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Thursday 10th July 2003 - Morning & Afternoon Sessions
Article 40 - Re-opening
Elder T Visser asks Synod to sing Psalm 24:1,3,5, reads from Scripture Psalm 24, and leads in prayer.
All delegates are present.
Article 41 - Contact with Dutch Sister Churches
(Refer Article 27)
Materials:
Agenda Items 11g, 8e, 8rr, 11m
Overall recommendations concerning the RCN
Decision:
1. To continue sister-relations with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands according to the adopted Rules for Sister-Relations;
2. To discharge Deputies and to appoint new Deputies with the mandate to:
a) Exercise sister-relations with the RCN according to the adopted rules;
b) According to the rules, discuss and to continue to discuss with the RCN Deputies the concerns as to the developments within the RCN, and as outlined and recommended in the report of deputies (see below);
c) Report to next Synod;
d) To instruct deputies to send two delegates to the next Synod of the RCN.
(Refer Article 100)
1. The RCN gives evidence of continuing faithfulness to the Word of God, their Reformed Confessions and the Church Order.
2. Deputies have pointed out and given evidence about some specific concerns. These should continue to be addressed, according to the rules.
Fourth Commandment
A proposal from Synod floor to amend the deputies recommendation as follows:
Decision:
To instruct deputies to:
1. Stay informed about the developments and decisions in the RCN with respect to the 4th commandment re the Sunday.
2. to interact with the Dutch deputies on the matter
Grounds:
Our correspondence and discussions with the RCN on this matter have resulted in some progress. Thus the discussions, according to the rules, should be continued, especially with a view to the Dutch deputyship studying this matter.
ADOPTED
New Hymns:
Decision:
1. To keep monitoring these decisions in accordance with our Rule b (to mutually care for each other that they do not depart from the reformed faith in…liturgy) and to become more acquainted, in a selective manner, with the hymns that are approved and are being approved.
2. To investigate the principles and criteria for selecting and approving these new hymns.
3. Meanwhile in general to continue to express our concern toward the GKV about the proliferation of new hymns.
Grounds:
1. It is unrealistic to ask the deputies to study all these newly approved hymns. Yet in order to mutually care for the GKV with conclusions about these hymns we would need to do exactly that, i.e., study all the new hymns, even as the GKV has done. Thus to monitor them in a selective manner would be the best way.
2. The need to be specific in our selective monitoring is born out by the decision of our Canadian sisters. They have decided (art.97, Acts of the 2001 GS of Neerlandia) to receive submissions and proposals for additional hymns from the churches with the reasons for their suitability. One consideration (4.1) was that though this synod was cautious with respect to the additional 120 hymns in the GKV, their own Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad (CRCA) did not give evidence to show that the changes taking place in the GKN(v) are wrong (Art 80, Cons. 4.7). In the same consideration it added, while there are concerns about adding a large number of hymns, it cannot be said without further investigation that the increase of hymns in the GKN comes at the expense of singing Psalms.
3. In this process it is important to study the principles and criteria used to select and to approve new hymns. This will also be helpful for us in time to come.
4. At the same time the great multiplication of these new hymns, just by their great numbers as well as other factors mentioned in the deputies' letters to the RCN, continues to concern us.
ADOPTED
Military Chaplains and the Lord's Supper
Decision:
1. Deputies should further examine the decision of GS Zuidhorn to ascertain whether or not our concerns were alleviated and relay their findings to the Dutch Deputies.
Grounds:
1. Further study is required of the GS Zuidhorn decision to determine if it is in accordance with Scripture and the Confessions.
2. Because our concerns were relayed to the Dutch Deputies, they deserve a response.
ADOPTED
Blessing by a non-Elder
Decision:
1. Deputies should further examine the decision of GS Zuidhorn to ascertain whether or not our concerns were alleviated and relay their findings to the Dutch Deputies.
Grounds:
1. Further study is required of the GS Zuidhorn decision to determine if it is in accordance with Scripture and the Confessions.
2. Because our concerns were relayed to the Dutch Deputies, they deserve a response.
ADOPTED
Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerken (Christian Reformed Churches of The Netherlands) - CGK
Decision:
1. To encourage our sister-churches in their pursuit of unity with the CGK on the proven basis of God's Word as confessed in the Three Forms of Unity and as practised by the Church Order of Dort.
2. To monitor the developments and to report to the next synod.
Grounds:
1. These churches have the same basis. The Union of 1892 should have seen both within one federation. Though this did not occur then, the mandate of our Lord and his prayer to be one obliges us to seek this unity.
2. Since these developments are ongoing, it is good to keep the churches posted.
ADOPTED
Nederlands Gereformeerde Kerken (Netherlands Reformed Churches) - NGK
Decision:
To instruct Deputies:
1. To encourage the RCN in their contacts with the NGK and to encourage to continue to insist on the need within the NGK for binding to God's Word as confessed in The Three Forms of Unity, and also to insist on the proper place of the Church Order to counteract independentism.
2. To encourage the RCN to assess carefully the events of the split in the 1960s.
3. To keep in close contact with the Dutch Deputies and to report to the next synod.
Grounds:
1. The binding to the Scriptures and confessions as well as the proper place of the Church Order for the bond of churches are the crucial points of division. We should encourage our Sister Churches in these matters.
2. The subject of the split in the 1960's will be investigated. It should be done carefully.
ADOPTED
Article 42 - Adoption of Acts
Articles 17-39 of the Acts are adopted.
Article 43 - Advisory Committees
Committee Two
Agenda Items: 11c, 8mm, 12, 13
Members: M Bax (Convenor), M Mulder
Committee Three
Agenda Items: 8n, 8ii, 8nn, 11a
Members: C Bouwman (Convenor) J. Wielstra, G Reitsema
Committee Four
Agenda Items: 11h, 8aa
J Kroeze (Convenor) H. Ballast; J Poppe
Article 44 - Appeal from FRC Byford re Article 93 Synod 2000
Appeal from FRC Byford re Art 93 Synod 2000
Material:
Agenda Item 8b - Appeal 1:
By accepting the letter of West Albany, dated 2nd June 2000, for discussion in Articles 74, 76, 89 and 93 of Acts of Synod 2000, Synod implicitly considered them admissible. FRC Byford requests Synod 2003 to declare that this letter of West Albany, containing the proposals "to recognise the Reformed Churches of New Zealand as true and faithful churches of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "to offer to enter into a fraternal relationship with the RCNZ" (Article 93 Acts Synod 2000) was inadmissible.
Agenda Item 8b - Appeal 2:
The consistory of the Free Reformed Church of Byford requests Synod 2003 to declare that this letter of Albany, containing the proposal "to recognise the Reformed Churches of New Zealand as true and faithful churches of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Article 93 Acts Synod 2000) was inadmissible.
Agenda Item 8b - Appeal 3:
The Consistory of the Free Reformed Church of Byford requests Synod 2003 to declare that the Alternative Proposal of Article 93, Acts of Synod 2000, is inadmissible.
Agenda Item 8b - Appeal 4:
The Consistory of the Free Reformed Church of Byford requests Synod 2003 to declare that the adopted decision of Article 93, Acts of Synod 2000, is contrary to Scripture, the Confessions and the Church Order.
(Full text of appeal is in Appendix 2)
ITEM 8B DECLARED ADMISSIBLE
Decision:
Not to accede Appeals 1, 2 & 3 to declare the letter of West Albany inadmissible.
Ground:
The letter from West Albany responded to the deputies' report and it was submitted on time. Thus it was admissible.
ADOPTED
(Appeal 4 is addressed in Article 62)
last updated 23 Jul 2003
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