TO: Classis Delegates

FROM: Office of the Stated Clerk

SUBJECT: Call to Stated Session, Sept. 26, 2009

It’s that time once again to come together as a Classis in Stated Session on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Chinese Community Church in Sacramento. We will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. with a time of worship, celebration, sharing, communion, and commissioning of Commissioned Pastor candidates.

Chinese Community Church was selected as the Stated Session meeting site in recognition of its 85^th anniversary which they will officially celebrate on Nov. 14. Congratulations to CCC on attaining this milestone.

The documents to prepare you for the various discussions are attached. They can also be found on the classis website: www.svccrca.org/classis. Please duplicate and distribute these documents to your delegates and instruct them to review them and to bring them along to the stated session. To expedite our time together it will be assumed that every delegate has read the discussion material in advance of the meeting. Additional reports will be sent at a later date in a separate email attachment.

Pre-Classis Seminar/|Workshop – Friday, Sept. 25

As part of our continuing emphasis on leadership training, the classis will be hosting a Pre-Classis Seminar with nationally known author and speaker Bill Easum. His topics are very relative to the ministry environment we currently face: Doing Ministry in Tough Times; and Leading Ministry in Tough Times. Each attendee will have the option of attending one of two practical ministry workshops also being offered. Please review the brochure in this mailing for more information.

The cost for this event is $35 per person. Please indicate your desire to attend this workshop by contacting Don Werkhoven (donwerkhoven@comcast.net). Make out your registration check to: “Classis of Central CA”, 4555 Barrett Rd. Carmichael, CA 95608.

Specialized Ministries Policy Draft

You will find in the attachments a draft policy statement for Specialized Ministries/Ministers. This policy statement is intended to guide the classis in determining whether to officially designate and recognize a ministry as “Specialized.” The policy also provides direction for proper supervision of Specialized Ministers. Please be prepared to discuss this policy and to vote on its adoption. If adopted, it will become an addendum to the Classis Bylaws.

Belhar Confession

As many of you know, the 2009 General Synod voted to adopt the Belhar Confession as its fourth Doctrinal Standard, along with the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism with its Compendium, and the Canons of Dort. Prior to the 2010 General Synod, each classis must vote to accept or reject the Belhar. For inclusion as the fourth Doctrinal Standard, 2/3 of the classes must vote to accept.

The Classis of Central CA will vote on the Belhar Confession at its Spring 2010 Stated Session. Between now and March 13, 2010 you are strongly urged to review the Belhar Confession with your leadership team and congregation so that your delegates to the Spring 2010 Stated Session will be prepared to cast an informed vote.

The RCA website (www.rca.org) contains a host of information on the history of the Belhar, as well as a review of the process that the RCA has gone through over the past 10 years to arrive at this vote. Go to the RCA Homepage and then to the “Belhar Center” tab on the left side to access this information. The Confession is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Korean.

Consistory and Elder Minutes for Review

The following churches are asked to bring their Consistory and Elder Minutes for annual review by the Relationship Development Commission:

Calvary Reformed Church Lighthouse Community Church

Church of the Chimes New Hope Community Church

Community Reformed Church New Life Community Church

Cornerstone Community Church Sunrise Community Church

Directions to the Chinese Community Church

From the South: Follow Highway 99 to the Fruitridge Rd. West exit. Follow for approximately 2 miles to the church on left (5600 Gilgun Way).

From the West: Follow I-5 to the Seamas Ave/Fruitridge Rd exit. Travel East on Fruitridge Rd. for 1 mile to the church on the right (5600 Gilgun Way).

Please be in prayer for a fruitful and rewarding time together.

Blessings,

Don Werkhoven

Stated Clerk/Treasurer

CLASSIS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA -- MISSION

In alignment with the mission of the Far West Region/RCA, the Central California Classis is a fellowship of congregations called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the very presence of Jesus Christ in this region of His Kingdom.

Our shared task is to cultivate and nurture an environment where prayer, innovative ministry and leadership development produce healthy and reproducing churches that thrive in living out their God-ordained call to follow Christ in mission in a lost and broken world.

PRIORITIES

--Prayer --Church Health

--Church Multiplication --Developing Leaders