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I. INTRODUCTION

ARTICLE 1. Purpose and Division
 

For the maintenance of good order in the Church of Christ it is necessary that there be: offices and supervision of doctrine; assemblies; worship, sacraments, and ceremonies; and discipline.
These matters will be dealt with in the above-mentioned order.

ARTICLE 2. The Offices
 

The offices are those of the minister of the Word, of the elder, and of the deacon.

No one shall take any office upon himself without having been lawfully called thereto.

Only those male members shall be eligible for office who have made profession of faith and may be considered to meet the conditions as set forth in Holy Scripture, e.g. in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

The election to any office shall take place with the co-operation of the congregation, after preceding prayers, and according to the regulations adopted for that purpose by the consistory with the deacons.

The consistory with the deacons shall be free to give the congregation the opportunity beforehand to draw the attention of the consistory to brothers deemed fit for the respective offices.

The consistory with the deacons shall present to the congregation either as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled, or at the most twice as many, from which number the congregation shall choose as many, as aye needed.

Those elected shall be appointed by the consistory with the deacons in accordance with the adopted regulations.

Prior to the ordination or installation the names of the appointed brothers shall be publicly announced to the congregation for its approbation on at least two consecutive Sundays.

The ordination or installation shall take place with the use of the relevant forms.

1. Have been declared eligible for call by the Churches;

2. Are already serving in that capacity in one of the Churches; or

3. Have been declared eligible in, or are serving in one of the Churches with which the Canadian Reformed Churches maintain a sister-Church relationship.

1 . Have passed a preparatory examination by the classis in which they live. This examination shall not take place unless those presenting themselves for it submit the documents necessary to prove that they are members in good standing of one of the Churches and have successfully completed a course of study as required by the Churches.

2. Served in the Churches with which the Canadian Reformed Churches do not maintain a sister-Church relationship, and have been examined by the classis in which they live, with due observance of the general ecclesiastical regulations adopted for that purpose.
3. Have been examined according to the rule described in Article 8.

D. COUNSELLOR
When a vacant Church extends a call, the advice of the counsellor shall
be asked.

ARTICLE 5. Ordination and Installation of Ministers of the Word
A. Regarding those who have not served in the ministry before, the following shall be observed:

1 . They shall be ordained only after classis has approved the call. Classis
shall approve the call
a. Upon satisfactory testimony concerning the soundness of doctrine and conduct of the candidate, signed by the consistory of the Church to which he belongs;

b. Upon a peremptory examination of the candidate by classis with satisfactory results. This examination shall take place with the co-operation and concurring advice of deputies of the regional synod.
2. For the ordination they shall show also to the consistory good testimonials concerning their doctrine and conduct from the Church(es) to which they have belonged since their preparatory examination.

C. For the classical approbation of a call of those who are serving in one of the Churches with which the Canadian Reformed Churches maintain a sister-Church relationship a colloquium shall be required which will deal especially with the doctrine and polity of the Canadian Reformed Churches.

D. For the classical approbation of a call shall further be required a declaration by the calling Church that the proper announcements have been made and that (he congregation has given its approval to the call.

ARTICLE 6. Bound to a Church
 

No one shall serve in the ministry unless he is bound to a certain Church, to be stationed in a certain place, or to be sent out for the gathering of the Church from among the heathen or from among those who have become estranged from the gospel; or is to be charged with some other special ministerial task.

No one who has recently come to the confession of the Reformed Religion shall be declared eligible for call within the Churches unless he has been

well tested for a reasonable period of time and has been carefully examined by classis with the co-operation of the deputies of the regional synod.

Persons who have not pursued the regular course of study shall not be admitted to the ministry unless there is assurance of their exceptional gifts of godliness, humility, modesty, good intellect, and discretion, as well as the gift of public speech.
When such persons present themselves for the ministry, classis, after the approval of regional synod, shall examine them in a preparatory examination and allow them to speak an edifying word in the Churches of the classis; and further deal with them as it shall deem edifying, with observance of the general ecclesiastical regulations adopted for this purpose.

A minister, once lawfully called, shall not leave the Church to which he is bound to take up the ministry elsewhere without the consent of the consistory with the deacons and the approval of classis.

On the other hand, no Church shall receive him unless he has presented a proper certificate of release from the Church and the classis where he served, or of the Church only, if he remains within the same classis.

The consistory with the deacons, as representing the congregation, shall be bound to provide for the proper support of its minister(s).

If a minister of the Word is judged unfit and incapable of serving the congregation fruitfully and to its edification, without there being any reason for Church discipline, the consistory with the deacons shall not dismiss him from his service within the congregation without the approbation of classis and the concurring advice of the deputies of regional synod, and not without proper arrangements regarding the support of the minister and his family for a reasonable period of time.

If no call is forthcoming in three years, he shall be declared released from his ministerial status by the classis in which he served last.

Inasmuch as a minister of the Word, once lawfully called, is bound to the service of the Church for life, he is not allowed to enter upon another vocation unless it be for exceptional and substantial reasons, of which the consistory with the deacons shall judge, and which shall receive the approval of classis with the concurring advice of deputies of regional synod.

