At her congregational meeting Monday night, March 2, 2015, Peace PRC voted to extend a call to Rev.Cory Griess (from the trio which included Revs.W.Langerak and J.Marcus), currently pastor of Calvary PRC in Hull, IA (since 2009).

May the Lord guide this servant into a clear knowledge of His will for him and his family as well as into faithful submission to it.

The next regular meeting of Classis West is set for Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at the Doon PRC in Doon, IA.

The agenda looks to be light. At this meeting Classis will be voting for its synodical delegates, functionaries, and committee members.

Pray that the men may be given traveling mercies as they make their way to NW Iowa and that these delegates may be given wisdom for the work the King of the church, Jesus Christ, has in store for them.

UPDATE: Below you may now find the Stated Clerk's public report of this meeting (also attached in pdf form):

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches

Rev. Douglas J. Kuiper, Stated Clerk
321 Maple St W, PO Box 212, Edgerton, MN 56128
Phone: (507) 442-4441
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Report of Meeting of Classis West
March 4, 2015

On March 4, 2015, the thirty delegates to Classis West met in the Doon, IA PRC. The day dawned sunny, clear, cold, and windy - a typical winter morning on the eastern edge of the plains. Inside, the delegates enjoyed warm fellowship.

Rev. Erik Guichelaar opened the session by reading 1 Timothy 4:11-16, and giving a meditation on verse 16. The young pastor reminded the delegates of the need both to be diligent in our labors, and to be personal examples of godliness, assuring us from God’s Word that in this way we will enjoy God’s blessing on us personally and on our congregations. After devotions, Rev. R. Hanko took the chair and capably led the Classis through its work.

For the most part, this was a routine spring meeting. Classis approved the labors of its stated clerk, classical committee, church visitors, and reading sermon committee. It provided Peace PRC with classical appointments. Classis approved Edgerton’s request for subsidy for 2015, and approved subsidy requests for six churches for 2016. Since 1999, Edgerton has been able to subsidize its own General Fund by drawing annually from the interest and principal of a sizeable bequest. Edgerton informed Classis that, because the bequest could be completely gone in about 5 years, Edgerton thought it prudent to subsidize its General Fund partly from that bequest fund, and partly from denominational subsidy - which Classis granted. All subsidy requests will now be forwarded to Synod 2015 for final approval or disapproval.

Voting for various functionaries and synodical delegates is always on the agenda of the spring meeting. Classis appointed Rev. J. Laning to a three year term on the classical committee. It chose Revs. S. Key, R. Kleyn, D. Kuiper, and J. Laning as church visitors for the next year, with Revs. A. Brummel and D. Lee as alternates. It brings to Synod the recommendation to approve Rev. D. Kuiper for a three year term as primus synodical deputy, and Rev. J. Laning for a three year term as secundus. It delegated to synod Revs. Brummel, Key, Kleyn, Kuiper, and Laning, and elders Keith Bruinsma (Peace), Chester Hunter (Edgerton), Alan Meurer (Bethel), Jack Lenting (Crete), and Jack Regnerus (Randolph). Alternate delegates are Revs. Griess, Huizinga, Langerak, Lee, and Marcus, and elders Jim Andringa (Hull), Glenn Feenstra (Hope), Jim Hoogendoorn (Doon), Victor Solanyk (Loveland), and Steve Van Drunen (Crete).

Classis dealt with two non-routine matters.

First, Peace PRC informed Classis that its congregation has authorized its council to investigate buying property or existing buildings south of its current location, “most likely in Indiana.” Recognizing that the Illinois/Indiana border is the designated boundary line between Classis East and Classis West, Peace asked Classis to bring to Synod its request to be permitted to remain in Classis West, should Peace move across the classical boundary into Indiana. Classis forwarded this request to Synod, with its approval.

Second, the stated clerk informed Classis that he was nearly finished preparing an index of the decisions of Classis West, and desired advice from Classis regarding the printing, distributing, and updating of this index. Classis decided to permit every consistory in the denomination to receive a printed copy, and every minister in the denomination to receive a printed and/or electronic copy of this index. Because the index contains publicly known information, Classis faced the question whether to make the printed version available to any member of the denomination who requests it. Classis decided instead that members of the congregations may ask their consistory to use their copy, as the consistory is in a better position to judge why the member desires to use it. The stated clerk was then instructed to update and redistribute the electronic version of this index every year, and the printed version every ten years. However, every year the stated clerk must send those who receive the printed version a looseleaf sheet of cumulative updates.

