From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 06:28:52 -0500 (EST) Subject: NR 97027: Kindred Spirits Gathering of RCA Progressives Meet to Discuss RCA Dire NR #1997-027: "Kindred Spirits Gathering" of RCA Progressives Meet in Holland to Discuss Direction of Reformed Church in America "How do we live together as a family when some people disagree?" That was the focus of a March 3 meeting at Hope Reformed Church of Holland bringing together about four dozen invited progressive church leaders from the 312,000-member Reformed Church in America. According to Hope College professor Dr. Lynn Japinga, the meeting followed up on a similar meeting last fall at the Stony Point Conference Center in New York. "Lots of issues are coming up this year that people are thinking a lot about and some of the conversation that has occurred about that has been in some pretty heated situations," said Japinga, noting recent RCA conflicts over Spring Lake pastor Rev. Richard Rhem and his views on salvation apart from Christ, as well as similar views held by retired Kalamazoo pastor Dr. Donald Van Hoeven and an pending amendment that would require all ministers and churches to reaffirm that salvation is only through Christ. However, Japinga said the "Kindred Spirits Gathering" was called to focus on broader issues as well. NR #1997-027: For Immediate Release "Kindred Spirits Gathering" of RCA Progressives Meet in Holland to Discuss Direction of Reformed Church in America by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service HOLLAND, Mich. (March 3, 1997) URNS -- "How do we live together as a family when some people disagree?" That was the focus of a March 3 meeting at Hope Reformed Church of Holland bringing together about four dozen invited progressive church leaders from the 312,000-member Reformed Church in America. According to Hope College professor Dr. Lynn Japinga, the meeting followed up on a similar meeting last fall at the Stony Point Conference Center in New York. "I was one of the speakers at that," said Japinga. "One of the things that came out of that meeting was that it would be nice to have a midwestern version of that because most of the midwest pastors couldn't get out to New York." The "Kindred Spirits Gathering" allowed free discussion of issues in the RCA, said Japinga. "Lots of issues are coming up this year that people are thinking a lot about and some of the conversation that has occurred about that has been in some pretty heated situations," said Japinga, noting recent RCA conflicts over Spring Lake pastor Rev. Richard Rhem and his views on salvation apart from Christ, as well as similar views held by retired Kalamazoo pastor Dr. Donald Van Hoeven and an pending amendment that would require all ministers and churches to reaffirm that salvation is only through Christ. However, Japinga said the "Kindred Spirits Gathering" was called to focus on broader issues as well. "One of the ministers who has a long history in the Reformed Church, Marion DeVelder, talked historically about some of the ways that the RCA has dealt with dissent in the past," said Japinga. "The others offered more impressions of how people felt about issues in the RCA right now." Muskegon pastor Rev. Mimi Baar-Bush, who worked with Japinga, Hope RCA pastor Rev. Dennis Tebeest, and Second Zeeland RCA pastor Rev. John Schmidt to organize the conference, said she wanted to avoid further division. "There are some folks around who are very concerned about these issues but feel isolated and unsafe talking in the RCA groupings in which they find themselves," said Baar-Bush. "From the comments I heard from people, they were very grateful for the time and place to be able to speak and to share and to listen and not to feel that they were having to guard their language or that if they say the wrong thing they might be suspect for heresy or rebuke or whatever." Japinga said she hoped the RCA would avoid isolating those who thought differently from others in the denomination. "There have been voices written off recently as those liberals, those radicals, and I don't find that true at all," said Japinga. "These are people who care deeply about the church and who have been concerned about how decisions have been made in the RCA in the last couple of years." "There has been a lot of pain among the clergy and some isolation and loneliness and we wanted to provide a place to address that," said Japinga. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality, Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ #1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture #1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with Christ Community Church #1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon #1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church #1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word" #1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views #1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church #1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?" #1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose" #1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem #1997-002: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "Classis... Has Engaged in Conspiratorial Actions Which Were Maliciously Calculated to Damage Rev. Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church" #1997-007: Appeal of Charges Against Rhem Sent Back to Committee by RCA's Regional Synod Executive Committee; Van Hoeven Appeal to Proceed with Recommendation of Dismissal #1997-019: Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church Order Change: Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone? #1997-026: Southwest Michigan Becomes First RCA Michigan Classis to Ratify Church Order Amendment on Salvation Through Christ Alone Contact List: Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499 Rev. Mimi Baar-Bush, Pastor, Covenant Community Church 134 East Barney Ave., Muskegon, MI 49444 O: (616) 737-1491 * H: (616) 766-3415 Rev. Marion de Velder 317 Hunters Run Cir., Holland, MI 49423 H: (616) 392-8811 Dr. Lynn Japinga, Professor, Hope College 137 E. 12th St., Holland, MI 49423-5125 O: (616) 395-7753 * H: (616) 395-0213 Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476 Rev. John Schmidt, Pastor, Second Reformed Church 225 E. Central, Zeeland, MI 49464 O: (616) 772-2153 * H: (616) 392-8308 Rev. Dennis Tebeest, Pastor, Hope Reformed Church 77 W. 11th St., Holland, MI 49423 O: (616) 392-7947 * H: (616) 392-5552 Rev. Donald Van Hoeven 1024 Westfall, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 H: (616) 381-8586 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-027.txt .