16 Aug GS 1989 art 66

GS 1989 ARTICLE 66 – Welcome br. J. van der Kolk

The chairman gives Rev. B. J. Berends the floor to express a word of welcome to br. Jac. van der Kolk of behalf of Synod. He does so by the following words:

Mr. chairman, fellow-delegates, it is my privilege to introduce to you br. Jac. van der Kolk from the Netherlands, and to welcome him in our midst on your behalf. It is a great pleasure for me to do so. I am sure that the moderamen, when it charged me with this task, was not aware that I know br. van der Kolk. I have met him no less than three times in the Netherlands, the first of which was in connection with the establishment of our well-beloved magazine Reformed Perspective, the second time after conducting a church service in his home town Ermelo, and the third time “op de Hogeschool Dag” in the city of Kampen. It is then a real pleasure to meet him once again and to welcome him on behalf of Synod Winnipeg, 1989.
Br. van der Kolk, namens deze Synode dan heet ik u van harte welkom. Wij zijn de Heere dankbaar dat Hij u veilig en wel bij ons heeft gebracht. We spreken de wens uit dat u zich onder ons thuis zal voelen in de komende dagen en ook dat u zich zal kunnen orienteren aangaande het wel en wee van de Canadese Gereformeerde Kerken via haar afgevaardigden van deze Synode. (That as far as my Dutch is concerned. Perhaps you detected some Canadianisms in my Dutch, just as we might detect in your Canadian some Dutchisms, something with which some of us have problems as well.)
Br. van der Kolk, without a doubt there is a very special relationship between the churches you represent and our churches. In fact, I was wondering whether I should express that special relationship by addressing you as “mother”, in view of our origin, or as “sister”, in view of our ecclesiastical fellowship, but I suppose I can also simply welcome you as a brother . . . from a “sister”. Anyway, one thing is certain, we are happy to welcome and meet you as a representative of our beloved sister churches in the Netherlands.
We take note of the fact that those sister churches continue to provide us with capable men, apt to teach, either as ministers or as professors. We express the hope that Dr. N.H. Gootjes will be yet another one of such men. We further take note that our sister churches in the Netherlands have many globetrotters, you yourself not being the least among them. As a result we are being introduced to many churches/denominations around the world, as page 7 and 8 of our Report on Churches Abroad clearly reveals. Although we may have some questions about the future relationships with all those churches, it does make clear that the Church-gathering work of our Lord and Saviour is indeed worldwide. We take note with gratitude that in all those contacts you show the desire to keep the heritage entrusted to you by remaining faithful to God’s infallible Word as we also mutually confess it in the Three Forms of Unity.
Br. van der Kolk, may your presence and participation at this Synod express that unity of faith we share . . . the unity of faith in our only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Head of that worldwide Holy Catholic Christian Church.
Thank you.