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PROVISIONAL AGENDA for the NINTH Synod of the UNITED

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PROVISIONAL AGENDA for the NINTH Synod of the UNITED PROVISIONAL AGENDA For the NINTH Synod of the UNITED REFORMED CHURCHES IN NORTH AMERICA Convening Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 8:00 A.M., Pacific Daylight Time At Trinity United Reformed Church, Visalia, California Ending Friday evening, June 6, 2014 Registration Monday, June 2, 2014, at 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Prayer Service at 7:00 P.M. Convened by Trinity United Reformed Church, Visalia, California I. OPENING MATTERS A. Meeting called to order by the convening Consistory, Trinity United Reformed Church, Visalia, California. B. Opening Devotions C. Presentation of the Credentials and roll call of delegates D. Report of Credentials Committee E. Assent to the Form of Subscription by all the delegates F. Synod declared constituted II. INITIAL BUSINESS A. Welcome to delegates, visitors, and guests B. Election of officers C. Reception of Article 32 churches and assent by their delegates to the Form of Subscription D. Adopt the provisional agenda and advisory committee assignments E. Adopt the proposed time schedule: -Morning session: 8:00 to Noon -Lunch: Noon – 12:45 p.m. -Afternoon session: 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. -Supper: 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. -Evening session: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. -30 minutes breaks at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. F. Setting times for the special orders of the day; for Ecumenical Observers and Delegates III. MATTERS BEFORE SYNOD A. Report of the Convening Consistory ....................................................................................3 1. Appendix 1 – Stated Clerk’s Report ..............................................................................5 B. Financial Matters 1. U.S. Treasurer’s Report ...............................................................................................11 2. U.S. Financial Statement..............................................................................................17 3. Canadian Treasurer’s Reports ......................................................................................19 4. Canadian Financial Statements ....................................................................................23 5. JVA Financial Statements ............................................................................................31 Provisional Agenda Page 1 Synod 2014 C. Overtures Classis Central U.S. 1. Editorially Revise Classical Credential .......................................................................35 2. Clarify the Status of Our Three Forms of Unity ..........................................................37 3. Study the Matter of Resignation ..................................................................................43 4. Study Committee Related to Desertion of Church Membership .................................45 Classis Michigan 5. Revise Guidelines for Missions Coordinator ...............................................................47 Classis Ontario-East 6. Retain Doxological Ending of Lord’s Prayer ..............................................................49 7. Enhancement of the Proposed Form for Baptism ........................................................51 8. Reduce the Number of Liturgical Forms .....................................................................59 9. Remove Baptism Form 2 from Committee’s Proposal ................................................61 D. Communications 1. Communication #1 .......................................................................................................63 E. Report of Committees 1. Committee for Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity (CERCU) ...........................65 2. Proposed Joint Church Order Committee ....................................................................97 3. Psalter Hymnal Committee ..........................................................................................99 4. Liturgical Forms Committee ......................................................................................111 5. Committee for Ecumenical Contact with Churches Abroad (CECCA) .....................211 6. URCNA Web Oversight Committee .........................................................................255 7. Oversight Consistory for the Web Oversight Committee ..........................................259 8. Missions .....................................................................................................................261 9. Retirement ..................................................................................................................343 10. Report of Presbyterian and Reformed Joint Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel (PRCC) ......................................................................................................365 11. Canadian Board of Directors .....................................................................................369 12. United States Board of Directors ...............................................................................371 IV. ELECTIONS & APPOINTMENTS A. Stated Clerk and Alternate B. Treasurers and Alternates C. Webmaster D. Boards of Directors E. Standing Committees F. Others if required V. CLOSING MATTERS A. Choosing the calling consistory, place, and date for the next synod B. Reading of Concept Minutes C. Acknowledgments D. Closing Devotions E. Adjournment Provisional Agenda Page 2 Synod 2014 REPORT OF THE HOST CONSISTORY TO SYNOD VISALIA 2014 Greetings from the host consistory of Synod. We thank the Lord for the privilege of hosting Synod and working with the churches of our federation. We pray for the Lord's blessing upon the upcoming meeting. On behalf of the churches and the Lord of the church we did the following: -set up a bank account for Synod Visalia 2014 -set the date for Synod Visalia and arranged for accommodation with two area hotels -sent a letter to the churches in January 2013 -arranged for a young man in the congregation to provide technology support to delegates during the meeting of Synod -asked the PH Committee to arrange all devotions for the meeting of Synod Visalia 2014 -approved a request by the Board of Trustees of the URCNA, United States, to disburse funds in order to engage legal counsel to protect the interests of the URCNA in a lawsuit that names the URCNA, among others, as a defendant -shipped out the Acts of Synod Nyack to the churches in the U.S. -accepted the offer of Westminster Seminary California to host a dessert reception after the Synodical Prayer service -we responded to a number of letters re the (re)appointment of Mr. Lynn Brouwer to the URCNA U.S. Board of Directors; we thank God all the parties involved consider the matter to be closed -denied a request from emberstoaflame.org to have a display at the meeting of Synod Visalia 2014 -received a request from Christ URC (Santee, CA) to have Mihai Corcea (a Romanian student at Westminster Seminary California) address the delegates of Synod Visalia 2014; we asked the Consistory to process the request through the Committee for Ecumenical Contact with Churches Abroad (CECCA) -denied a request from the editor of Christian Renewal on behalf of Harvest USA to use the URCNA mailing list (Harvest USA is an organization that helps churches and church members with problems related to sexuality) -approved a request from Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church that we allow Reformed Mission Services (RMS) to have a literature table at Synod Visalia 2014 -denied a request from the Institute for Reformed Biblical Counseling to address the delegates of Synod 2014 -set the per delegate fee at $110 to cover the cost of Trinity's expenses for food, technology support, and other related items -CECCA was granted permission to invite fraternal delegates to attend Synod with the cost of food and lodging paid for by the churches of the URCNA -made up and sent a fraternal delegate registration form to CECCA -CECCA was refused a one week extension to submit materials for the agenda -sent a letter to the churches in January 2014 -made up and sent the registration form to the churches -granted permission to Providence Christian College to have a display table at the meeting of Synod Visalia 2014 -permission was granted to Word & Deed to have a display table at Synod Visalia 2014 -made up and sent out the Credential for Synod Visalia 2014 Provisional Agenda Page 3 Synod 2014 -instructed the Stated Clerk of the URCNA to put a note in the Agenda about a communication received instead of the actual communication because it names individuals and consistories in our federation Various observations: -all appointments and reappointments done by Synod should be contingent upon the approval of the appointee's consistory; we understand this is the practice but this does not appear to be written down in any of our rules -Synod should consider establishing guidelines for the convening consistory as it considers requests to address Synod or have displays at the meeting place of Synod and other such matters -many of the Canadian churches sent checks for registration that were not able to be deposited by banks in the U.S. Clerk of Trinity Visalia Consistory John Van Hofwegen Provisional Agenda Page 4 Synod 2014 Appendix 1 Report of the Stated Clerk to Synod 2012 Dear Fathers and Brothers, It has once again been my great privilege to serve as your Stated Clerk. Since our last synod, I have sought to complete all the duties assigned to me. I prepared the Acts of Synod 2012 and had them published. They were sent to the convening consistory and to Cornerstone United Reformed Church of London, Ontario, for distribution. I am deeply grateful for
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