ARTICLE 13: Retirement of Ministers

If a minister of the Word retires because of age, or because he is rendered incapable of performing the duties of his office on account of illness or physical or mental disability, he shall retain the honour and title of minister of the Word. He shall also retain his official bond with the church which he served last, and this church shall provide honourably for his support. The same obligation exists towards a minister’s widow and/or dependants.

Retirement of a minister shall take place with the approval of the consistory with the deacons and with the concurring advice of classis and of deputies of regional synod.

Texts of Implementation
Texts of Application
Personal Church Membership

GS 2004 – Article 111

The following was adopted:

4. Considerations

4.3   The church at Calgary’s arguments are clearly technical in nature, and do not sufficiently acknowledge the lack of clarity in the relationship between the CanRC and the OPC during the time period involved.

4.4   The church at Calgary is technically correct that a minister cannot maintain his official status as a minister in good standing with a church in one federation, while being a member of a church with which the CanRC have no ecclesiastical fellowship.

5. Recommendation

Synod decide that while the church at Calgary is technically correct in its appeal, the church at Surrey was justified in providing an exception in Rev. Boersema’s case.

Texts of Commentary