GS 2001 Article 7 – Agenda
The following Agenda was adopted
- 1. Opening on behalf of the convening church
- 2. Examination of the credentials
- 3. Election of moderamen
- 4. Constitution of Synod
- 5. Information from the convening church
- 6. Adoption of the Agenda
- 7. Setting of Time Schedule
- 8. Incoming Mail
- 8.1. Synod Procedures
- 8.1.1. Financial
- 8.1.1.1. Church at Carman: Report as Church for the General Fund.
- 8.1.1.2. Church at Guelph: re: audit of the finances of Synod 1998 in Fergus
- 8.1.1. Financial
- 8.2. Relations with Other Churches.
- 8.2.1. Report of Committee for Contact with Churches in the Americas
- 8.2.1.1. General
- 8.2.1.1.1. Church at Burlington – Ebenezer– CCCA re: ERQ, OPC, RCUS.
- 8.2.1.1.2. Church at London – Mandate of CCCA.
- 8.2.1.1.3. Church at Coaldale – Comments on various aspects of the report.
- 8.2.1.1.4. Church at Lincoln – Comments on various aspects of the report.
- 8.2.1.1.5. Church at Orangeville – clarification regarding committee mandate and geographical responsibilities.
- 8.2.1.1.6. Church at Willoughby Heights – doctrine of creation in our contacts with other church federations.
- 8.2.1.1.7. Church at Aldergrove – comments on the work of all the committees.
- 8.2.1.2. Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- 8.2.1.2.1. Church at London – expresses disagreement with recommendations 2 and 3 in the Report of the CCOPC.
- 8.2.1.2.2. Church at Elora overture agreement with Hamilton.
- 8.2.1.2.3. Redeemer Church at Winnipeg – CCOPC to stay within their mandate.
- 8.2.1.2.4. Church at Houston – not to make pronouncements about the office bearers in the OPC.
- 8.2.1.2.5. Church at Grand Valley.
- 8.2.1.2.6. Br. J. Werkman – Acts of Synod Fergus 1998 – to rescind Article 130.
- 8.2.1.2.7. Church at Barrhead – Acts of Synod Fergus 1998 – article 136 – as to the appeal of the Mid-Atlantic Presbytery of the OPC re: Rev. Hofford.
- 8.2.1.2.8. Church at Hamilton – Synod Fergus 1998 did not deal properly with the report of the CCOPC.
- 8.2.1.2.9. Br. D. Teitsma – agreement with Synod Fergus 1998 – Article 136.
- 8.2.1.2.10. Church at Langley – appeal Synod Fergus – Articles 130 and 136.
- 8.2.1.2.11. Br. W. deHaan –appeal re: Synod Fergus.
- 8.2.1.2.12. Church at Coaldale – appeal decision Synod Fergus Article 130.
- 8.2.1.2.13. Church at Surrey-Maranatha– appeal decision Synod Fergus Article 130.
- 8.2.1.2.14. Church at Winnipeg-Grace – appeal decision Synod Fergus Article 130.
- 8.2.1.2.15. Church at Coaldale – Appeal decision Synod Fergus Article 136.
- 8.2.1.2.16. Church at Burlington-Ebenezer, see 8.2.1.1.1.
- 8.2.1.3. Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS)
- 8.2.1.3.1. Church at Cloverdale – “renewed” mandate with respect to the RCUS.
- 8.2.1.3.2. Church at London – RCUS and ERQ – to include the matter of Sunday observance in the mandates of the committee.
- 8.2.1.3.3. Church at London – give the RCUS time to do what they have promised.
- 8.2.1.3.4. Church at London – CRCA – mandate of the committee concerning the RCUS.
- 8.2.1.3.5. Church at Langley – agreement with committee recommendations.
- 8.2.1.3.6. Church at Owen Sound – concerns with committee recommendations.
- 8.2.1.3.7. Church at Houston – attendance Lord’s supper.
- 8.2.1.3.8. Church at Barrhead – Acts of Synod Fergus – Article 51 – concerning the relationship with the RCUS.
- 8.2.1.3.9. Church at London – appeal – Art. 51, Synod Fergus 1998; Consideration D – finds the recommendation premature.
- 8.2.1.3.10. Church at Lynden – Synod Fergus Article 51 – IVB, p 43.
- 8.2.1.3.11. br.B.Wielenga Synod Fergus Article 51 – IVE, p 43.
- 8.2.1.3.12. Church at Burlington-Ebenezer,see 8.2.1.1.1.
- 8.2.1.4. L’Église réformée du Québec (ERQ)
- 8.2.1.4.1. See 8.2.1.3.2 (London).
