Classical Ministries Committee

Classical Ministries Committee

Report to Classis 09/15/04

At our May meeting Pauline Drenth and George Prins were present for the last time since their terms had expired. Thanks were expressed for their contribution to this committee especially since both were original members of the committee when it was first organized.

We welcome Hank Hultink of Dunnville as a newly appointed member.

Your Classical Ministries Committee is gearing up for full another full season of activity.

Youth Ministry

It was disappointing to hear that Erin Knight has resigned as administrative support person. We trust this will not slow down the Youth Ministry Team while a replacement is found. Developing effective youth ministry is a high priority for many local churches. We will continue to focus on this ministry.

Prayer Event

Pastor Walt hopes to have a prayer event for all leaders (GEMS, Cadets, Small Group Leaders, Prayer Coordinators, Teen Club & Young People Leaders, Catechism Teachers, etc), sometime in the early fall. Please encourage the leaders in your church to participate.

Healthy Churches

One of the things that came out quite clearly in the Healthy Churches Questionnaire that we presented at the last Classis meeting was the fact that many of our congregations are very concerned about their current health.

At our last meeting we spent considerable time discussing the unhealthy churches concept and the possible role of the CMC in helping churches reach their goal of becoming healthier. It was our consensus that in many cases the real issue is a lack of personal spiritual vitality. It seems that most churches are unhealthy because the people in the church are unhealthy. Often this is evident in the leadership of the church as well.

Although there are obviously no easy answers we believe this area of focus is very appropriate for the CMC. We agreed that there is a need to recognize more fully the gifts of the Holy Spirit, pray more faithfully and fervently, and to deepen personal relationships with God. These are all things that will help to make ministry more effective whether in a local church or corporately as a classis.

Pray that we will recognize the our Lord’s direction as we continue to delve into this.

We Are Here to Help

Remember that both our CMC Coordinator and various committee members are available to assist and advise local congregations in dealing with their current concerns about health and similar issues. If we don’t have the resources you need we will help you find them! Contact Frank or myself to “get the ball rolling”.

Brian van Staalduinen