News Report of Classis West of the PRCA

Meeting September 25, 2024

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on September 25, 2024, in Hull (IA) PRC. The Hull congregation did a fine job of hosting the delegates.

The day before the meeting, Hull’s council hosted an officebearers’ conference on the subject of “The Conclusion of PRCA Foreign Missionary Labors in the Philippines.” The speakers were two of our former missionaries to the Philippines, Rev. Daniel Kleyn and Rev. Richard Smit, who each gave two speeches. Rev. Kleyn spoke on “The History of our Mission Work” and “Concluding Our Work in the Philippines.” Rev. Smit spoke on “Lessons Learned in Our Mission Work” and “The Current Status of the PRC in the Philippines.”

Delegated to Classis were 26 men (10 ministers, 15 elders, and 1 deacon), and they were joined by three synodical deputies from Classis East. A number of visitors were also present, including grade school children from three area Protestant Reformed schools and high school students from the area high school. By alphabetical rotation, Rev. R. Smit chaired the meeting.

Five men signed the Formula of Subscription as first-time delegates to Classis, the minutes of the previous meeting of Classis were approved, and the chairman appointed five committees of pre-advice.

The highlight of the meeting was the examination of Pastor-elect Arend Haveman, who had accepted the call to serve as pastor of Loveland (CO) PRC. The night before Classis convened, the delegates gathered with the Hull congregation to worship God and to hear the specimen sermon of Mr. Haveman. He preached on 1 Peter 2:9-10 under the theme “A Chosen Generation,” and displayed clearly the gifts that God has entrusted to him for the proclamation of the gospel. The majority of the morning of Classis was taken up with the joyful work of examining Mr. Haveman in theology, knowledge of Scripture and the Reformed confessions, controversy, and practica. Throughout the exam the brother gave a good account of the intellectual and spiritual gifts necessary for the ministry. Classis unanimously approved his examination, and the synodical deputies from Classis East heartily concurred. The brother plans to be ordained and installed into the ministry in the next few weeks. We give thanks to the Lord of the harvest for supplying our churches with another faithful laborer!

 (Photo below: CW delegates congratulate Pastor-elect Arend Haveman)

After the conclusion of the exam, Classis took an extended break for the committees of pre-advice to prepare their advice. When the delegates reassembled in the afternoon, the four questions of Article 41 of the Church Order were asked of the consistories and satisfactorily answered by all.

In closed session, Classis treated the report of a special committee assigned by Classis to help a consistory regarding a case of sexual abuse. Classis approved the work of the special committee up to this point, gave advice to the consistory, and gave further mandates to the special committee as to their work with the consistory going forward.

After supper, routine reports of the stated clerk, classical committee, and reading sermon committee were read and approved.

Classis also treated a request from its church visitors. In March 2024, Classis had given the following mandate to the church visitors with respect to reports received by consistories from the third-party investigation into cases of sexual abuse: “…instruct its church visitors that, prior to the meeting with each consistory for the annual church visitation, they request a report of all correspondence received from the third party with the names redacted. The church visitors would then discuss this correspondence with the consistory at the annual meeting, document the correspondence, and report their findings in summary form with names redacted to the classis.” In light of Synod 2024 deciding that the previous Synod had erred in authorizing a secular organization to do this work, the church visitors asked to be relieved of this mandate. Classis did not approve this request of the church visitors, but decided that the mandate should stand, judging that the church visitors had not demonstrated why the decision of Synod 2024 was reason that their mandate must be rescinded nor why the fulfilling of this mandate would be improper.

Classis also treated the protest of a consistory against a procedural decision of the previous meeting of Classis. Classis upheld the protest and declared its previous decision to be in error on the grounds that (1) Classis had wrongly entered into a matter that had just been declared not legally before it; (2) that the material entered into had not appeared in the agenda or on the consistory’s credentials; and (3) that Classis’ decision rested upon a faulty understanding of Article 30 of the Church Order, because, while Article 30 says that Classis may deal with matters "such as pertain to the churches of the major assembly in common," this does not give Classis the right to enter into any local matter it wants to.

Classis made a schedule of pulpit supply through March of 2025 for the vacant congregations of Hope PRC (Redlands, CA) and Lynden (WA) PRC.

The expenses of the meeting were approved in the amount of $12,762.48.

Classis finished its work a little after 9:00 PM.

Classis West will meet next in Calvary PRC (Hull, IA) on March 5, 2025, the Lord willing.

Rev. Joshua Engelsma

Stated Clerk, Classis West

Report of the September Meeting of Classis East 2024

Georgetown PRC (in Hudsonville, MI) hosted classis for three days. Rev. Nathan Decker served as the chairman of the meeting. Through his leadership classis worked its way through all the matters on the agenda in a careful and brotherly manner.

Rev. Audred Spriensma requested approval for emeritation (retirement from active ministry) from Cornerstone PRC (Dyer, IN). After a consistory approves the retirement of a minister, it must also be approved by classis and synod. Classis East concurred with the decision of Cornerstone to approve Rev. Spriensma’s request and approved a decision that states, “That Classis express its deep appreciation and thanks to God for the 43 years of Rev. Spriensma’s dedicated service in the ministry and chaplaincy, and especially for his faithful work as both foreign and domestic missionary” (Article 15, II,D).

The churches of Classis East received reports of sexual abuse from an organization that synod hired to help investigate child sexual abuse in the Protestant Reformed Churches. The Church Visitors and Providence PRC brought recommendations for how Classis East could provide accountability for how consistories respond to these reports. Providence PRC’s recommendation, which came by way of overture, was approved by classis. Classis appointed a committee of ten elders (with three alternates) to work with the Church Visitors “to provide accountability, ensuring that consistories respond rightly to the reports from Guidepost” (Article 26, II,A).

In closed session classis spent much time on a protest. The substance of the case is sensitive and cannot be explained, but the fact that there are seven articles in the minutes about this case reflects how much time classis took to handle the sensitive matter carefully.

A special committee report was also treated in closed session. The special committee was appointed by classis to assist a consistory on a sensitive case. Classis approved the labors of the committee and mandated that the committee continue in its work.

Another special committee submitted a report in May, 2024. Classis did not treat the report in May in order to take more time to read and reflect on the report. The report reflects on a specific case of child sexual abuse and explains lessons that can be learned from this case about how the church should handle disclosures of child sexual abuse. Classis decided to receive the report and to make it available with a cover letter for the officebearers and members of Classis East. The report and cover letter has been sent to the councils of Classis East for distribution. [The link to this report may be found here.]

Rev. Smidstra brought an overture that was approved by the Consistory of First PRC of Holland, MI asking that Classis East and Synod adopt a rule “allowing protestants and appellants to speak on the legality in their cases” (Article 18, I,A). Classis approved the request and adopted the rule for its own rules. The overture has been sent to synod with the approval of Classis East for synod to consider adding this rule to the Rules of Synod.

Classis also treated several matters that are commonly part of its work, including deciding that its next meeting will convene January 8, 2024 at Zion PRC (Jenison, MI) at 8:00 a.m.

[The link to the open session minutes of this meeting may be found here.]

In Christ’s Service,

Rev. Clayton Spronk
Stated Clerk, Classis East