19 Mar GS 1974 art 5
GS 1974 ARTICLE 5 – Sister-churches
After having adjourned the meeting to give the officers the opportunity to make some arrangements, the chairman reads the credentials of the Rev. S.S. Cnossen of Spakenburg-Noord. He is admitted as the representative of De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland, and in accordance with the rules for the correspondence with the Sister-Churches he is given the privilege of serving Synod in an advisory capacity. The chairman draws the attention to the fact that for the very first time in the history of our Churches Sister-Churches from overseas are represented.
A letter is read, which was received from the “deputies for the correspondence with the Sister-Churches abroad of The Free Reformed Churches of Australia”, containing the good wishes for this Synod and our Churches. In this context the Rev. J. Geertsema is congratulated with the call extended to him by The Free Reformed Church of Launceston.
A telegram from Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria, clerk br. A. Jansen, reading “The LORD’s blessings on all endeavours”, is read.
A letter from the same Church requesting the continuance of the correspondence with them is read together with some enclosures.
Dr. C. Van der Waal has handed over to the convening Church a letter which includes an authorization to hold discussions concerning the schism that has taken place in the Church at Pretoria.
The moderamen proposes to assign one of the Advisory Committees to advise Synod as to the status of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria and the status of Dr. C. Van der Waal in relation to the Churches. This proposal is adopted.