Glancing through the minutes, I see that consistories have asked for advice regarding erasure or increase of censure at 7 of the last 11 meetings. This meeting was one of those four at which no consistories sought such advice.

The expenses of this meeting totaled $8029.82.

Classis is scheduled to meet next on September 30 in Edgerton, MN.

Rev. Douglas Kuiper, Stated Clerk

"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8

2015 YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONVENTION, hosted by Southeast PRC, Grand Rapids, MI is August 10-14 at Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, MI.

It is time to register at http://prcconvention.com/registration.html Registration is open March 2 through May 20.

Also, remember to return all necessary forms to the address provided on the response email.

Check out the 2015 PRYP's Convention Facebook page too!

Thanks! SE PRC Steering Committee

Added note re Chaperones (March 2015):

Chaperone Registration is now open for this year’s Young People's Convention hosted by Southeast PRC at Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, Michigan, August 10-14 2015. If you are interested in chaperoning this year’s convention you must apply online at http://prcconvention.com/. To apply you must be a confessing member of the PRC and at least 23 years of age. You must also submit a letter of approval from your consistory by April 20. We look forward to seeing you there! Please contact Kim DeVries or Sami Holstege if you have any questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Note re Study Materials (April 2015):

Attention Young People Conventioneers: Check out the discussion group and devotional materials for the upcoming 2015 PRYP convention. These materials can be found on the Convention website (www.prcconvention.com) under Chaperones link and at the Young Calvinists website (www.youngcalvinists.org) under the Resources section.

Michindoh Conference Center, Hillsdale, MI

First PRC of Grand Rapids, MI and the Reformed Witness Hour Committee announce the messages scheduled for March 2015 on the RWH radio program.

Rev.Rodney Kleyn, pastor of the Covenant of Grace PRC in Spokane, WA will be doing a special series on Isaiah 53 this month, in connection with our remembrance of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ in this time of year.

Below is the schedule of messages, which you will also find attached in pdf form.

For stations and times for listening to the RWH program, visit the RWH website. Be sure to listen each Sunday on a station near you - or anytime through our website!

From the February 22, 2015 bulletin of the Provident Christian Church (Marikina, the Philippines), where missionary-pastor D.Kleyn preached this past Sunday,  we learn the following:

The regular Classis Meeting of the Protestant Reformed Churches in the Philippines (which meets 3 times a year) is scheduled for this week  Wednesday, February 25, beginning at 9:00 a.m., in the church building of the Berean PRC in Greenheights Subdivision, Mayamot, Antipolo. All are welcome to attend and observe the meeting.

Let's be sure to pray for the delegates as they conduct the business of the churches together in that part of the world.

Also, this note was placed in the same bulletin:

Next Sunday, Lord willing, Rev. R. Smit will be preaching for us. That will be his and his family’s last Sunday with us here in PCC.

Let's also be in prayer for the Smits as they conclude their life and labors in the Philippines and prepare to come to First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI where Rev.Smit recently accepted a call to serve as pastor.

Update: Rev.D.Kleyn sent this summary of the meeting and a few pictures, which we now add here.

The meeting was held yesterday (February 25) in the church building of the Berean PRC in Mayamot, Antipolo. Rev.D.Kleyn (who served as president of the previous classis) opened the meeting by leading the classis in devotions and a meditation on Psalm 87:2. Then Rev. Flores, by rotation, chaired the meeting of Classis. 

In addition to receiving reports from the clerk and treasurer and approving their work, the Classis received and treated reports from its two standing committees. The main content of these reports was that each committee presented constitutions to classis for its respective duties - i.e., constitutions for Contact Committee, Finance Committee, Seminary Student Training, etc. 

The Classis also treated and approved the procedure that is to be used when churches request membership in the PRCP.  The classis then gave its approval for one of the standing committees to implement this procedure in treating the request of Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela to join the federation. 

The classis began at 9:00 am and finished at approximately 1:00 pm. 

This was the last classis meeting that Rev.R.Smit will attend, and he bade farewell to the classis and led in the closing prayer.  As many of the men of Classis mentioned, he will certainly be missed.

The next classis meeting is scheduled for June 12, the Lord willing, and will be hosted by the PRC in Bulacan.

After Rev.R.Kleyn's decline of her most recent call, the Council of Peace PRC (Lansing, IL) has formed a trio of Rev. Wm. Langerak (SE PRC, Grand Rapids, MI), Rev. J. Marcus (First PRC, Edmonton), and Rev. C Griess (Calvary PRC, Hull, IA).

The congregation plans to vote to extend a call on Monday, March 2.