Classis Michigan Classis Michigan 4th Meeting
Bulletin Insert Classis Michigan Classis Michigan 4th Meeting
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Twenty-two delegates from eleven churches arrived at the Eastmanville United Reformed Church for the fourth meeting of Classis Michigan. It was a bright, sunny day. Warm for the middle of March.
The chairman, Rev. Steve De Boer, of Eastmanville began the meeting by reading from I Peter 5 and offering prayer. The delegates and visitors then sang "Exalt the Lord, His Praise Proclaim" setting the pace for a day of glorifying and praising God as officers of His Church.
After dealing with several classical business items, the classis discussed three overtures that had been presented to classis for consideration.
The first overture was a request to shorten the length of candidacy and ordination exams within our classis. Most of the delegates were in favor of the overture, and after some fine tuning, it was approved.
The second overture expressed a desire for classis to ask Synod 1999 to appoint a committee to research the availability of health insurance for URC employees. This overture was approved without any discussion.
The final overture asked classis to overture Synod 1999 to appoint a committee to investigate the possibility of retirement plans for ordained ministers. This overture received the most discussion. Although most of the delegates were not opposed to the idea, precautions were expressed about the method and types of plans to be considered. The overture was adopted.
The next meeting was scheduled for October 26 at the, prayerfully, then finished Beverly United Reformed Church. Rev. Besteman was unanimously voted in as the chairman of that meeting even though he anticipates retiring before that time.
Zion URC of Grand Rapids asked that we would keep their congregational meeting in our prayers. They were meeting the next day to consider calling Candidate Dale Van Dyke. {Zion URC did meet on Wednesday evening and they did extend a call to Cand. Van Dyke. Zion asks that we pray for Dale as he seeks the Lord’s leading in considering the call Zion has extended to him.}
Allendale URC is still waiting the arrival of Rev. Mark Zylstra after extending a call to him in December of 1997. Rev. Zylstra has been experiencing immigration difficulties. He will be interviewed in Montreal in June and, Lord willing, be able to come to the United States shortly thereafter. Please make this a matter of prayer, as well.
Respectfully submitted,
The Clerk of Classis
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