NR #1995-029: For Immediate Release Lynwood Cancels Federation Conference of Independent Congregations in Alliance of Reformed Churches by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service LYNWOOD, Ill. (March 15, 1995) - Less than three months after issuing a call for a federation conference of Alliance churches, the consistory of Lynwood Christian Reformed Church (Independent) has voted to cancel the conference, originally scheduled for May 31, 1995. "It has become obvious from the responses that while some churches feel a need to federate, the majority are in no hurry to push ahead with this step at this time," wrote the consistory in a March 13 letter to all member congregations of the Alliance. In the cancellation letter, Lynwood noted that of the 54 churches which were invited to attend the meeting, only 18 churches responded and only 3 of the 18 responses were positive. In addition, the Lynwood consistory stated that "we were unable to persuade another council to act as co-sponsor for the event; for various reasons, several other independent councils whom we approached were unwilling to act with us." "Some were opposed to forming a federation at this time, others felt that an extra day during the ARC convention week would be more productive," wrote the consistory. "We will not at this time attempt to set aside an extra day during the ARC convention week for this purpose. If other councils feel that such a meeting should occur, we will be happy to attend and to make our facilities available." According to the Alliance stated clerk, what happens next is largely up to the local churches in the Alliance. "It seems to me it remains now for the churches to work toward a meeting at the next Alliance," said Rev. Jerome Julien. "Of course, churches are welcome to overture the Alliance, or to simply meet on their own after the meeting as they did last year." Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles: #1994-060: Alliance of Reformed Churches Adopts Westminster Standards; Seceding Christian Reformed Congregations Move to Convene New Federation; Church Order Committee Avoids Explosion Over Federation Question; Sharply Divided Committee Reaches Unanimous Compromise on Inclusion of Westminster Standards in Alliance Purpose Statement; Independent Churches Decide to Federate Apart from Alliance; Unauthorized Letter to 600 PCA Churches and Leaders Prompts Protests in Presbyterian Church in America and Alliance of Reformed Churches; Alliance Declines Offer of Dordt College Board Position; Confessional Conference on Ecclesiology Scrapped for 1995; Other Matters: Yearbook Problems, Reading Sermons Proposal Rejected, Proposals on Ministerial Training, Revenue Canada, Contact Committee with CRC, Equalizing Travel Costs Voted Down, Alliance Stays in Chicago for 1995 Meeting, Julien Re-Elected Stated Clerk, P.Y. DeJong Addresses Alliance Contact List: Rev. Jerome Julien, Stated Clerk, Alliance of Reformed Churches 34 Azores Crescent, Cambridge, ON N1R 7Z4 * H/O: (519) 622-1033 Elder Jim Swets, Vice-President, Lynwood Christian Reformed Church (Independent) 19352 Wildwood, Lansing, IL 60438 * H/O: (708) 895-3133 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-029.txt .