12 Aug GS 1989 art 45

GS 1989 ARTICLE 45 – Welcome

Rev. M. VanderWel welcomes Rev. J. J. Peterson of San Antonio, Texas as a delegate from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church with the following words:

Esteemed Rev. Peterson:
As I remarked earlier this afternoon, it is my pleasure to bid you a hearty welcome as a delegate of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church to General Synod 1989 of the Canadian Reformed Churches.
The fact that you have met with several of us before, also within the official framework of a General Synod, must give you the feeling, I trust, that you are not a stranger anymore in our midst. So, at least, it is felt from our side! After General Synod Cloverdale in 1983 had been closed, I still remember, that some of my collagues spoke of their meeting with “Texas Jack”. That may sound rather disrespectful, but please, take it as an indication of the free and friendly communication which we were allowed to have with you personally at that time.
But Rev. Peterson, also in your quality of being a representative of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, you may feel “related” to us. As we both know, the relationship between our churches has not yet developed into a full sister-church relationship. There are still the so-called “divergencies”. It is not my task to go into that now. This is just a word of welcome. But the relationship which we do have is of such a character that there is a mutual appreciation for each other’s endeavour to work for and maintain the Reformed and Scriptural distinctiveness in the life of our churches.
Br. Peterson, we wish you a pleasant stay in our midst and may also this contact lead to a further growing together in the service of the LORD!

Thank you.

The chairman extends a special welcome to Rev. S. Allison, a minister of the Reformed Church in the United States who is visiting Synod:

I want to mention that we have a special guest in our audience, Rev. S. Allison of the Hosmer Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) of Eureka, South Dakota. Rev. S. Allison is pastor in the RCUS, formerly known as the “Eureka Classis”. This church which is generally of German origin has the Heidelberg Catechism as its confessional standard. Some of our ministers have visited this Classis or these churches in the past. We now welcome a visitor from among them in return. Rev. Allison is here as a private visitor and he cannot officially address us. There are, as yet, no official contacts between us and the RCUS. We extend a hearty welcome to Rev. S. Allison and welcome him to visit all the open sessions of Synod and the committees which may invite him. We hope that in this way he may receive a proper view of our churches, and perhaps these visits will lead towards the establishment of official contacts and the full expression of the unity of faith.