01 Apr GS 1980 art 56

GS 1980 ARTICLE 56 – Re-opening –  Welcome: O.P.C. Delegate

The Chairman welcomes Prof. N. Shepherd, the official delegate of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, with the following words,

• “Esteemed Prof. N. Shepherd,
• I consider it to be a great honour that I as Chairman, speaking on behalf of the General Synod, Smithville 1980, may address and welcome you as the delegate of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
• For the first time, after many years of contact via committees, we may see you in our midst as a result of decisions taken by a previous General Synod, namely Coaldale 1977, of the Canadian Reformed Churches.
• During the past 25 years, the Canadian Reformed Churches had their own struggles and challenges, which have been formative for our confederation. The times of the “immigrant” character of our Churches have almost ended. However, although we had to concentrate our attention on such internal matters, the Canadian Reformed Churches decided at an early date – to be exact 15 years ago – to appoint Deputies for Contact with the Orthodox Pres­byterian Church, with a specific mandate, and to also request the O.P.C. to appoint Deputies.
• Synod 1968 decided “gratefully to acknowledge the fact that the Ortho­ dox Presbyterian Churches can accept the Canadian Reformed Churches as true churches on the basis of their doctrinal standards and church govern­ment” and “to express its gratitude that it is evident that in many respects the good fight of faith is being fought in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.”
• The Minutes of the General Assemblies of your Churches and the Acts of consecutive Synods of our Churches, show that there has been a constant contact by way of Deputies of both Churches.
• During the years 1973 and 1974 letters have been sent from and to your Assemblies. Replies have been sent and discussed. These communications did not directly lead to any decision as far as a closer relationship was concerned.
• Such a step was reached at Synod Coaldale 1977 where the decision was taken “with thankfulness to recognize the Orthodox Presbyterian Church as a true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ as confessed in Article 29 of the Belgic Confession,” and to offer this Church a temporary relationship called “eccle­siastical contact” which has as one of its rules “to invite delegates to each other’s General Assemblies or General Synods and to accord such delegates privileges of the floor.”
• As a result of these decisions, we have come to a historical moment in our Church life. Prof. Dr. J. Faber was able to attend the General Assembly of 1980, while you, Prof. Shepherd, are able to attend our General Synod of 1980. On a previous occasion, we have welcomed a representative from our Sister-Churches in The Netherlands, with which we have full correspondence.
• Your presence is a novum in our Church life and we are glad to have you with us.
• Honesty demands that we do not hide the fact that there are a number of appeals on the Agenda of this Synod which address themselves to this deci­sion of Synod Coaldale. To us the task is given to evaluate such objections. We realize that we need and therefore pray for the guidance of God’s Holy Word and Spirit.
• Time has told us how the first contacts have grown into “ecclesiastical contact”; time will also tell us how this relationship will fair in the future.
• Of one thing we are sure, Christ the Head of His Churches gathers those who are His for Himself. We, from our side, desire, in submission to His Word and in defence of Reformed doctrine and government, obediently and gratefully to work for the unity of all those who truly depend on Him.
• May your stay in our midst be pleasant for you, as well as for us, and con­ tribute to such a fellowship as is beneficial to the Church of Christ on this continent and to the glory of our God.
• Thank You”

Prof. N. Shepherd expresses his appreciation for the words of the Chairman. He is aware that the decision of Synod Coaldale has led the Canadian Reformed Churches in a new direction and he expresses the hope that it may be a blessing to both churches and lead to closer contact in the coming years. He wishes the Synod the blessing of the Lord in all its deliberations.

The Chairman calls on the brothers to sing Hymn 40:1.