One major item will be three recommendations from the regional synod's Overtures and Judicial Business Committee on how to handle future accusations of sexual misconduct, borrowed from current United Church of Christ procedures. Currently a joint program of Maple Avenue CRC and Christ Memorial RCA, Maple Avenue Ministries will become the first union church of the CRC and RCA if Synod 1998 of the Christian Reformed Church approves. On May 4, the Reformed Church in America's Regional Synod of the Great Lakes will convene at Camp Geneva in Holland. One major item will be three recommendations from the regional synod's Overtures and Judicial Business Committee on how to handle future accusations of sexual misconduct. Weener emphasized that the Rhem case was highly unusual and shouldn't discourage people from attending RCA churches.
People can with confidence allow their young people and children to take part.
OJB chairman Rev. Patrick Shetler said his committee's recommendations focused on adopting the sexual misconduct sections of the United Church of Christ's manual on the ministry. It tried to be fair to the pastor and to the person making the allegations. This is not an issue that most people have a lot of practical experience in and we felt it would be helpful to have this manual get a larger dissemination in the church. Shetler noted that the RCA's handling of the Rhem case was marred by repeated procedural errors. We want to raise the awareness at the classis level of how we as a classis should handle these.