If a minister of the Word is rendered incapable of performing the duties of his office because of age, illness, or physical or mental disability, he shall retain the honour and title of minister of the Word. He shall also retain his official bond with the Church which he served last, and this
Church shall provide honourably for his support. The same obligation
exists towards a minister's widow and/or dependants.

Retirement of a minister shall take place with the approval of the consistory with the deacons and with the concurring advice of classis and of deputies of regional synod.

If a minister, because of illness or for other substantial reasons, requests a temporary release from his service to the congregation, he can receive the same only with the approval of the consistory with the deacons and shall at all times be and remain subject to the call of the congregation.

No one shall be permitted to preach the Word or to administer the sacraments in another Church without the consent of the consistory of that Church.

The specific duties of the office of minister of the Word are: thoroughly

and sincerely to proclaim to the congregation the Word of the Lord; to administer the sacraments; publicly to call upon the Name of God in behalf of the whole congregation; also to instruct the children of the Church in the doctrine of salvation, to visit the members of the congregation in

their homes, and to comfort the sick with the Word of God; and further, with the elders, to keep the Church of God in good order, to exercise discipline, and to govern it in such a manner as the Lord has ordained.

Among the ministers of the Word equality shall be maintained with respect to the duties of their office and in other matters as far as possible, according to the judgement of the consistory and, if necessary, of classis.

When ministers of the Word are sent out as missionaries, they shall be

and remain subject to the Church Order. They shall report and give account of their labours to the Church which sent them and shall at all times remain subject to its calling.

It shall be their task, in the specific region assigned to them or chosen by them in consultation with the Church that sent them, to proclaim the

Word of God, to administer the sacraments to those who have come to the profession of their faith, teaching them to observe all that Christ has

commanded His Church, and to ordain elders and deacons when this appears feasible, according to the rules given ill the Word of God.

The Churches shall maintain an institution for the training for the ministry. The task of tile professors of theology is to instruct the students of theology in those disciplines which have been entrusted to them, so that the Churches may be provided with ministers of the Word who are able to fulfil the duties of their office as these have been described above.

The Churches shall endeavour that there be students of theology,, extending financial aid to those who are in need of' it.

Besides those who have been permitted, according to Article 8, to speak an edifying word, also others may be given such consent in accordance with general ecclesiastical regulations, for their own training and in order that they may become known to the congregations.

The specific duties of the office of elder are: together with the ministers of the Word, to have supervision over Christ's Church, that every member may conduct himself properly in doctrine and life according to the gospel; faithfully to visit the members of the congregation in their homes to cornfort, instruct, arid admonish them with the Word of God, reproving those who behave improperly. The,,, shall exercise Christian discipline according to the command of Christ against those who show themselves unbelieving arid ungodly and refuse to repent; they shall watch that the sacraments ire not profaned. They further are to take care, being stewards of the house of God, that in the congregation all things are done decently and in good order, and to tend the flock of Christ which is in their charge. Finally, it is their duty to assist the ministers of the Word with good counsel and advice and to supervise their doctrine and conduct.

The specific duties. of the office of deacon are: to see to the good progress of the service of charity in the congregation; to acquaint themselves with existing needs and difficulties, and to exhort the members of Christ's body to show mercy; further, to gather and manage the offerings and to distribute them in Christ's Name according to need. They shall encourage and comfort with the Word of God those who receive  the gifts of Christ's love, and promote with word and deed the unity and fellowship in the Holy Spirit which the congregation enjoys at the table of the Lord.

The elders arid deacons shall serve two or more years, according-, to local regulations, arid a proportionate number shall retire each year. The place of the retiring office-bearers shall be taken by others, unless tile consistory
with the deacons Judges that the circumstances and the benefit of the
Church render it advisable to have them serve another term, or to m
tend their term, or to declare their immediately eligible for re-election.

Among the elders as well as among the deacons equality shall be maintained with respect to the duties Of their office, and also, as far as possible in other matters, of which the consistory shall judge.

All ministers of the Word, elders, deacons, and professors of theology shall subscribe to the Confessions of the Canadian Reformed Churches by signing the form(s) adopted for that purpose.

Anyone refusing to subscribe in that manner shall not be ordained or installed in office. Anyone who, being in office, refuses to do so shall, because of that very fact, be immediately suspended from office by the consistory with the deacons, and classis shall not receive him; arid it' lie obstinately persist, in his refusal, he shall be deposed from office.

To ward off false doctrines arid errors which could enter the congregation arid constitute a danger to the Purity Of its doctrine or conduct, the ministers and elders shall use the means of instruction, of refutation, of warning, and of admonition, as well in the ministry of the Word as in Christian teaching and family visiting.

As it is the office of the civil authorities to promote in every way the
holy ministry, so all office- bearers are in duty bound to impress diligently and
sincerely upon the whole congregation the obedience, love, arid respect which are due to the civil authorities; they shall set a good example to the whole congregation in this matter, and endeavour by due respect and communication to secure. arid retain the favour of the authorities towards the Church, so that the Church of Christ may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.

 

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