GS 2016 Article 119 – Abbotsford Request regarding DGK
1. Material
- 1.1 Letter from Abbotsford plus appendices (8.3.1.10)
- 1.2 Letter from the Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad – Subcommittee Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (CRCA-SRN) (8.3.1.11)
- 1.3 Letter from the Abbotsford CanRC (8.3.1.12)
2. Admissibility
- 2.1 Abbotsford’s letter is admissible since it involves a request from a foreign church. Abbotsford was encouraged by Classis Pacific-East on February 25, 2016 to present this matter to synod.
3. Observations
- 3.1 Abbotsford has been asked by The Reformed Churches (DGK) to meet with a delegation of the Abbotsford church and the Liberated Reformed Church at Abbotsford (LRCA). Abbotsford intends to decline the request as (1) there is sufficient documentation for the DGK to work with; and (2) the issue is one that relates to the CanRC federation and not just the Abbotsford CanRC.
- 3.2 Abbotsford apologized to the CRCA-SRN for stating that the SRN had suggested to the DGK to speak with the Abbotsford CanRC.
4. Considerations
- 4.1 Synod agrees with the intention of Abbotsford for the reasons given in Obs. 3.1.
- 4.2 Synod agrees with GS 2013 that the Ecclesiastical Fellowship which The Reformed Churches (DGK) has with the Liberated Reformed Church at Abbotsford (LRCA) remains an impediment to closer contact.
5. Recommendation
That Synod decide:
- 5.1 To consider the above consideration 4.1 as the answer to the letter of the Abbotsford CanRC.