The stated clerk of Classis East submits the following official report on the recent meeting of Classis East:

Classis East Report – January 10, 2018

Classis East met on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at Hudsonville PRC. By rotation Rev. J. Smidstra would have been the chairman of this meeting. Due to some weighty matters and the fact that this would be his first Classis meeting as a delegate, he requested of the Classical committee that he step aside as chairman of this meeting. The Classical committee brought this request as well as a recommendation that Rev. R. Van Overloop chair this meeting. Both recommendations were approved by Classis.

Routine matters such as reports from the stated clerk, classical committee, and church visitors were reported. The church visitors reported on their visits with the congregations of Classis East. They used the theme of “Ministering Righteousness in the Congregation” based on Nehemiah 5. They report that “We are thankful that the congregations within our Classis are doing well. The councils reported that there is peace, love, and unity present within their congregations.”

Classis considered three appeals and one overture. Two of the appeals dealt with discipline in two different congregations. In both cases these were decided to be not legally before Classis based on the fact that Articles 30 and 31 were not satisfied, that is, the matters were not finished in the minor assemblies. The remaining appeal was declared legally before Classis and assigned a committee of three ministers and three elders. That committee will bring their recommendation to a special meeting of Classis East on February 28, 2018. The overture was brought by an individual recommending that, prior to the meeting of classis, materials only be distributed to active council members and clergy of the PRC. After much deliberation this overture was adopted.

Classis at its January meeting elects delegates for Synod. Elected were the following: MINISTERS: Primi: Revs. G. Eriks, C. Haak, W. Langerak, C. Spronk, and R. Van Overloop, Secundi: H. Bleyenberg, W. Bruinsma, N. Decker, K. Koole, A. Lanning.  ELDERS: Primi: Pete Adams, Gary Kaptein, Jim Lanting, Howard Pastoor, Pete Vander Schaaf. Secundi: Bruce Jabaay, Larry Koole, Harlow Kuiper, Joel Minderhoud, and Dave Rau

In other voting for delegates ad examina, Rev. M. DeVries was elected as primus and Rev. N. Decker as secundus delegate. Both were for three-year terms. Rev. C. Spronk was elected for two-year term as secundus to replace Rev. R. Smit. Rev. J. Slopsema and Rev. K. Koole were elected as church visitors for 2018. Rev. A. Lanning and Rev. R. Van Overloop will serve as alternates. Rev. W. Langerak was elected to another three-year term to the classical committee.

Classis approved a 2018 subsidy request from Providence PRC ($30,000). 2019 Subsidy requests were approved for Pittsburgh PRC ($109,000), Providence PRC ($30,000), Wingham PRC ($36,000 – CAD). Expenses for Classis amounted to $1,160.24. Classis will reconvene at Hudsonville PRC on February 28. The May Classis meeting will be held on May 9, 2018 at Faith PRC.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary Boverhof, Stated Clerk

A special meeting of Classi East was held on Wednesday, Oct.18, 2017, at Georgetown PRC.

Below is the brief summary report from the Stated Clerk, Gary Boverhof.

Report of special meeting of Classis East for the purpose of examining Pastors-elect Joe Holstege (left in picture above) and Justin Smidstra (right in picture above).

They each preached a specimen sermon and then were examined extensively on the six loci of Reformed dogmatics, and their knowledge of the Scriptures, confessions, controversy, and practica.

Both men gave excellent demonstrations of their knowledge and training in all these areas over roughly 5 hours of oral questioning. Classis voted unanimously to approve of their examinations (and the Synodical Deputies from Classis West concurred), recommending that Zion PRC and First PRC of Holland proceed to the ordination and installation.

With much thanksgiving to God, we rejoice in His provision of these ministers of the gospel to the PRCA.

Also a classical appointment schedule was made for First PRC while they are without a pastor.

Pastor-elect Joe Holstege will be ordained and installed as Zion PRC's pastor on Friday Oct.20 at Faith PRC (7 p.m.), D.V. *UPDATE: Below is a picture from Rev. J. Holstege's ordination/installation service Friday evening in Faith PRC. It captures the important ceremony of the laying on of hands by the professors and ministers who were present.

Pastor-elect Justin Smidstra will be ordained and installed as First PRC-Holland's pastor on Tuesday, Oct.24 at First PRC of Holland (7 p.m.), D.V.

You are cordially invited to witness these events if you are in the area, or via live-stream through these churches' website.

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