- 8.2.1.4.2. See Church at Burlington-Ebenezer (8.2.1.1.1.)
- 8.2.1.5. Independent Church of Mexico
- 8.2.1.5.1. Regional Synod East – to further investigate the federation of the Independent Church of Mexico as requested by Classis Ontario – North and the Church at Toronto.
- 8.2.1.1. General
- 8.2.2. Report of the Committee for the Promotion of Ecclesiastical Unity
- 8.2.2.1. General
- 8.2.2.1.1. Church at Aldergrove – pursuant to ecclesiastical unity.
- 8.2.2.2. United Reformed Churches
- 8.2.2.2.1. Church at London – Concerns or questions with the suggested strategy for union with the URCNA.
- 8.2.2.2.2. Church at Burlington – Waterdown – concur with the findings that we are at a stage of being able to develop a closer contact at phase 2.
- 8.2.2.2.3. Church at Willoughby Heights – agreement with course set out for unity.
- 8.2.2.2.4. Church at Winnipeg-Grace – agreement with course set out for unity.
- 8.2.2.2.5. Church at Coaldale – endorse recommendation of report.
- 8.2.2.2.6. Church at Lincoln – moving to phase 2.
- 8.2.2.2.7. Church at Houston – contact with URCNA.
- 8.2.2.2.8. Br. D. Teitsma – Statements of Agreement.
- 8.2.2.2.9. Church at Orangeville – concerns about URC raised by OCRC were not really addressed.
- 8.2.2.3. Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches
- 8.2.2.4. Free Reformed Churches
- 8.2.2.1. General
- 8.2.3. Report on the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad of the Canadian Reformed Churches (CRCA)
- 8.2.3.1. General
- 8.2.3.1.1. Church at Burlington-Ebenezer – commenting on various church relations.
- 8.2.3.2. The Free Reformed Churches of Australia (FRCA)
- 8.2.3.3. The Free Church of Scotland (FCS)
- 8.2.3.3.1. Church at Lincoln – concerns with recommendations 3.6 and 5.6 (also applies to GKN).
- 8.2.3.3.2. Church at London – Appeal – Art. 119, IV.C, Synod Fergus 1998.
- 8.2.3.4. The Free Reformed Churches of South Africa (FRCSA)
- 8.2.3.5. Gereformeerde Kerken Nederland (GKN)
- 8.2.3.5.1. Church at London – reaction to several items dealt with in the report of the committee.
- 8.2.3.5.2. Church of Owen Sound – concerns arising out of the report of the CRCA.
- 8.2.3.5.3. Church at Elora concerns with regards to direction.
- 8.2.3.5.4. Church at Willoughby Heights – instruct CRCA to communicate disappointment that rule 3 is not adhered to by the GKN.
- 8.2.3.5.5. Church at Brampton – to exhort GKN and restore them to the right path.
- 8.2.3.5.6. Church at Fergus – raise points with GKN.
- 8.2.3.5.7. Church at Orangeville – address GKN on all points raised.
- 8.2.3.5.8. Church at Lincoln see 8.2.3.3.1.
- 8.2.3.6. Presbyterian Church of Korea
- 8.2.3.6.1. Church at Burlington–Ebenezer – mandate of the CRCA (Page 19,Art 120 V,a).
- 8.2.3.6.2. Church at Willoughby Heights – that synod include contact with Korean Presbyterian Church in North America in the new mandate for the CCCA.
- 8.2.3.6.3. Church at Willoughby Heights – lack of communication from PCK.
- 8.2.3.7. International Council of Reformed Churches
- 8.2.3.7.1. Church at Barrhead – Acts of Synod Fergus Article 52 – to mandate the CRCA to make and support membership recommendations at ICRC of those churches only with which we have official sister-church relations.
- 8.2.3.1. General
- 8.2.1. Report of Committee for Contact with Churches in the Americas
- 8.1. Synod Procedures
- 8.3. Book of Praise
- 8.3.1. General
- 8.3.1.1. Regional Synod East – Mandate for the Standing Committee on the Book of Praise – the task of evaluating hymns submitted by the churches for inclusion in the Book of Praise.
- 8.3.1.2. Church at Abbotsford – Book of Praise.
- 8.3.1.3. Br. D. Teitsma – to make available to the churches an English version of the Report on the Psalter by Deputies to Synod Homewood-Carman, 1958, entitled “Op weg naar een Engelse Reformatorishe Psalmbundel”
- 8.3.1.4. Church at London – Not to accede to the request to broaden the mandate of the Standing Committee.
