Functionaries
(Complete List of
Responsibilities)

Classis Ministries
Team (CMT)

Classis Leadership
Team

Classical Appointments

Pulpit Supply

Interim Committee

Delegates

Synodical Deputies

Regional Pastors

Board of Trustees

Church Visitors

Safe Church Team

Finance Committee

Nominating Committee

Diaconal Ministries

Youth Ministries

Classical Candidacy
Committee (formerly
Student Fund Comm.)

Home Missions

McMaster Campus Ministry

Shalom Chaplaincy

E. Canada Leadership
Development Network

Churchplant Burlington

Classis Rules of
Procedure

Ministry Positions in
Classis Hamilton

50th Anniversary of
Classis Hamilton

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Welcome to the Classis Hamilton Website

Synod 2012:
June 8-15 at Redeemer University College. Click here to read about the Plans For The Prayer Ministry At Synod 2012 and to volunteer for the Prayer Ministry Team. We are in need of prayer warriors while Synod is in session.

Next regular Classis meeting: Tuesday May 22, 2012
Place: TBA
Agenda deadline:  April 6, 2012 (Please note that reports submitted after this date may not be included with the agenda). Please submit all materials to the Stated Clerk, Pastor John Veenstra (classishamilton@cogeco.ca), by email via Word attachments.

Chairperson: TBA
Vice Chairperson:
Reporter:

2012 Classis Meeting Dates:
Feb. 21, 2012, deadline for the agenda Jan. 10.
May 22, 2012, deadline for the agenda April 6.
Oct. 16, 2012, deadline for the agenda Sep. 7.

Classis Hamilton Summary Report of Classis meeting held Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Classis convened after a beautiful drive into Brantford on Tuesday February 21 at Hope CRC.  Elder Jake Ellens lead us in worship, reading of Psalm 111, and a reflecting on the blessing of being lead into God’s wisdom.  After joining our hearts and voices in prayer and song, hearing a great report from Rev. Ken Benjamins on how God is blessing Hope, and having Rev. Martin Dam leading us in a prayer for Hope CRC and the day, Classis was convened by chair Dick Kranendonk. 

All of the churches were represented. We started with the usual reports from the stated clerk and the interim committee.   We then nominated and voted for delegates to Synod convening on June 8-15 at Redeemer, with Rev. Ken Benjamins and Rev. Paul VandenBrink serving as Pastor delegates and Elders Mark VanderVliet and Elder Henry Brouwer serving as elder delegates.   

On a sadder note, church visitors Revs. Jeff Janssen and John Veenstra reported on the breakdown of the relationship between the Bethel CRC, Waterdown and its pastor, Rev Jim Pot. The synodical deputies from Classes Toronto, Huron and Niagara concurred in our painful acceptance of the release of two parties from their relationship as per Church Order Article 17.

After a great lunch, Classis heard from our Finance Committee: 100 % of our classical obligations were fulfilled last year, and our administration costs take only 7 cents of each dollar!  We were reminded that regional pastors, Rev. Kranenburg and Rev. Koops are available to Classis pastors at any time.  A number of churches are vacant and their respective church counselors who help out in this process reported on them.   We financially assist students preparing to enter the ministry, and gratefully received reports on how God is working in the lives of our future pastors.  We also endorsed Seth Adema as our nominee for a Contact Committee with the Canadian Government. 

Classis dealt with a number of overtures to Synod.  We will ask Synod to change church order article 40c to enable the practice of having the same person preside over Classis meetings for up to one year.  Classis also heard discussion on the Creation Stewardship Task Force Report that was sent out in November 2011, and will be asking Synod for more time for thoughtful reading, reflection and dialogue amongst our churches before adopting. Ebenezer CRC in Jarvis provided us with some excellent examples of what such reflection looks like.  Classis discussed three different possible responses to the Belhar Confession, and after discussion, adopted an overture presented by Brantford Hope CRC, Dundas CRC, Hagersville Community CRC, Jarvis Ebenezer CRC and Mount Hamilton CRC to not adopt the Belhar as a confession.  If you would like to check out the overture in its entirety, please refer to our Classis Hamilton website.  We hope to have the “url” for this to the churches as soon as possible.   

                Our Classis Ministry Coordinator, Ed Witvoet, reported on where we have come from as a Classis.  In the past two years, we have heard special conversations on youth, justice, mission, along with a lot of time and space created to discuss the Belhar confession.  Classis also looked at some structural adjustments, to allow us to comply fully with the Corporations Act and Church order, with the hope that Classis will become even more impactful in our mission “to be used by God to renew the greater Hamilton region through a gospel movement of healthy and vibrant churches, ministries and members.”   

                Classis heard from Rev. Greg Sinclair about a growing ministry to Muslims called AMAM (Advancing Ministry Among Muslims), and after working through a number of written reports from Redeemer University College, Shalom Manor, Calvin Theological seminary and the Board of Trustees for the CRCNA, Classis was adjourned at 3:28 PM.

Respectfully,
Rev. Jeff Vandermeer, reporter