Office Bearers

GS 1971 ARTICLE 84 – Appeal D. VanLeeuwen

Committee III presents:

Material –     Agenda  8    

  • S, 2 – Letter of appeal from Mr. D. VanLeeuwen, Fergus, Ont.

Information

  • 1: The brother appeals a decision of the Regional Synod, March 3, 1971.
  • 2.  The decision of this Regional Synod reads:
    • “dat het eigenlijke punt voor u is dat (volgens u) Art. 34 K.O. ook bindend spreekt over verslagen van kerkeraden in z.g.n. bulletins, zodat zulke verslagen (volgens u) naar dit artikel door de scriba moeten warden geschreven en door de kerkeraad vastgesteld” .. “Door aan uw verzoek toe te geven zou de Synode in feite aan Art.34 een uitbreiding geven, en daarmee de kerken binden boven het­ geen zij in de aangenomen Kerkenorde overeengekomen zijn. De Synode is daarom van oordeel, dat de Classis Ontario North, September 1970 terecht weigerde zulk een uitspraak te doen.”
  • 3.  The letter of appeal to the General Synod states:
    • a.  that the ecclesiastical assemblies are responsible for their pu­blished reports;
    • b.  that this responsibility is based upon agreements. (he refers to his appeal to the consistory)

Observation

In his appeal against the decision of the Regional Synod, March 3, 1971, the brother complains that the answers of the ecclesiastical assemblies are always formal. The material thing with which he is concerned, is, in his opinion, evident from all his appeals.

The thing of which he states that he put it before all these eccle­ siastical assemblies, is the question: “Staat de Kerkeraad voor zijn elgen besluiten en handelingen (gepubliceerd in een kort verslag) of draagt hij de verantwoordelijkheid over aan een persoon i.e. de predikant.”

But the decision of the Regional Synod re: “het eigenlijke punt” of his appeal against the decision of classis is ignored by him.

Consideration

The complainant, in his appeal to the General Synod, does neither ob­ject the conclusion of the Regional Synod re: “het eigenlijke punt” of his appeal against the decision of Classis, nor criticize the judgment of the Regional Synod: “dat de Classis Ontario, North, September 1970 terecht weigerde zulk een uitspraak te doen.”, nor does he adduce any ground against the decision of the Regional Synod as a whole.

Recommendation

  • 1.  Synod conclude that the Regional Synod has justly dealt with the appeal of the brother, and rightly judged the decision of Classis to be correct.
  • 2.  Synod inform br. D. Van Leeuwen of this decision.

ADOPTED