January 10, 2007

Hudsonville PRC

Classis East met in regular session on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at the Hudsonville PRC. All churches were represented by two delegates. Rev. M. DeVries was the chairman for this session. The church history students from Covenant Christian High School were also in attendance for part of the morning session. Classis heard the report of the church visitors at this session. The church visitors report peace and unity at the present time in our congregations.

Classis also heard the report of its special committee, which included the church visitors, appointed in October to assist the Covenant PRC should they decide to disband. Part of this report included a letter from the consistory of Covenant informing the classis that the congregation did indeed decide to disband and that their last worship service would be on December 31, 2006. Classis has asked the consistory of First PRC, Grand Rapids, to serve these saints in Wyckoff with any pastoral counseling that they might need.

Classis also dealt with a brother’s appeal of a consistory’s decision. This appeal was declared to be not legally before classis on the ground that the requirements of Article 30 of the Church Order had not been met, namely, “in major assemblies only such matters shall be dealt with as could not be finished in minor assemblies.”

Voting for synodical delegates resulted in the following: MINISTERS: Primi: C. Haak, R. Kleyn, K. Koole, J. Slopsema, R. VanOverloop; Secundi: A. denHartog, M. DeVries, D. Kleyn, W. Langerak, J. Laning. ELDERS: Primi: G. Kaptein, H. Langerak, S. Miedema, P. VanDerSchaaf, J. VanOverloop;Secundi: H. Boer, K. Feenstra, C. Kuiper, K. Velthouse, J. VanBaren.

In other voting, Rev. J. Slopsema was elected to a threeyear term as a primusdelegate ad examina, and Rev. G. Eriks was elected to a three-year term as a secundusdelegate ad examina. Revs. J. Slopsema and C. Haak were chosen as church visitors, with Rev. R. VanOverloop as alternate. Rev. K. Koole was elected to a three-year term on the Classical Committee.

Classis was in closed session to deal with several matters of discipline.

The expenses of classis amounted to $406.46. Classis will meet next on May 9, 2007 at the Grace PRC.

Respectfully submitted,

Jon J. Huisken, Stated Clerk