Synod
of the Protestant Reformed Churches in
June 10, 2008 --
June 9, 2008
Pre-synodical church service was held in the Hope Protestant Reformed Church,
June 10, 2008
Synod 2008 organized by electing Rev. Kenneth Koole as president, Rev. Ronald Van Overloop as vice-president, Rev. Daniel Kleyn as first clerk, and Rev. Doug Kuiper as second clerk, and by adopting the report of the committee on committees. Synod then approved the proposed examination schedule and commencement program for Mr. Heath Bleyenberg. The delegates heard Mr. Bleyenberg preach a specimen sermon on Psalm 46:1-2a under the theme "God Our Refuge and Strength," and approved this sermon. Mr. Bleyenberg’s oral examination will begin Wednesday morning, 8:30 am, in the gymnasium of the Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School. Synod then recessed to give its advisory committees time to do their work.
The members of Synod -- 2008
Officers of Synod
Delegates of Classis West
Delegates of Classis East
June 11, 2008
Technicians make sure the sound equipment is working properly while Synod takes their coffee-break.
On Wednesday Synod examined Mr.
Heath Bleyenberg in introduction to dogmatics and the six loci of
dogmatics (by Prof. D. Engelsma).
Synod then recessed in early afternoon because committees of pre-advice still
have work to do.
June 12, 2008
On Thursday, Prof. Dykstra examined Mr. Bleyenberg in Church History, Prof. Gritters in Church Polity and Old Testament History, Prof. Cammenga in New Testament History, and Rev. Koole in Practica. After deliberating regarding his exam, Synod unanimously approved the synodical examination of Mr. Heath Bleyenberg and declared him a candidate for the ministry of the Word and Sacraments in the PRC, eligible for a call on or after July 12, 2008.
Synod will gather at 7:30 Thursday evening at Hope PRC to attend the graduation of Mr. Bleyenberg.
Committee 1 presents its
report. The first item is the report of the Contact Committee. After
approving the work of the Contact Committee with the Covenant Evangelical
Reformed Church in
1. "That synod authorize the CC to continue to keep contact with the Session of CERC of Singapore and to send another delegation there at Covenant’s invitation, all with a view to discussing what further needs to be done in order to enter into a relationship with them at some level. Grounds: 1) The agreement we have in fundamental Reformed doctrines and practices. 2) The interest CERC has shown in renewing a relationship with us."
"That synod give the CC the right to obtain a
minister to preach and teach in CERC for a few month’s time if
Covenant’s Session would express an interest in this prior to Synod 2009.
Ground: The occasion may arise for this because of a heavy workload on their ministry
due to CERC’s ongoing work in
Regarding the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, the synod decided to propose to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia the establishment of a corresponding relationships with them. Synod has not finished dealing with certain details of this relationship, however.
June 12, 2008 - Graduation of Heath Bleyenberg at Hope Prot. Ref. Church in Walker Michigan. Printed program (PDF file) Graduation Pictures
June 13,2008
Friday morning the Synod finished dealing with the recommendations of
Committee 1 of pre-advice, regarding the work of the
Contact Committee.
Synod declared that our corresponding relationship with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia should include these two provisions: 1) That the PRCA heartily invite the EPCA to send students to our seminary for training for the ministry, and train such students tuition-free (as is already the case, as approved by Synod 1976 of the PRCA), and 2) That the PRCA assist the EPCA’s seminary students financially and with housing as needed.
Synod adopted the recommendation of the Contact Committee to declare the decision of Synod 1996 (Art. 25, B, 1) to be in error. Ground: The decision of 1996 applies the decision of Synod 1989 (Art. 12, B, 4) that forbids non-sister-church ministers to preach in PRCA pulpits to students of non-sister churches. This is not proper because there are two significant differences between a minister and a student trained in the seminary: 1) The student is under the guidance and authority of the faculty as a student. 2) The sermon of the student would be approved by the faculty.
This decision paved the way for Synod to face the question of whether our corresponding relationship with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia should include the provision that their students being trained in our seminary should be permitted to speak a word of edification in our churches. Synod decided not to permit this, on the ground that allowing on PR pulpits seminary students from churches who differ with the PRC on such significant doctrines as divorce and remarriage and the regulative principle in its application to such matters as musical accompaniment, could be divisive in the Protestant Reformed Churches.
Synod then approved holding a conference with the EPCA this September on the doctrine of the covenant, and offering $2,000 to the EPCA to help defray the traveling expenses of their ministers to attend this conference.