- 8.3.1.5. Br. D. Teitsma – In response to the overture of the Church at Abbotsford.
- 8.3.1.6. Br. D. Teitsma – see above.
- 8.3.1.7. Church at Langley – suggestions and concerns regarding the Book of Praise.
- 8.3.1.8. Church at London – agreement with the sister churches in Australia re: Deacons.
- 8.3.1.9. Regional Synod West re: Form for Ordination (answer: I do).
- 8.3.2. Church Order
- 8.3.2.1. Regional Synod East – to change CO Article 4B2.
- 8.3.2.2. Church at Ottawa – ambiguity of the above – insert the word “carefully”.
- 8.3.2.3. Regional Synod West – each regional Synod shall delegate six ministers and six elders.
- 8.3.3. Heidelberg Catechism
- 8.3.3.1. Regional Synod West – to make changes to a number of questions to bring them in harmony with the original German and other translations used by Reformed Churches.
- 8.3.4. Appeals
- 8.3.4.1. Church at Owen Sound – appeal – Art. 140, Item IV, c, Synod Fergus 1998; not to implement the decision “to prepare the prose section of the Book of Praise with NIV Bible references.”
- 8.3.1. General
- 8.4. Subscription Form
- 8.4.1.1. Regional Synod East – To establish a committee to propose standardized subscription forms for the minor and major assemblies, as well as for the professors of theology.
- 8.4.1.2. Regional Synod West – to adopt a standardized subscription form.
- 8.5. Theological College
- 8.5.1. Reports
- 8.5.1.1. Regional Synod East – Nominations for Governors of the Theological College.
- 8.5.1.2. Regional Synod West – Nominations for Governors of the Theological College.
- 8.5.1.3. Report of Board of Governors.
- 8.5.1.4. Recommendation new professor.
- 8.5.2. Submissions from the Churches
- 8.5.2.1. Church at Burlington-Ebenezer – comments on the Report of the Board of Governors.
- 8.5.2.2. Church at Winnipeg-Grace – visits by professor.
- 8.5.2.3. Redeemer Church at Winnipeg – various points about work of Theological College.
- 8.5.1. Reports
- 8.6. Women’s Voting
- 8.6.1. Overtures
- 8.6.1.1. Regional Synod East – to appoint a committee regarding allowing all communicant members to vote.
- 8.6.1.2. Church at London – to deny the request of Regional Synod to appoint a committee to revisit the matter of women’s voting rights.
- 8.6.1.3. Church at Elora – that Synod Neerlandia declare the recommendation of Regional Synod East inadmissible based on Art.33 C.O.
- 8.6.1.4. Church at Langley – appoint a committee to study the matter.
- 8.6.1.5. Br. N. VanWeerden – concern for nature of discussion presented.
- 8.6.1.6. Church at Lincoln – Synod should not accede to request to appoint a new committee.
- 8.6.1.7. Church at Orangeville – matters should not be proposed again unless new grounds substantiate them.
- 8.6.1. Overtures
- 8.7. Bible Translations
- 8.7.1. Report of Committee on Bible Translation.
- 8.7.2. Church at Owen Sound – decided to use the New King James Version.
- 8.7.3. Church at Burlington-Ebenezer – not to dissolve this committee.
- 8.8. Website
- 8.8.1. Report
- 8.8.2. Appendix: Suggested names
- 8.9. Other Appeals
- 8.9.1. Br. S. and sr. C. Hofford et al– appealing decision of Regional Synod East of November 10-12,1999 – Article 25.
- 8.9.2. Br. and sr. B. Van de Burgt – appealing Regional Synod West decision regarding appeal on the wine element of Lord’s supper.
- 8.10. Miscellaneous
- 8.10.1. Letters received by the Church at Burlington–Ebenezer (Contact church for the Canadian Reformed Churches).
- 8.10.2. M. Noort of Berkel en Rodenrijs, expressing concern on decisions made by the Generale Synode van de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland – Leusden 1999.
- 8.10.3. Request by Hekman Library/Calvin College, Grand Rapids, re: purchase of Synodical Reports from the Canadian/American Reformed Churches dating back to 1950.
- 8.10.4. Request by the Christian Info Society for information on our federation of churches, ministries and organizations across Canada to be placed on a web site.
- 8.10.5. Church at Burlington Waterdown re: Archives.
- 9. Appointments
- 10. Censure ad Art.44 C.O.
- 11. Publication of the Acts
- 12. Financial Matters
- 13. Preparation next General Synod
- 14. Adoption of the Acts
- 15. Approval of Press Release
- 16. Closing