NR #1995-091: Classis Lake Erie Appoints Committee to Review Synod 1995 Decision on Women in Office At Classis Lake Erie, one of the classes that voted to declare the word "male" inoperative, concerns were raised about Synod 1995's decisions to prohibit women from being appointed by synodical agencies and to prohibit review of Synod 1995's decisions until the year 2000. Taken together, the two regulations mean that no women can be ordained to any position of denominational service, including positions in the denominational leadership, church planting, and missionary work, for at least five years. After debate and expressions of concern that "we could lose everything" by acting too rapidly, classis appointed a committee "to advise classis on implementation of the 1995 decision and possible responses." NR #1995-091: For Immediate Release Classis Lake Erie Appoints Committee to Review Synod 1995 Decision on Women in Office by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service TROY, Mich. (October 9, 1995) URNS - While Synod 1995's decision to permit the ordination of women by declaring parts of the church order inoperative has raised a firestorm of protest from Christian Reformed conservatives, some advocates of women in office aren't happy with the decision either. At Classis Lake Erie, one of the classes that voted to declare the word "male" inoperative, concerns were raised about Synod 1995's decisions to prohibit women from being appointed by synodical agencies and to prohibit review of Synod 1995's decisions until the year 2000. Taken together, the two regulations mean that no women can be ordained to any position of denominational service, including positions in the denominational leadership, church planting, and missionary work, for at least five years. After some procedural discussion, Rev. John Zevalking of Cincinnati CRC moved to "appoint a committee to advise classis on implementation of the 1995 decision and possible responses." Not everyone in classis agreed that asking Synod 1996 to review or revise the 1995 decision was wise. "Timing is everything here; I'm very leery of opening this whole thing again," said Dr. Clayton Libolt of River Terrace CRC in East Lansing, Michigan. "We have received an enormous gift from the synod, and let's not look that gift horse where you're not supposed to look gift horses." Libolt expressed particular concern that too strong of an approach by advocates of women in office could backfire dramatically. "This next synod is going to be a backlash synod and we could lose everything," warned Libolt. Pastor George Vander Weit, stated clerk of classis, said Libolt's concerns were more arguments against certain types of committee proposals than against the creation of a committee. "I think the committee could serve us well because if this is everybody's business it is nobody's business," Vander Weit argued. After further debate, Classis Lake Erie voted to create the committee but did so only by a close voice vote. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1995-087: Most Christian Reformed Classes Decline Synodical Option to End Prohibition on Women in Office #1995-088: List of Classis Decisions on Women in Office [See related article list at crossreferences] Contact List: Dr. Clayton Libolt, Pastor, River Terrace Christian Reformed Church 2210 Moores River Drive, Lansing, MI 48911 * H: (517) 371-4018 * O: (517) 351-9059 Pastor George Vander Weit, North Hills Christian Reformed Church 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 * O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 Rev. John Zevalking, Pastor, Cincinnati Christian Reformed Church 834 Redmill Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45231 * O: (513) 242-2424 * H: (513) 729-0234 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-091.txt .