Office Bearers | GS 2007 art 78

26 Aug GS 2007 art 78

Posted at 17:38h in CanRC, GS 2007 by Roy Janssen

GS 2007 Article 78 – Board of Governors of the Theological College

The advisory committee presented its second proposal:

1. Material

1.1 The report of the Board of Governors of the Theological College of the Canadian Reformed Churches dated October 1, 2006
1.2 From Regional Synod East, November 8 and December 7, 2006, a letter including nominations for the Board of Governors of the Theological College for the Academic Committee
1.3 From Regional Synod West, November 14, 2006, a letter including nominations for the Board of Governors of the Theological College for the Academic Committee
1.4 By-Law Number 12, relating generally to the affairs of the Theological College of the Canadian Reformed Churches
1.5-9 Letters from the following five churches:
Chatham, Langley, Surrey, Flamborough, Burlington Ebenezer
1.11-12 Overture from Cloverdale and Guelph

2. Observations

2.1 The Board of governors recommends:
- 2.1.1 To receive this report and all its appendices.
- 2.1.2 To acknowledge the expiration of the term of office of brs. J. Moesker, W. Oostdyk and W. Smouter as Governors and to express gratitude for their work. Further to express gratitude for the contributions of Rev. Cl. Stam who had to resign for health reasons.
- 2.1.3 Pursuant to Section 5(2) of the Act and By-Law 12:3.04 to:
  - 2.1.3.1 Appoint, elect or reappoint six active ministers to hold office until the next General Synod and to appoint at least three substitutes from each Regional Synod area.
  - 2.1.3.2 Reappoint brs. L. Jagt and K.J. Veldkamp as Governors for a term lasting from the date of reappointment until the second subsequent General Synod.
  - 2.1.3.3 Reappoint br. G.J. Nordeman for a term lasting from the date of reappointment until the next subsequent General Synod.
  - 2.1.3.4 Appoint two new non-ministerial Governors for a term lasting from the date of appointment until the third subsequent General Synod.
- 2.1.4 To appoint Prof. G.H. Visscher as Principal for the years 2008-2011.
- 2.1.5 In regard to the Pastoral Training Program to decide the following:
  - 2.1.5.1 That the Pastoral Training Program be kept separate from the College curriculum.
  - 2.1.5.2 That the Pastoral Training Program become mandatory for all students aspiring to the ministry of the Word among the Canadian and American Reformed Churches in accordance with the document entitled “Guidelines for the Pastoral Proficiency Program.”
  - 2.1.5.3 That funding for student internships is the responsibility of the churches and not of the College.
- 2.1.6 To approve all decisions and actions of the Board and of its committees for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 until the date of this Report.
- 2.1.7 To express thankfulness for the support from the Free Reformed Churches in Australia.
- 2.1.8 To consider the audited financial statements and the report of the Auditors for the previous fiscal periods; to relieve the Treasurer of the Board of all responsibilities for these fiscal periods; to reappoint br. H. Solomons as Auditor until the next General Synod.
- 2.1.9 To reappoint sr. Margaret Van der Velde to the Committee for the Official Website.
2.2 The Board of Governors nominates the following brothers for the property and finance committee: br. H.C. Kampen, br. A.J. Bax, br. H. Harsevoort, br. B. Hordyk.
2.3 Chatham requests that the financial statements of the Theological College be published in the Acts as it will show to the members where the financial contributions are being spent.
2.4 Langley recommends that Synod 2007 appoint a committee called something like “The Pastoral Training Fund Committee” with the mandate:
2.4.1 To determine the annual financial costs, associated with the funding of summer student internships.
2.4.2 To develop guidelines relating to proper student wages and the reimbursement of all legitimate expenses.
2.4.3 To cover the cost by assessing the churches annually.
2.5 With respect to the Pastoral Training Program, Guelph overtures that synod decide:
2.5.1 To reiterate what Synod Fergus already considered, namely that remuneration of an intern must be left to the discretion of the church in which he conducted his internship.
2.5.2 To recommend to these churches that remuneration of interns be kept at a modest level.
2.5.3 That remuneration for interns shall not come out of the budget of the Theological College.
2.5.4 To remind theological students who face financial hardship because of the internship requirements to seek assistance from the classis in which they resided prior to beginning their studies at the College.
2.6 Surrey requests synod to clarify who is responsible for the welfare of the student during his pastoral training.
2.7 Flamborough supports the recommendation to make the PTP mandatory and also to keep the funding for the student interns outside of the budget of the Theological College. However, the church at Flamborough is of opinion that the recommendation to leave the financial support for the internships up to the churches is too general, too vague, too open-ended. Flamborough recommends that Synod Smithers 2007 appoint a small committee with the following mandate: 2.7.1 To look after all internship-related funding matters.
2.7.2 To determine a reasonable compensation for an internship, based on what a student needs to enable him to complete the requirements for becoming a minister of the Word.
2.7.3 To assess the churches each year based on the anticipated funding required for a particular summer.
2.7.4 To report about their activities to the next General Synod, which report shall be sent to all the churches.
Flamborough also suggests that such a committee not include a member from the Academic Committee, nor a member from the Finance & Property Committee. The best way to ensure proper communication between those involved would be to appoint the PTP Coordinator as a liaison between the College and this financial committee.
2.8 Burlington Ebenezer is in agreement with the recommendations made by the Board of Governors. This church overtures synod to appoint a standing committee that will have the responsibility to establish a fund and to assess the churches for this purpose.
2.9 Cloverdale overtures synod that “if it is not addressed in the ‘Guidelines for the Pastoral Proficiency Program’ (a copy of which was not attached to the Report), to include in such Guidelines a stipulation with respect to the remuneration of the participants in the program. Specifically, to require that the church in which a student is placed remunerate that student in accordance with a pay schedule prepared by the Theological College for the current year.”
2.10 Surrey recommends that the Theological College adopt the generally accepted practice of recommending changes to a set of By-Laws via documentation that is recorded as “change history # 12” as an appendage to the current “By-Laws of the College.” This is intended to allow a person to see the history of the by-laws from their beginnings to now.

