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Hopeful Story, February 5, 2017

We're Part of Something Bigger

  Recently, I've had a number of people ask me how it is that we periodically have pastors from other Christian Reformed Churches in the area preaching for us. You may have noticed that, since this past September, that happens once each month and they are called Classical Appointments.
  The organizational structure of our denomination includes individual churches who band together in regional groups called Classis and that the many Classis throughout the United States and Canada form the denomination. The Classis to which we belong is called Classis Quinte and includes CRC churches east of Toronto up to Kingston. A few times each year representatives from each church gather to support each other, discuss matters particular to the Classis and to the denomination as a whole, and to deliberate and discuss how to best support our collective ministries. Each year our denomination holds meetings we call Synod with each Classis sending two representatives to this deliberative body.
  When one of the churches in Classis is without a pastor that church is supported by neighboring churches in Classis by having their pastors preach for us. The who and when of those Classical Appointments are determined by a person called the Stated Clerk of Classis. She sent me that information in September. The next Classical Appointment is Rev John Visser from Belleville on February 26. So now you know!
  It's wonderful that Hope Fellowship doesn't exist and operate in isolation. While the body of Christ knows no denominational boundaries, we are blessed to be supported by other churches who share the same roots and have similar visions for ministry. We're part of something bigger!
- Fred

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