free reformed churches of .frca free reformed churches of australia frcsa free reformed churches

ACTS OF THE 2012 SYNOD

and

Reports to the 2012 Synod

of the

FREE REFORMED CHURCHES OF AUSTRALIA

ARMADALE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 9 20 July 2012

Back row:

Rev J Kroeze (Classis North), Rev A Souman (CanRC), Rev H Breytenbach (FRCSA), Rev W Wielenga (CanRC), Rev P Archbald (RCNZ), Rev T Van Spronsen (Classis South West), Rev C Vermeulen (Classis Central), Br J Plug (Classis South West), Br G t Hart (Classis South West), Br J Wielstra (Classis North), Rev E Rupke (Classis North), Br W Amoraal (Classis Central), Br J de Jong (RCN), Rev PK Meijer (RCN), Rev M Biha (GGRI), Rev W van der Jagt (Classis Central), Br A van der Net (RCNr), Br J Houweling (RCNr)

Front row:

Br G Spyker (Classis North), Br K Wezeman (RCN), Br M Hoogerdijk (Classis North), Rev S t Hart (Classis South West), Rev R Pot (Classis South West), Rev A van Delden (Classis Central), Br W VanderVen (Classis South West), Rev PKA deBoer (Classis North), Br A Wagenaar (Classis Central), Br E Heerema (Classis Central), Rev Y Dethan (GGRC), Ev R Rehyard (GGRC)

Moderamen:

Rev R Pot (Vice Chairman), Rev A van Delden (Chairman), Br W VanderVen (First Clerk), Rev PKA deBoer (Second Clerk)

Glossary

GLOSSARY OF ECCLESIASTICAL ABBREVIATIONS

BC Belgic Confession BoP Book of Praise CanRC Canadian Reformed Churches CO Church Order CRCA Christian Reformed Churches of Australia FERCS First Evangelical Reformed Church in Singapore FRC Free Reformed Church FRCA Free Reformed Churches of Australia FRCSA Free Reformed Churches in South Africa GGRC Gereja-Gereja Reformasi Calvin GGRI Gereja-Gereja Reformasi Di Indonesia LRCA Liberated Reformed Church at Abbotsford NGK Nederlands Gereformeerde Kerken OPC Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA) PCK Presbyterian Churches in Korea (Kosin) RCB Reformed Churches in Brazil RCN Reformed Churches in the Netherlands RCN(R) Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) RCNZ Reformed Churches of New Zealand URCNA United Reformed Churches of North America

Table of Contents

i

Acts of Synod Armadale 2012 Table of Contents

Article 1 - Opening of Synod by Convening Church of

Armadale .................................................................. 7 Article 2 - Examination of Credentials ...................................... 7 Article 3 - Election of Officers ................................................... 8 Article 4 - Overseas Delegates ................................................ 8 Article 5 - Constitution of Synod ............................................... 9 Article 6 - Delegates Agreement with the Three Forms of

Unity ......................................................................... 9 Article 7 - Administrative Assistant ........................................... 9 Article 8 - Adjournment ............................................................. 9 Article 9 - Opening .................................................................. 10 Article 10 - Time Schedules ..................................................... 10 Article 11 - Adoption of Agenda ............................................... 10 Article 12 - Personal Letter ....................................................... 14 Article 13 - Homepage on Internet ........................................... 14 Article 14 - Welcome to Overseas Visitors ............................... 14 Article 15 - Synod Advisory Committee and Schedule ............ 15 Article 16 - Request in relation to Article 8 of the CO

regarding the position of Br J Bruning (Refer Articles 17, 82, 109) ............................................... 16

Article 17 - Acts of Closed Session (Refer Articles 16, 82, 109) ........................................................................ 16

Article 18 - Book of Praise Appeal FRC Kelmscott appeals Art 24 of Acts of Synod Legana 2009 (Refer Articles 19, 39, 78, 106) .............................. 16

Article 19 - Deputies Report: Book of Praise (Refer Articles 18, 39, 78, 106) ...................................................... 18

Article 20 - Reopening .............................................................. 18 Article 21 - Address of Delegates of Sister Churches (RCN,