Synod decided to give the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in
Synod approved the work the Contact Committee has done in pursuing contact
with the BERG (Bekennende Evangelisch-Reformierte
Gemeinde) of Giessen,
Germany; in pursuing contact with the churches in Uzbekistan; in its labors
with Mr. Renat Ilyasov in
Russia; in its pursuing contact with the ERCUR congregation in Moscow; and in
its funding Rev. Jasmin Milic’s
publication of the Belgic Confession of
Faith in the Croatian language. Synod also approved the decision to send a
delegation to
Synod approved assisting the students from the EPCA (Mr. David Torlach), the Covenant PRC in
Synod then turned to the recommendations of Committee 2 of pre-advice regarding the report of the Domestic Mission Committee. Synod expressed its appreciation for Mr. Don Doezema’s outstanding commitment and zeal for the work of Domestic Missions in our denomination as secretary of the DMC for the past 20 years.
Synod expressed appreciation for the labors of our home missionaries, Rev. Bruinsma and family, Rev. Miersma
and family, and Rev. Brummel
and family, as well as for Revs. Spronk and Kortering for assisting in the mission work in
In other matters related to domestic missions, Synod approved the budget of the Domestic Mission Committee, approved our churches taking 4 collections in 2009 for the cause of domestic missions, and expressed its appreciation to Rev. C. Haak for his labors as the radio pastor for our denominational radio program.
Synod finished the day by dealing with the recommendations of Committee 4 regarding the report of the Theological School Committee. Synod approved the budget of the TSC. Synod approved admitting Mr. Stefan Griess and Mr. David Mahtani as students beginning with the Fall Semester 2008.
In a momentous decision, Synod approved the request of Prof. David Engelsma for his emeritation, by reason of age, effective September 1, 2008, and expressed its appreciation to Prof. David Engelsma for his 45 years of faithful and dedicated labor as minister of the Word and Sacraments in our churches, 20 years of which he served as professor in the seminary.
In response to the TSC’s request for approval to eliminate the pre-seminary requirement of two years of college-level Dutch or German, synod decided not to eliminate this requirement. However, understanding that at this time neither our seminary nor other institutions are able to provide training in theological Dutch, synod did advise the TSC to waive the requirement temporarily, and explore the possibility of reintroducing it later. Synod expressed appreciation for the work of the professors and the support staff of our seminary.
June 16, 2008
Synod began by approving aid for our seminary students during the 2008-2009
school year.
Missionary T. Miersma gave a presentation on the mission work in
It then began treating the five appeals of decisions of Classis East in September 2007 and January/February 2008, regarding the matter of home schooling.
Committee 2 presented its advice regarding the appeal of Mr. Marvin Kamps. Mr. Kamps protested to Classis East, and now makes appeals to synod regarding, the decision of Classis that "Rev. Dick’s position of conscience to home school is his biblical right because home schooling falls within the area of Christian liberty."
Synod began deliberating this appeal at 9:00 am, and finally took the vote at 4:00 pm. Synod rejected the appeal and upheld the decisions of Classis East, pointing out in its grounds the flaws of Mr. Kamps’ reasoning.
Synod then treated the advice of committee 2 regarding the appeal of Mr. Nicholas Kleyn. This appeal was recommitted to the committee of pre-advice.
Finishing its work for the day, Synod did not uphold the appeal of Mr. Kenneth Feenstra, but sustained the decisions of Classis which he protested, in accordance with the recommendations of committee 4.
June 17, 2008
Synod sustained the appeal of Mr. Nicholas Kleyn against the decisions of Classis East, and rejected the appeals of Rev. Nathan Brummel (according to the advice of committee 4) and Mr. Jason Kuiper (according to the advice of committee 1) against the decisions of Classis East. More detailed information regarding these decisions will appear in the published Acts of Synod.
Adopting the report of the committee to study the overtures of Rev.
Synod treated the material of the Foreign Mission Committee, approving the
work of the FMC and Doon PRC regarding their labors in the
After supper, Synod dealt with all of the matters assigned to committee 5 - approving the work of the Board of Trustees; the requests from our retired ministers and widows for emeritus support; the request of Rev. Houck for support through March 2, 2009; the work and recommendations of the Finance Committee; the Stated Clerk’s report; the request for subsidy for four churches; the treasurer’s report and financial statements; and the reports of the synodical deputies from both Classis East and West.
Synod adopted a budget for 2009 of $840 per family, an increase of $17 from 2008.
Synod decided that Synod 2009 will convene June 9, 2009, at the Georgetown
PRC in
After voting for men to serve synod on its various committees, the synod adjourned shortly before 10:00 pm.
(Thanks to Hope Protestant Reformed Church, its caterers, janitor, and many others who provided the accommodations and provisions for the Synod of 2008)
