06 Jul GS 2019 art 87

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GS 2019 Article 87 – IRB (Reformed Churches in Brazil)

1.   Material

  • 1.1    Report of the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad (CRCA) – Reformed Churches in Brazil (IRB) (8.2.2.1)
  • 1.2    Letter from the following church: Attercliffe (8.3.1.9)

2.   Observations

  • 2.1    GS 2016 (Art. 88) decided concerning the Reformed Churches in Brazil (IRB):
    • [4.1]    To express gratitude for the continued growth evident in the Reformed Churches in Brazil;
    • [4.2]    To continue Ecclesiastical Fellowship (EF) with the Reformed Churches in Brazil (IRB) under the adopted rules;
    • [4.3]    To mandate the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad (CRCA) to use    every opportunity to have contact with the IRB and provide in encouragement to these churches.
  • 2.2.   From the CRCA report the following:
    • 2.2.1.   The CRCA was very active in their contact with the IRB, they received the acts from 27th, 29th, and 30th Concilio. The CRCA sent a letter with contact information and a description of the CRCA work to the IRB, including GS 2016 Art. 88.
  • 2.3.   The CRCA had frequent interactions with the IRB and attended the 30th Concilio of the IRB.
  • 2.4    At the 30th Concilio of the IRB, two candidates for the Ministry of the Word were examined. There was much joy seeing both candidates declared eligible for call. The joy was tempered somewhat by the grief of going through the process of dismissing Pr. Thiago A. Lins from his call. Even though the IRB is a very young federation, they showed great care and love in how they had dealt with this brother over a three-year period.
  • 2.5    The IRB is a young federation and is excited about the Reformed faith. They place very high value on the confessions, seeing these as very important to know and to live by as churches. They consider themselves very young and look to the CanRC as a much older and wiser federation which has been blessed with the confessions that came out of the Reformation. They look to the CanRC for guidance (as for example in the approach to take with the GKv) and we can look to the IRB to be reminded of our rich heritage, to value it, and to hold on to it so that the CanRC remain a faithful federation. It is good to remember that the IRB has EF with only two federations: the CanRC and the GKv.
  • 2.6    There are three specific concerns the IRB has in which we as CanRC continue to give assistance.
    • 1.      The training of men for the ministry of the Word and the training of men for the office of elder and deacon are mostly beyond the ability of the IRB at this time. They are too small to have the men and the resources able to do this. They are assisted in this work by the sending churches of Aldergrove and Hamilton largely through the work of their seminary, the John Calvin Institute.
    • 2.      Financially, the IRB is a very poor federation. They desire assistance in supporting ministers of the Word, in paying for buildings to worship in, in looking after a seminary, in providing ministers with funds to buy books, and in their outreach efforts.
    • 3.      Because the IRB is a young federation with many new believers, there continues to be a lot for these believers to learn. This is being worked on by the CanRC sending churches and the mission workers by way of regular teaching in various forms.

3.   Considerations

  • 3.1.   The CRCA has fulfilled its mandate regarding the IRB.
  • 3.2    In view of the needs in the IRB it is important to make every effort to maintain direct contact with them and to encourage the churches and their leaders.

4.   Recommendations

That Synod decide:

  • 4.1    To express gratitude for the continued desire of the Reformed Churches in Brazil (IRB) to grow in knowledge and faithfulness;
  • 4.2    To continue the relationship of Ecclesiastical Fellowship (EF) with the IRB under the adopted rules;
  • 4.3    To mandate the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad (CRCA):
    • 4.2.1    To use every opportunity to have contact with the IRB and to provide encouragement to this federation of churches;
    • 4.2.2    To visit the IRB at least twice prior to the next general synod;
    • 4.2.3    To work in consultation and cooperation with the Aldergrove CanRC and Hamilton-Cornerstone CanRC (and their supporting churches), given their mission work in Brazil;
    • 4.2.4.   To submit its report to the churches 6 months prior to the convening of the next general synod.

ADOPTED

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