Classis Hamilton comes to you this fall from the shiny new facilities of the Meadowlands CRC in Ancaster.  The hospitality of the Meadowlands CRC was much appreciated.  It’s not always obvious how many people it takes to run a Classis meeting, and the congregation should be commended for the hospitality we received.

Undoubtedly, the bulk of the day was spent on questions surrounding entering and exiting ministry.  The first official act of the day was the approval of the retirement request of Rev. Gordon Pols, effective in January of 07, though he will stay on at Ancaster CRC till June, so we didn’t have to say goodbye just yet.

The rest of the morning was spent on the Classical Examination of candidates Stephen Terpstra, called by Mt. Hamilton CRC, and Mark Knetsch, called by Hamilton Emmanuel.  Both Stephen and Mark gave a very strong account of themselves.  Their personal faith was evident throughout, as was their theological knowledge and their desire to make this knowledge and passion relevant at a congregational level.  Classis was happy to pass both candidates and welcome them as colleagues.

This uplifting pair of interviews was contrasted with a long and weighty discussion regarding Pastor Steven Baarda’s separation from ministry with the Simcoe congregation.  After much deliberation, it was decided that Pastor Baarda would be released from ministry in the Immanuel Simcoe CRC under Art. 17 of the church order.  A procedure was also put into place should he seek a return to active ministry. 

We also heard a report from Hamilton First CRC regarding the ministerial status of “Pastor Zak” (Sririsack Saythavy).  Pastor Zak is pursuing some ministry opportunities within the Thai and Laotian communities in Toronto, and Hamilton First will report in the future on the possibility of transferring his credentials to the Toronto area for supervision.

With those debates behind us, we were able to hear encouraging reports from many ministries, including Leo Gatotos sharing what’s happening in the Living Mosaic church plant and Hamilton First updating us on the progress of their vision for a multi-site church plant for downtown Hamilton.

The Finance committee reminded the Classis that congregations must stand behind the membership numbers they submit in the CRC Yearbook.  We also approved a raise in the recommended amount given for classical appointments.

Lastly, we engaged in a conversation on how we can best shepherd members who move to another part of the country, well led by the Meadowlands elders.  It was clear from the discussion that well there was disagreement on whether sending letters to nearby churches is effective as a means of shepherding, the importance of following up on members who move is very important and should not be neglected.

Lastly, we took care of some nominations.  2 new members were added to the Classical Youth Ministry Committee, and Shawn Brix was appointed to replace Steve Baarda on the Redeemer College Board.

Overall, it was a long meeting (over 11 hours), but a meaningful one, with much celebration, some sadness, but in which the Lord’s guidance was evident.           

Humbly Submitted

Pastor Martin Dam; Reporter