CanRC, GGRC) ..................................................... 19 Article 22 - First Evangelical Reformed Church in

Singapore (FERCS) ............................................... 19 Article 23 - Closing ................................................................... 20 Article 24 - Reopening .............................................................. 21 Article 25 - Reformed Churches of New Zealand (Refer

Articles 26, 73, 89) ................................................. 21 Article 26 - Overtures regarding Reformed Churches of

New Zealand (Refer Articles 25, 73, 89) ................ 21

Table of Contents

ii

Article 27 - Adjournment ........................................................... 22 Article 28 - Reopening .............................................................. 22 Article 29 - Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Refer

Articles 30, 40, 43, 57, 76, 94, 114, 116) ............... 22 Article 30 - Overtures regarding Reformed Churches in the

Netherlands (Refer Articles 29, 40, 43, 57, 76, 94, 114, 116) .......................................................... 23

Article 31 - Reformed Churches of Brazil (Refer Article 48) .... 23 Article 32 - Reopening .............................................................. 25 Article 33 - Address of Delegates of Sister Churches

(GGRI, FRCSA) ..................................................... 25 Article 34 - Response to address of delegates of RCN and

CanRC ................................................................... 25 Article 35 - Canadian Reformed Churches Overture FRC

Mt Nasura (Refer Articles 36, 49) .......................... 25 Article 36 - Canadian Reformed Churches (CanRC) (Refer

Articles 35, 49) ....................................................... 26 Article 37 - Closing ................................................................... 26 Article 38 - Reopening .............................................................. 27 Article 39 - Book of Praise (Refer Article 18, 19, 78, 106) ....... 27 Article 40 - Reformed Churches of the Netherlands (Refer

Article 29, 30, 43, 57, 76, 94, 114, 116) ................. 27 Article 41 - Reopening .............................................................. 28 Article 42 - Acts of Synod ......................................................... 28 Article 43 - Reformed Churches of the Netherlands (Refer

Articles 29, 30, 40, 57, 76, 94, 14, 116) ................. 28 Article 44 - Advisory Committee Sessions ............................... 28 Article 45 - Reopening .............................................................. 28 Article 46 - Address of Delegates of Sister Churches

(RCNZ, RCN(r)) ..................................................... 29 Article 47 - Response to address of delegates of GGRI and

FRCSA ................................................................... 29 Article 48 - Proposal re contact with Reformed Churches of

Brazil (Refer Article 31) .......................................... 29 Article 49 - Canadian Reformed Churches (Refer Articles

35, 36) .................................................................... 30 Article 50 - FRC Busselton - Proposal to appoint deputies

to investigate a name change of the federation (Refer Article 60) .................................................... 32

Article 51 - Closing ................................................................... 32 Article 52 - Reopening .............................................................. 32

Table of Contents

iii

Article 53 - Seating of advisors ................................................ 32 Article 54 - Adjournment ........................................................... 33 Article 55 - Reopening .............................................................. 33 Article 56 - Acts of Synod ......................................................... 33 Article 57 - Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Refer

Articles 29, 30, 40, 43, 76, 94, 114, 116) ............... 33 Article 58 - Letter from Liberated Reformed Church

Abbotsford (LRCA) (Refer Article 59) .................... 34 Article 59 - Liberated Reformed Church Abbotsford (LRCA)

(Refer Article 58) .................................................... 34 Article 60 - Proposal by FRC Busselton regarding

federation name change (Refer Article 50) ............ 35 Article 61 - Press Release ........................................................ 37 Article 62 - Adjournment ........................................................... 37 Article 63 - Reopening .............................................................. 37 Article 64 - Response to address of Delegates of RCN(r)

and RCNZ .............................................................. 37 Article 65 - Letter from Delegates of Sister Churches

(Korea) ................................................................... 38 Article 66 - Presbyterian Churches in Korea (Kosin) (PCK) ..... 38 Article 67 - Free Reformed Churches of South Africa

(FRCSA) ................................................................. 39 Article 68 - Training for the Ministry (Refer Article 69) ............. 41 Article 69 - Overture re Training for the Ministry (Refer

Article 68) ............................................................... 43 Ar