R. Schouten of the church at Aldergrove called the meeting to order and opened in a
Christian manner. He welcomed all the delegates present at the table, as well as the
delegates from the church at Vernon who joined the meeting remotely. He extended a
special welcome to J. van der Linden and his wife from the Free Reformed Churches of
South Africa (FRCSA). R. Schouten drew attention to various ecclesiastical memorabilia.
The delegates of the church at Abbotsford examined the credentials and reported that they
were found to be in good order. R. Schouten declared classis constituted, and the
following men, suggested by previous classis, were appointed to serve as officers of
classis: B. Schoof chairman; B. Wielenga vice-chairman; and L. Stam clerk. The agenda of
classis was adopted.
J. van der Linden, missionary of the church at Johannesburg, addressed classis. He passed
on greetings from the sister churches in South Africa (FRCSA); gave information about the
sister churches, as well as the work with which he is particularly involved at the
Reformational Study Center; he concluded with words of encouragement from John 21.
The chairman responded with words of thanks and greeting.
A letter of greeting was received and read from J. Munive, the chairman of the Inter Church
Relations Committee of the Western Classis of the Reformed Church in the United States
(RCUS). Classis expressed thanks. The church at Nooksack Valley was tasked with sending
a delegate or a letter of greeting to the next meeting of the Western Classis.
A good report was read from the church at Vernon which had reviewed the books of the
classis treasurer. Classis received the report with thanks. The treasurer was discharged
from his responsibility for the classis account to the end of 2024.
Under question period ad Article 44 of the Church Order, all the churches affirmed that the
ministry of the office bearers is being continued, and the decisions of the major assemblies
are being honored. One consistory requested and received advice in closed session for the
proper government of its church.
Under appointments: the church at Chilliwack was appointed to convene the next classis
on December 11, 2025; with an alternate date of March 5, 2026. Suggested officers for the
next classis: chairman from Lynden; vice-chairman from Pathway; clerk from Sardis.
Delegates were appointed to Regional Synod West, to be convened on November 18, 2025
in the Willoughby Heights church in Langley, BC, as follows: ministers R. Schouten and C.
Vanderlinde, with (in order) B. Wielenga and B. Schoof as alternates; and elders M.
Onderwater and C. VanDriel, with (in order) J. VanBeelen and A. Louwerse as alternates.
Question period was held. The chairman concluded that no censure was needed (ad
Article 34 of the Church Order), and was thankful that the business of classis was
conducted in a brotherly manner. The Acts of Classis were read and adopted; the Press
Release was read and approved for publication. The chairman brought the meeting to a
conclusion in a Christian manner and then declared the meeting closed.
For classis,
B. Wielenga, vice-chairman at classis on September 25, 2025