3. Considerations

3.1 Synod thankfully notes that the Theological College could continue its work.
3.2 Synod acknowledges that the nominations for the replacements of Rev. J. Moesker and one of the nominations for substitute from Regional Synod West as well as one from Regional Synod East are not acceptable, because of a conflict of interest (the brothers nominated are related to faculty and staff members of the College).
3.3 Including the Pastoral Training Program in the curriculum would give rise to difficulties for foreign students who might not have sufficient command of the English language to complete the Pastoral Training Program or for those students who are not members of one of the Canadian Reformed Churches or one of the sister churches and for those who are seeking an M.Div. degree but do not aspire to the ministry of the Word.
3.4 The Pastoral Training Program has proven itself to be beneficial for both students aspiring to the ministry and for the churches. From the beginning the churches have been very supportive of this program (see, e.g., section II.B of Art. 107, Acts of Synod Fergus, 1998).
3.5 Although Synod 2004 was of the opinion that the funds required for the Pastoral Training Program should be included in the regular operating budget of the College, the Board feels that from a tax and liability point of view, it would be complicated for the College to pay wages to a student doing an internship in one of the Canadian or American Reformed churches. The complicating question is: from a tax and liability point of view would the student intern be a temporary employee of the College or of the local church? The Board believes it is appropriate to leave the financial support up to the churches.
3.6 Synod is of the opinion that the costs of this program should be carried by all the churches together, through an assessment for this program. This can best be done by appointing a committee.
3.7 Synod takes note of the recommendation to appoint Prof. G.H. Visscher as Principal for the years 2008-2011. It is to be noted, in reference to By-law 12:10.01, that it is the responsibility of the Board of Governors to appoint the principal and they shall ask synod for advice.
3.8 Synod is grateful to the sponsoring churches and ministers who have participated in the Pastoral Training Program.
3.9 Synod thankfully takes note of the work done by the Board and its committees during the last three years.
3.10 Synod expresses its heartfelt appreciation to the Free Reformed Churches in Australia for their active involvement, as well as their ongoing financial and prayerful support.
3.11 Chatham raises a valid point regarding the publication of the financial statements in the Acts. The last time that the financial statements were included was in the Acts of Lincoln 1992. Thereafter they were left out without a reason being mentioned in the Acts. The church at Chatham states that inclusion of the financial statements will show to the members of the churches where the financial contributions are being spent. Synod agrees with this request.
3.12 By-law Number 12 is a replacement of the By-laws 1, 3-11 and contains nothing new. It was approved by the Board of Governors at the meeting of September 7, 2006 and does not need any further action. It would have been beneficial to the churches if the Board of Governors had added a cover letter with explanation, while sending this bylaw to the churches.

