Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Feb. 16/62

Contributor - Russell J. Redeker

Title - A Look at the RCA. Churches In Canada

Topic - Church In Canada

(When the Reformed Churches in Ontario meet with their respective Classes this spring, it may be the last time they will meet with these Classes. The churches of Ontario will be making a request to form a Classis of Ontario.

This transaction raises a number of questions as to the future of the R.C.A. churches in Canada and the relationship of the churches to the Board of North American Missions. The following article is prepared with the hope that it will answer a number of questions and clarify certain situations.)

Who really started the work for the Reformed Church in America · in Canada ? Regardless of the influence of individuals, groups, etc-, the work was officially begun in Canada by the Board of Domestic Missions (now North American Missions) of the Reformed Church in America. It was begun about twelve years ago. In the early stages the work consisted of bringing social aid to the immigrants, spiritual comfort and strength 0 the immigrants, and the worship experience into individual homes or small meeting places. The second stage was the gathering together of groups of immigrants, which groups were organized into Reformed Churches. At first they used church buildings owned by the Presbyterian and United Church of Canada, etc.

Immediately the Board of Domestic Missions took steps to "regularize" these churches according to the structure of the Reformed Church and therefore the churches were organized by action of some Classis in the States and the church became a member of the Classis. This became most apparent in the far west where the Classis of Cascades had more Canadian churches in its membership than any other Classis in the Reformed Church, and does to this very day.

For a number of years Classes were not too much involved in the life of the Canadian churches, except in the case of Classis Cascades, and even there the work in the Canadian churches to a very large degree was separated from the internal life and action of the Classis. In the case of the churches in Ontario the Classes to which they belonged often treated the minister and elder delegates something like "guests" of the Classis. This was primarily due to two reasons: distance in terms of miles constituted a real barrier, and secondly, Classes recognized that the work in Canada was very closely related to the Board of Domestic Missions and therefore they left much of the implementing of the work of these churches to the Board. This was natural and understandable and no one or no group should be criticized on this score. This is the way things develop and grow in a new work and program.

In recent years the Board of North American Missions has sought to change the course of the life and work of the churches in Canada and by design has directed em increasingly to look toward tne Classes of which they are members and to become increasingly involved in the life of the Classis. Evidences of this move are these for example:

a. The Classes have been more and more involved in the calling of ministers to the Canadian pulpits.

b. Classes regularly install ministers called by Canadian churches. Where a minister comes in the capacity of a "missionary-pastor" the Classes hold some kind of service to establish a relationship between the "missionary-pastor" and the church. Before the Board places a missionary-pastor in the field, it is by consent of the Consistory, the Classis and the minister.

c. Increasingly Classes are being brought in to help consistories in Canada with problems and in certain instances disciplinary measures have been taken by the Classes.

d. Salary aid or supplement for Canadian ministers is now passed on by Classes in the same manner as all salary-supplemented church applications are for churches in the States.

e. For more than a year the Particular Synod Field Secretaries have been involved in the work of the Canadian churches.

f. The Board has encouraged the churches of Ontario to organize into a Classis, which it is expected will be effected by the fall of 1962.

Throughout all of this the Board has attempted to be as helpful and co-operative as possible, allotting an annual budget of $120,000. Increasingly the Board has delegated authority, responsibility and initiative to the churches in Canada and to the Classes involved. A definite example of this effort is the organizing of the Immigration Advisory Committee of Canada, both in Ontario and Western Canada.

A strong evidence of the advance of the work in Canada is the increased financial responsibility which is being assumed by the churches. The churches are aggressively lessening the salary supplement askings, providing their own parsonages, etc. In past years the Board has not been able to move ahead as fast as it desired because of lack of funds and personnel. However, with the churches assuming more support and a greater supply of ministerial leadership being on hand, the Board is now able to move forward with the work in Canada. It is at this present time launching out on a new "missionary-outreach" among Dutch immigrants. The work in reaching the Dutch immigrants in Canada is far from completed and this is the first concern.

What of the future of the R.C.A. in Canada ? This question is asked repeatedly and there is only one place where it can be answered and that is in Canada. The churches there will need to determine this future and they are highly qualified to do so. That this decision must be made by the churches in Canada is especially so because of the structure of the R.C.A. and its lines of authority.

Take note of the following:

a. The Board is not a Reformed Church judicatory. Therefore the Board has no authority to decide on the future of any individual church or group oi churches. The Board is an arm of the denomination but it does not have the power to give away churches, disband them, or integrate them with other denominations.

b. Each church belongs to a Classis. Each church is subject to the authority and discipline of Classis. The status of any church lies with the Classis.

c. Tne answer to the question of the future of the Reformed Church in Canada lies with the churches in Canada, the Classes to which they belong, the Particular Synods, and the General Synod of the R.C.A.

d. The churches in Ontario can best face this decision in concert and that via a Classis of their own.

What will the role of the Board be ? Will it simply bow out of the picture ? The past performance of the Board would make that a remote possibility. Surely the Board would stand by to be as helpful as it can, and in the time when the churches are preparing to make this decision, the Board would like to assist them in making a study so that the decision, can be made by the churches against a background of careful study. It would seem the part of wisdom to face this question which was sincerely asked, in an I, nest and sincere way as becomes worthy leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ, rather than trying to "put the lid" on it. Already the Board has suggested a procedure (this procedure has been distributed to all the Reformed churches in Canada) which it will try to follow in order to be helpful to the churches. This kind of study will cover many areas, such as the theological, and confessional implications of the work in Canada, consultations with the Presbyterian Church of Canada to a certain that church's feeling and attitude on this question. This will require a great deal of work and research and it does not seem necessary to do this in a great hurry. This is the kind of thing that must work out itself slowly. Those who are challenging the rightness and advisability of the R.C.A. being in Canada have every right to do so and an honest effort must be made to find the answer that is in accord with the will of God. That there should be panic on this score or question hardly seems necessary. The Reformed Church is now in Canada. This carries tremendous weight in answering the question, so let this whole matter be considered calmly and in the spirit of the Lord, and surely the ford of the Church will lead the church to the right decision.

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