not presuming fraternal relations nor ruling it out, those things take a long time to develop." The OCRC connection is on the classical rather than denominational level, but follows a long period of informal cooperation between United Reformed and local Orthodox Christian Reformed pastors and churches. The Lethbridge overture adopted by Classis Western Canada cautioned that it should not be seen "as being in competition with the synodically appointed committee" on the grounds that "unity begins at home" and that "ecclesiastically the OCRC is our nearest neighbor and it makes good sense to begin discussions with them." The Neerlandia overture detailed four additional reasons for closer URC-OCRC cooperation: "We believe the western OCRC's clearly bear the marks of the true church sharing the concerns and vision that led to our formation as a federation: namely, concern for confessional faithfulness to the word of God, worship that is regulated by God's Word, and a holy walk of life," wrote the consistory. "Such a high level of cooperation between our churches would strengthen the cause of Christ in the geographical area shared by these classes." The Neerlandia overture also noted that two URC church order articles "call us to pursue ecumenical relations with churches outside the federation which manifest the marks of the true church, informing synod when a classis enters into such a relationship," and that "Official ecumenical relations as classes should prove helpful in ringing us to full federational unity which we believe should be our goal for the well being of our church and the honor of Christ our head." After adoption of the two overtures, Classis Western Canada voted to appoint a committee of contact consisting of two ministers and two elders from two different churches, naming the Edmonton and Neerlandia churches as the congregations which would provide the committee membership. "The delegates at Classis West were very pleased with the action classis took and are optimistic about our relationships with the OCRC; they sent 3 ministers as observers to our meeting, Rev. Al Korvemaker, Rev. Tom Aicken and Rev Al Vermeer," said classis clerk Rev. William De Jong, pastor of Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Grande Prairie, Alberta. "We all agree that genuine unity exists now and this should come to expression in some way soon." Classis chairman Rev. Jelle Tuininga of Lethbridge concurred. "We have serious intentions of doing our best to get together with them," said Tuininga. "I was pleased that it was adopted and that it was adopted unanimously." Rev. Peter Vellenga, chairman of the URC Committee for Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity, said he wasn't yet aware of the PCA vote but that the committee had been unofficially informed of the OPC decision when the committee met June 18 at Lynwood URC in Illinois. Vellenga declined comment on the committee's decisions on the grounds that it would be premature to comment before the committee report is submitted to URC congregations. Vellenga said the committee doesn't anticipate meeting again before Synod 1999 in June of next year and expects to have its report to the URC stated clerk in time for the April 1, 1999 deadline. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1994-027: General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in America Opens with Double Surprise; Candidate for Moderator Withdraws; Recommendation Urges Dismissal of Entire Interchurch Relations Committee Over Report on Christian Reformed Denomination #1996-065: Women in Office Leads Orthodox Presbyterians to Suspend Ties with CRC, Will Terminate in 1997 Unless CRC Changes #1996-071: Orthodox Presbyterian Fraternal Delegate Announces Suspension of Ties With Christian Reformed Church #1997-042: Fraternal Relations Focus Headlines First Meeting of United Reformed Churches' Classis Midwest #1997-064: Orthodox Presbyterian General Assembly to Consider Cutting Longstanding Christian Reformed Ties #1997-065: Orthodox Presbyterian General Assembly Breaks Longstanding Christian Reformed Fraternal Relationship #1997-066: Presbyterian Church in America General Assembly Cuts Ties with Christian Reformed Church Over Women's Ordination #1997-074: Severance of Ties, Dealing with Seceders Dominate CRC Agenda #1998-042: Orthodox Presbyterian Church Invites United Reformed to Enter Ecclesiastical Fellowship Contact List: Rev. A. William De Jong, Pastor, Covenant Reformed Church (URC) 9411-108th Ave., Grande Prairie, AB T8V 1M9 H/O: (403) 831-7332 * E-Mail: bdejong@telusplanet.net Rev. Donald Duff, Stated Clerk, Orthodox Presbyterian Church Box P, Willow Grove PA 19090-0920 O: (215) 830-0900 * H: (215) 887-4901 * FAX: (215) 830-0350 * E-Mail: duff.1@opc.org Dr. Paul Gilchrist, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church in America 1852 Century Place, Suite 190, Atlanta GA 30345 O: (404) 320-3366 Rev. Theo Hoekstra, Pastor, Emmanuel Reformed Church Box 230, Neerlandia AB T0G 1R0 H/O: (403) 674-3552 Rev. K. Eric (Ric) Perrin, Chairman, PCA Interchurch Relations Committee 703 Woodcreek Ct., Columbia, SC 29212 O: (803) 772-1000 * H: (803) 781-7520 * FAX: (803) 772-1003 Rev. Jelle Tuininga, Pastor, Trinity Reformed Church 1807 2nd Ave. "A" N., Lethbridge, AB T1H 0G4 H/O: (403) 328-4799 Rev. Peter Vellenga, Chairman, URC Committee for Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity RR #1, Clinton, ON N0M 1L0 H/O/FAX: (519) 482-7523 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive98: nr98-079.txt .