4. Recommendation

Synod decide:

4.1 To receive this report and all its appendices and to thank the Board of Governors for its work.
4.2 To express its gratitude for the work done by the brothers J. Moesker, W. Oostdyk, W. Smouter and Cl. Stam.
4.3 To reappoint brs. L. Jagt and K.J. Veldkamp as Governors for a term lasting from the date of reappointment until the second subsequent general synod.
4.4 To reappoint br. G.J. Nordeman for a term lasting from the date of reappointment until the next subsequent general synod.
4.5 To reappoint from the West: Rev. R.A. Schouten and Rev. W.B. Slomp and to appoint Rev. A.J. Pol. (Substitutes in the following order: Rev. R. Aasman, Rev. E.J. Tiggelaar, Rev. J.D. Louwerse).
4.6 To reappoint from the East: Rev. G. Nederveen, Rev. G.Ph. van Popta and Rev. J. VanWoudenberg. (Substitutes in the following order: Rev. E. Kampen, Rev. D.G.J. Agema and Rev. W. den Hollander).
4.7 To appoint on the basis of the recommendation of the Board of Governors, br. H.C. Kampen and br. A.J. Bax.
4.8 To agree with the appointment of Prof. G.H. Visscher as Principal for the years 2008-2011.
4.9 That the Pastoral Training Program be kept separate from the College curriculum.
4.10 That the Pastoral Training Program become mandatory for all students aspiring to the ministry of the Word among the Canadian Reformed Churches in accordance with the document entitled “Guidelines for the Pastoral Proficiency Program.”
4.11 Appointments
- 4.11.1 To appoint a committee with the following mandate:
  - 4.11.1.1 To look after all internship-related funding matters.
  - 4.11.1.2 To determine a reasonable compensation for an internship, and to develop guidelines for such a compensation.
  - 4.11.1.3 To assess the churches each year based on the anticipated funding required for a particular summer.
  - 4.11.1.4 To report about their activities to the next general synod, which report shall be sent to all the churches.
- 4.11.2 To appoint as liaison between the College and this committee the PTP Coordinator.
4.12 To approve all decisions and actions of the Board and of its committees as mentioned in its report to General Synod Smithers 2007.
4.13 To express thankfulness for the support from the Free Reformed Churches in Australia.
4.14 To reappoint br. H. Solomons as auditor until the next general synod.
4.15 To reappoint sr. Margaret Van der Velde to the Committee for the Official Website.
4.16 To take note of the reviewed financial statements and the report of the chartered accountant for the previous fiscal periods, and to relieve the Treasurer of the Board of all responsibilities for these fiscal periods.
4.17 To include the financial statements of the Theological College in the Acts of Synod.
4.18 To adopt By-law Number 12.

ADOPTED

The brothers Nederveen, Nordeman, Schouten and VanWoudenberg abstained from voting because they are Governors of the Theological College.

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