All Articles For Report of Classis West

CLASSIS EAST REPORT Meeting September 10, 2025 Classis East met September 10 in the sanctuary of First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Rev. Bill Langerak chaired the long meeting that adjourned around 11:30 p.m. Classis began with the routine matters of approving the credentials of the delegates, signing the Formula of Subscription by first-time delegates to classis, asking the questions of Church Order Article 41, receiving reports from the stated clerk and the Classical Committee, and appointing five committees of pre-advice. The Classical Committee, which acts on behalf of Classis East between its meetings, proposed an examination schedule...

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on March 5, 2025, in Calvary PRC (Hull, IA). The evening before Classis, God sent snow, ice, and powerful winds upon Northwest Iowa that impacted the travel of many delegates. In the end, representatives from twelve of the thirteen churches in the Classis were able to attend the meeting, while the delegates from one congregation could not make it and participated in the meeting virtually. Classis began with opening devotions led by the chairman of the previous meeting, Rev. Richard Smit (pastor of Randolph PRC), who gave an encouraging meditation based on...

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...

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Church­es met on March 6-7, 2024, in Randolph (WI) PRC. The congregation did an outstanding job of hosting the twenty-five delegates from the thirteen churches in the Classis, as well as a number of visitors. Classis began on Wednesday, March 6, with open­ing devotions led by the chairman of the previous meet­ing, Rev. John Marcus (pastor of Peace PRC), who gave a fitting meditation on Solomon’s request for wisdom from I Kings 3. After Classis was legally constituted, the meeting was capably chaired by Rev. Stephan Regnerus (pastor of Hull PRC). Two first-time delegates...

Meeting September 27, 2023 Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on September 27, 2023, in Crete (IL) PRC. The Crete congregation did a fine job of hosting the delegates. The day before the meeting, an officebearers’ confer­ence was held on the timely subject of “Sexual Abuse in our Churches and the Proper Response.” Prof. Cory Griess spoke first on “The Consistory’s Response to Sexual Abuse,” and Prof. Russell Dykstra spoke next on “Repentance and Reconciliation of the Abuser.” The conference concluded with a round-table discussion among pastors, elders, and professors in which they talked about various questions and...

Meeting March 1-2, 2023  Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on March 1-2, 2023, in Lynden PRC (Lynden, WA). This small congregation did an outstanding job of hosting the twenty-eight delegates from the fourteen churches in the Classis.  Classis began on Wednesday, March 1, with opening devotions led by the chairman of the previous meeting, Rev. M. Kortus (pastor of Hope Redlands PRC), who gave a fitting meditation on Psalm 20. After Classis was legally constituted, the meeting was capably chaired by Rev. Jonathan Langerak (pastor of Covenant of Grace PRC), who was serving in this capacity for...

September 14, 2022 Classis East convened at Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church on Wednesday, September 14 at 8:00 a.m. Rev. J. Maatman served as chairman and capably led the thirty- eight delegates (from the nineteen member churches) in all of the work of classis. Seven elder delegates and one minister (Rev. E. Guichelaar) delegate served Classis East for the first time and therefore signed the Formula of Subscription. Routine matters treated on Wednesday morning included asking and answering the questions of Article 41 of the Church Order, approving the work of the stated clerk and of the classical committee, and...

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on March 2-3, 2022, in Hope PRC (Redlands, CA). This isolated congregation did an outstanding job of hosting the delegates. The day before the meeting, an officebearers’ conference was held on the timely subject of the church of Christ. The first two speeches dealt with the government of the church, with Rev. M. Kortus speaking on “A Delicate Balance: The Relationship between Office of Believer and the Special Offices in the Church of Christ” and Rev. E. Guichelaar speaking on “The Autonomy of the Local Congregation and the Authority of the Broader...

Meeting March 3-4, 2021 Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met for two full days on March 3-4, 2021, in Peace PRC (Dyer, IN). The meeting was chaired by Rev. Joshua Engelsma (pastor of Doon PRC), who was serving in this capacity for the first time in his ministry. Twenty-six delegates from thirteen churches were physically present. The delegates from Immanuel PRC (Lacombe, AB) and First PRC (Edmonton, AB) were not able physically to attend the meeting due to the restrictions of the Canadian government with respect to COVID-19. Classis granted the request of these delegates to be seated...

Meeting September 23, 2020 Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met on September 23, 2020, in Edgerton PRC (Edgerton, MN). The meeting was capably chaired by Rev. Matt DeBoer (pastor of Edgerton PRC), who was serving in this capacity for the first time in his ministry. Noticeably absent from the meeting were elder delegates from Immanuel PRC (Lacombe, AB) and First PRC (Edmonton, AB). These consistories were not able to attend the meeting due to the restrictions of the Canadian government with respect to COVID-19. Routine reports from the stated clerk, the classical committee, and the reading sermon library...