AGENDA for the Fourth Synod of the UNITED REFORMED CHURCHES in NORTH AMERICA convening Tuesday, June 5, 2001, at 1:30 P.M., Pacific Daylight Time at Escondido United Reformed Church, Escondido, California Ending Thursday evening, June 7, 2001 Registration: 12:30 - 1:30 P.M. Meeting to begin at 1:30 P.M. I. OPENING MATTERS A. Meeting called to order by the Calling Church, Escondido United Reformed Church, Escondido B. Presentation of the Credentials and roll call of delegates C. Credentials Committee reports D. Assent to the Form of Subscription by all the delegates E. Synod declared constituted II. INITIAL BUSINESS A. Reception of new congregations and assent by their delegates to the Form of Subscription B. Welcome to delegates, visitors, and guests C. Adoption of a time schedule (Suggested: Tuesday, 1:30 - 6:00, Evening inspirational meeting - 7:30 P.M.; Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 - Noon, 1:30 - 5:30, 7:00 - 9:00. Fifteen minute breaks at 10 A.M. and 3 P.M. Sessions may be extended by vote, if necessary.) D. Election of officers for the meeting of the Fourth Synod of the United Reformed Churches in North America E. Setting times for special orders of the day; for Ecumenical Observers. III. MATTERS BEFORE SYNOD A. Report of the Calling Church B. Stated Clerk's Report C. Treasurers' Reports (Trinity, St. Catharines and Pompton Plains) p. 3 D. Overtures 1. Overture I. Hold synodical meetings in each classis in turn. [Classis Southern Ontario] p. 6 2. Overture II. Adopt the Canadian Reformed version of Belgic Confession, Article 4. [Classis Western Canada] p. 6 3. Overture III. Church Order amendment to Appendices 2 - 4. [Classis Southern Ontario] p. 7 4. Overture IV. Request for a quarterly report of news of the Federation. [Classis Michigan] p. 7 5. Overture V. Add to the mandate for the Committee for Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity [Classis Michigan] p. 8 6. Overture VI. Statements regarding the interpretation of Scripture and more specifically, interpreting the creation account of Genesis. [Classis Michigan] p. 8 7. Overture VII. Change Church Order Article 4. [Classis Southwest U.S.] p. 9 8. Overture VIII. Give pastoral instruction to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity. [Classis Southwest U.S.] p. 10 9. Overture IX. Stated Clerk to arrange for publication in bound volumes the minutes of the organization-al meeting and the subsequent synods of the United Reformed Churches. [Classis Central U. S.] p. 18 - 1 - 10. Overture X. Not adopt part of recommendation #4 of the Statements of Agreements from the Committee for Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity. [Classis Southern Ontario] p. 19 11. Overture XI. The word “day” is to be understood according to common usage. [Covenant United Ref. Church, Pantego, NC] p. 20 12. Overture XII. Twenty four hour days of Genesis One [Faith Ref. Church, Telkwa, B.C.] p. 20 E. Classical Request for Advice p.21 F. Reports of the Advisory Committees 1. Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity Committee p. 22 2. URCNA-OPC Study Committee p. 54 3. Psalter Hymnal Committee p. 78 4. Biblical and Confessional View of Missions p. 79 5. Missions in Mexico p. 92 6. Canadian Charitable Gifts p. 97 7. Ecumenical Relations with Churches Abroad p. 102 8. Board of Directors of the Corporation p. 103 9. Voluntary Health Care Plan 10. Voluntary Retirement Pension Plan a. Canadian perspective p. 104 b. United States perspective p. 129 IV. ELECTIONS A. Stated Clerk B. Board of Directors C. Ecumenical Relations and Church Unity Committee V. CLOSING MATTERS A. Choosing the calling church, place, and date for the next meeting of Synod B. Reading of the Concept Minutes C. Acknowledgments and Adjournment D. Closing Devotions - 2 - TREASURER’S REPORTS Canadian Finance Committee Report to Synod The following is a report of activity since the previous synod: Beginning Balance (June 1, 1999): 4,861.64 Credits: “Askings” Receipts 5,519.22 Other Receipts 96.85 Total Credits: $5,616.07 5,6416.07 Expenses: Federation Expenses 2,962.98 Office Expenses 11.02 Bank charges 19.50 Total Expenses $2,993.50 2,993.50 Ending Balance ( Feb. 28, 2001): $7,484.21 - 3 - United Reformed Churches in North America Peter J. Moen, US URCNA Treasurer 15 Romondt Road, Pompton Plains, New Jersey, 07444-1840 1999 End of Year Report 01/01/99 Through 12/31/99 (Audited) BALANCE 12/31/1998 12,939.05 INCOME Askings 4,529.73 Int Inc 142.58 Reimbursements 1,000.00 TOTAL INCOME 5,672.31 EXPENSES Clerk 2,500.00 Dues 1,505.00 Office: Directory 55.00 TOTAL Office 