Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 04:01:13 -0500 From: Darrell Todd Maurina Organization: Christian Renewal/United Reformed News Service Subject: NR 99017: Cl. Southwest US Continues Growth NR #1999-017: Classis Southwest United States Continues Growth, Seeks to Create Classical Church Reception Procedure Classis Southwest United States of the United Reformed Churches is beginning to have some of those growth problems. The classis already includes a number of nontraditional churches and mission works, including Christ Reformed Church of Placentia pastored by radio talk show host Dr. Michael Scott Horton, a Fresno group that joined the URC through Horton's radio broadcast, and a Vietnamese congregation pastored by Dr. Nguyen Xuan Bao whose large church left the CRC after its pastor was deposed by Classis Greater Los Angeles. Now the classis has received applications from a second Vietnamese church and a group of immigrants >from Armenia who already have a Bible study, learned of the URC through Horton's radio broadcasts, and want to begin worship services as a United Reformed congregation. To handle the unexpected number of churches applying for membership, First URC of Chino, California is asking Classis Southwest United States "to develop a specific classical procedure by which churches from outside the denomination may be received into the classis and denomination." NR #1999-017: For Immediate Release: Classis Southwest United States Continues Growth, Seeks to Create Classical Church Reception Procedure by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (February 11, 1999) URNS - Growth problems may be good problems, but they're problems nonetheless. Classis Southwest United States of the United Reformed Churches is beginning to have some of those growth problems. The classis already includes a number of nontraditional churches and mission works, including Christ Reformed Church of Placentia pastored by radio talk show host Dr. Michael Scott Horton, a Fresno group that joined the URC through Horton's radio broadcast, and a Vietnamese congregation pastored by Dr. Nguyen Xuan Bao whose large church left the CRC after its pastor was deposed by Classis Greater Los Angeles. Now the classis has received applications from a second Vietnamese church and a group of immigrants >from Armenia who already have a Bible study, learned of the URC through Horton's radio broadcasts, and want to begin worship services as a United Reformed congregation. To handle the unexpected number of churches applying for membership, First URC of Chino, California is asking Classis Southwest United States "to develop a specific classical procedure by which churches from outside the denomination may be received into the classis and denomination." First URC noted that the church order has a detailed procedure for reception of ministers and a general article governing organization of a congregation within the URC, "nowhere, to the best of our knowledge, does the United Reformed Church have a specific policy regarding the reception of churches already formed, or who come from other denominations." In response, First URC drafted a detailed questionnaire that the church proposes classis send to each congregation or group considering affiliation with the URC. Upon completion, the questionnaire would be sent to the classical interim committee, which would then hold an interview with the governing body of the church or group seeking affiliation. "Upon a satisfactory interview the Interim Committee shall assign a neighboring council which shall exercise supervision over the church/group making application, and shall report their labors to the next classis meeting," the procedure states. "The supervising council shall see to it that the provisions of the church order are followed in the church/group making application, that the church members are convinced of the Reformed faith, that appropriate training and instruction take place for the church membership where such is needed, that adherence to the confessions and creeds as well as the church order is ensured, that the appropriate steps for possible reception of the pastor(s) are followed, the a report of its activities in this regard are reported to each meeting of classis, and that it brings an appropriate recommendation concerning the church's reception to classis when all is in order." First URC also overtured classis to establish a committee to advise it, since First URC is "considering the possibility of establishing a mission work in our area, possibly in Chino Hills, Corona, or Riverside." "Such a committee, given a specific mandate, could, upon request, advise other churches with similar goals," wrote the church in its overture. A related overture asked Classis Southwest United States "to advise the churches of classis regarding ways to foster greater, more meaningful fellowship among and prayer for the churches of classis," on the grounds that "the fledgling nature of classis, our distance from one another, our mutual love for each other and for a united purpose as a classis, all would demand that we encourage the level of fellowship among the churches as much as possible." As a possible solution, First URC proposed the creation of a classical newsletter or a classically sponsored retreat or picnic with times of prayer and hearing inspirational Reformed speakers. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1998-010: Classis California South Loses Third of Membership #1998-011: What's Left of Classis California South? #1998-015: New United Reformed Churches Classis Southwest United States to Face Dramatic Expansion #1998-120: Special Meeting of Classis Southwest United States to Admit New Church, Approve Pastoral Ordination Contact List: Rev. Bradd Nymeyer, Stated Clerk, Classis Southwest United States (URC) 2418 North 127th Ln, Avondale, AZ 85323-6575 Study: (602) 935-2200 * E-mail: BLNymeyer@aol.com Rev. Ron Scheuers, Pastor, First United Reformed Church 12943 Magnolia Ave., Chino, CA 91710 O: (909) 591-9111 * H: (909) 590-2324 * FAX: (909) 464-9636 * E-mail: FirstURC@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive99: nr99-017.txt .