Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Dec/95

Contributor - Bart Strong

Title - Nature of The Ministry

Topic - Church in Canada

The following address was given by Mr Bart Strong at the installation service of the Rev. Calvin Ver Mulm as Classis Ontario Youth Director on October 20, 1995 at Camp Shalom.

As the Chairman of the Search Committee that recommended Calvin's call to the position of Classis Ontario Youth Director, I have the honour of standing before you tonight to explain just what it is that Calvin is called to do.

The position of Classis Youth Director is a new position born of an old concept. The job description was developed by the Classis Discipleship Committee and the Camp Shalom Board just prior to advertising for the position, so Calvin is our Guinea Pig for this job. The summary of this position states that "This position is primarily concerned with coordinating, administering and promoting all youth and discipleship activities within the Classis of Ontario, Reformed Church in Canada. The incumbent will develop and administer the Camp Shalom summer program, will represent the Discipleship Committee and Camp Board in RCA and other churches as well as in the community, and will provide leadership for Classis youth programs and events.

His job priorities are:

A. To maintain communication with clergy, churches, and youth of Classis Ontario.

B. To act as a resource and assist in planning of Classis Discipleship events.

C. To provide guidance and direction as necessary for junior and senior youth executive of Classis Ontario.

D. To administer and facilitate the Camp Shalom summer program.

E. To attend all RCA meetings and functions where youth liaison and leadership are essential components.

F. To represent the Discipleship Committee and Camp Shalom Board as an official spokesperson outside the RCA community.

So for three months of the year Calvin will be devoted to directing the summer camp program. He will literally live, eat and breathe Camp Shalom. He'll be designing the program, evaluating and hiring staff and taking an active part in the delivery of the program on a day to day basis. There is certainly a lot more to it than that but suffice it to say he will be a very busy man. His direction for camp activities will come through the Camp Shalom Board of Directors.

For most of the remainder of the year he is called to minister for you, for your churches, for your youth. You are providing his support. He'll be visiting and working with your youth leaders and helping to develop strong self-sustaining youth programs in our Ontario churches. He'll be providing youth resources where necessary, developing programs, putting on leadership conferences, interfacing with the junior and senior youth executives of Classis and giving advice to pastors, youth elders, youth committees and consistories regarding local youth programs and problems related to young people. His direction for Classis work will come through the Classis Ontario Discipleship Committee. A support committee has also been established to help Calvin and his family with their new roles.

Calvin will be uniting all our youth programs in Classis with a common theme and a vision for youth in the Reformed Church. In his own words, 'He is here to challenge our youth to become mature Christians who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, understand their faith, live their faith and share their faith." What more could a parent ask for?

Calvin comes to us with all the right tools to carry out this mandate. His experiences as a camp director, a chaplain, a community centre director and a pastor and teacher have equipped him for this particular ministry, here and now. Please allow him to use the gifts and abilities that God has given him. Allow him room to work in your church so that together we can look towards a bright future for the young people in the Reformed Church and together we can also touch young lives outside the church. Thank You.

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