55.00 Postage 946.68 Synod Secretary 2,677.38 Telephone 830.19 Travel 1,141.17 TOTAL EXPENSES 9,655.42 NET TOTAL -3,983.11 BALANCE 12/31/1999 8,955.94 - 4 - United Reformed Churches in North America Peter J. Moen, US URCNA Treasurer 15 Romondt Road, Pompton Plains, New Jersey, 07444-1840 2000 End of Year Report 01/01/00 Through 12/31/00 (not audited) BALANCE 12/31/1999 8,955.94 INCOME Askings1 8,632.37 Interest 167.67 Last Year's Askings1 4,431.00 Reimbursements2 730.88 TOTAL INCOME 13,961.92 EXPENSES Clerk 1,500.00 Directory 55.00 Incorporation 753.75 Postage 555.50 Supplies 103.03 Synod Materials 68.00 Synod-Missions 1,583.50 Telephone 445.17 Travel 2,296.28 TOTAL EXPENSES 7,360.23 NET TOTAL 6,601.69 BALANCE 12/31/2000 15,557.63 NOTE 1: Askings has been split into: a. 1999 Askings received in 2000 and b. 2000 Askings received in 2000. NOTE 2: The Clerk’s honorarium is paid by the US Treasurer and the Canadian Treasurer makes a good faith estimate, based on the currency exchange, to reimbursement their half of the honorarium. NOTE 3: Synod-Missions refers to the cost associated with the Synodical Missions Committee. NOTE 4: Travel refers to all other travel at the request of Synod, usually representation at ecclesiastical meetings. - 5 - OVERTURES Overture I Classis Southern Ontario hereby overtures the Synod of the URCNA that the federation adopt a policy of holding synodical meetings in each of the classes in turn. Each classis will designate a church within its bounds to serve as the convening church. Grounds: 1. This may help us to avoid a sense of centralization. 2. As we have experienced in our first three synodical meetings in the Chicago area, in southern Ontario, and in West Michigan respectively, this will help both the local churches and the delegates to have an increased awareness of the federation, and their connection to their sister churches across North America. 3. Increased ease of travel makes this practice more feasible than it may have been in the past. Classis Southern Ontario Mr. A. Korvemaker, clerk Overture II Classis Western Canada overtures Synod 2001to adopt the version of Belgic Confession Article 4 adopted by the Canadian Reformed Churches, which reads as follows: We believer that he Holy Scriptures consist of two parts, namely, the Old and the New Testament, which are canonical, against which nothing can be alleged. These books are listed in the Church of God as follows. The books of the Old Testament: the five books of Moses, namely Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther; Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zepheniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The books of the New Testament: the four gospels, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles; the thirteen letters of the apostle Paul, namely Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon; the letter to the Hebrews; the seven other letters, namely, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude, and the Revelation to the apostle John. Grounds: 1. The listing for the books in the Canadian Reformed version of this article has a snoother flow to it and is more in line with the commonly understood names of the books. For example, this version refers to 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Corinthians, etc., as opposed to our present version, which refers to “the two books of Samuel”, “two to the Corinthians,” etc. 2. Our present version states that the two books of the Chronicles are “commonly called Paralipomenon.” The term Paralipomenon is not commonly used anymore. 3. Our present version lists the book of Psalms as the Psalms of David. This could lead to the mistaken notion that David wrote all the Psalms. 4. Our present version refers to “the four great prophets,” and “the twelve lesser prophets.” This distinction between the prophets is unnecessary. Given the common present day understanding of these terms, they could lead to the mistaken notion that one portion of Scripture is being elevated over another. 5. Our present version does not list Lamentations. 6. Our present version lists Hebrews as one the epistles of Paul. There are many biblical scholars, including conservative ones, who would call this assertion into question. For example, Philip E. Hughes in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews states, “The absence both of solid testimony, internal or external, and of any firm traditions means that, as things are, the riddle of the authorship of Hebrews is - 6 - incapable of solution.” We are not saying that Paul did not write Hebrews.