The Clarion magazine issue of March 9, 2018, has a report about the recent meeting of the International Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) held in Jordan, Ontario. Among the many interesting things reported is a note about the four delegates of the Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRCNA) approaching the four Canadian Reformed (CanRC) delegates with the question why the FRCNA and the CanRC are no longer talking (at the level of synod and/or ecclesiastical committee). It led to the eight brothers having lunch together and agreeing that more formal effort should be put into connecting with each other. Talks petered out long ago and the eight brothers agreed it was time for them to be resumed.
This is great news. The FRCNA and the CanRC are both members of both the ICRC and the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) At the grass roots level we have come to know each other better through organizations such as ARPA and CARDUS. Hopefully we will, before long, officially recognize each other for what we surely are, sister churches. That will smooth the way for acknowledging one another's preaching, worship, and discipline as faithful to the Word of God.
We live in a post-Christian context where we increasingly need one another. We hope the brothers who met informally will be able to encourage our respective ecclesiastical contact committees to reach out to one another and to submit good recommendations to the two synods. May God bless the new talks and contact for the edification of the church of Christ!
