Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/74

Contributor - John Opmeer

Title - The R,C,A - Canada is coming of age

Topic - Church in Canada

SATURDAY, MAY 25,1974 WAS IN MANY WAYS AN ORDINARY DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES IN CANADA. BUT - UNNOTICED BY MOST - IT WAS

ALSO A DAY OF A NEW BEGINNING. FOR ON THAT DAY THE COUNCIL OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN CANADA WAS BORN. THE R.C.A.-CANADA IS COMING OF AGE.

As our plane was circling to land on the Winnipeg airport, elder C. Platteel, from Abbotsford, and I were -discussing the question: how will it be? There had never been a Council meeting before. Some churches still didn't see the need for this Council. Was the Council going to get off to a good start? Was the 'baby' to be delivered going to be still-born or would it be healthy and kicking, destined to grow up in wisdom and stature?

Under a brilliant sky, but surrounded by the signs of recent flooding, the Rev. J. Levering of the Elmwood Reformed Church drove us to his home, where we met several other delegates that evening and the next morning. In fact, the hospitable home of the Levering's was the meeting place for so many delegates that it was hardly necessary to go to the church for the official meeting. The spirit was excellent right away and it was obvious from the start that whatever else the Council meeting was going to bring, it would be a great exercise in Christian fellowship.

Elder D. Apon, a wonderful 'old' friend of mine from Toronto. had hardly set foot in our guest home when he was already preaching from the rooftop that fellowship -ought to be the main theme of the Council. I am sure that he was not disappointed when he left for his plane again, some 32 busy hours later. For not only had we attended the safe birth of the Council, but we had also worshipped and shared deeply in the Lord together.

DO WE NEED THIS COUNCIL?

This is a question that has already been asked several times. Some of our churches in Canada answer in the negative. There are people who do not share our vision. This may be because they do not look beyond their local church. Or because they do not plan for the future of our churches. The Council has been born mainly because there are some who are deeply concerned about the future direction of our churches in Canada, and about our role in the Body of Christ in Canada. This is not to suggest, of course, that all those who see no need for the Council have no vision for our churches. There are those who share our vision but are afraid that the Council will lead to a more independent course of action for the R.C.A. churches in Canada, or to a confusion in the lines of established authority in our denomination.

However, most of us are convinced that in spite of the possible dangers and obstacles, we need to be and to work more in unison as churches across Canada than we have done so far. The reasons are pressing. Our churches are facing a lot of pressure, coming from various sides. Now that the phase of immigrant-receiving churches belongs to the past, we are somewhat lost as to our specific place, identity and ministry in Canada. We are not as strong as the Christian Ref. Churches in Canada. Neither are we so convinced of our unique contribution to Canadian life as they are. We are somewhat in search of a future! Hence, no matter how often it is denied, our churches suffer from isolation and from an identity complex, some more than others. We are floating with the current of church life in Canada, rather than giving direction to it. We are not truly in touch with the secular arena in Canada. This may be acceptable to first-generation immigrants, but our children and grandchildren are not as likely to be satisfied with being part of a denomination that lives its life in splendid isolation from the Dominion of Canada.

The pressures mentioned above are only going to become more severe as another generation takes over leadership in our churches. They have grown up in a nation that is beginning to be rather sensitive as to its own identity. Can our denomination give leadership to our Canadian churches when it operates almost exclusively within a U.S. context? The denomination has helped our churches in the past as far as they could go. But it will not be able to give much direction beyond the point where we are now.; The R.C.A. is, and probably ought to be, U.S. oriented in its structure, agencies and mind-set. We are no more than a little appendix to an U.S. body. We certainly do not suffer from delusions of grandeur! But if we have no vision beyond the appendix we have no future. It is up to the 'fathers and brethren' to show their sons and daughters that we have left them a Reformed heritage in a Canadian context.

As the Rev. J. P. Drost put it, during the meeting: there are three alternatives.

1. Stay as we are. This means at best stagnation, or worse, a slow weakening process and aging of the majority of our congregations in Canada.

2.We all do 'our own thing'. Each congregation looks after its own best interests. One decided that it is better to disband, another prefers to join with a Presbyterian or a United congregation.

The strong congregations may grow stronger, the weak ones will grow weaker.

3. We unify and consolidate. We establish strong lines: of communication east-west in Canada, in addition to the prevailing north-south lines. The tested Dutch slogan is: "In Unity Lies Our Strength" (Eendracht Maakt Macht).

We, representatives of most of our churches, meeting in Winnipeg, have chosen for the third alternative. We have officially launched the Council. We hope, pray, and will do our best to see to it that this Council will bind together all our churches in Canada for purposes of fellowship, identity, representation and program. It is only a small beginning. The Council has only limited authority. We do not expect things to change overnight. Some of us have to work hard to prove to ourselves and others that this Council can make a real contribution to our existence in Canada as R.C.A. churches. That it is worth the united support of all. And then, perhaps, some day we will look back with gratitude to that meeting in Winnipeg when our Reformed Churches in Canada showed that they have come of age!

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