September 18, 2006
To brother John and sister Ann Vantil
2064 Emerson St.
Abbotsford, BC V2T 3H7

Dear brother and sister Vantil:

Please note that Classis Yarrow September 14, 2006 has made the following decision about the appeal you submitted, as recorded in Article 6 of the Acts of this classis:

Article 6 - Correspondence Received

The following appeals were dealt with in closed session.
d. Appeal August 15, 2006 of br. John and sr. Ann Vantil against a decision of the Consistory of Abbotsford.

This appeal is deemed admissible. The brother and sister appeal a decision of the council of Abbotsford in which they withdrew the appointment to office of a brother. Brother and sister Vantil, on the basis of a number of observations and considerations, request classis to determine that the consistory with the deacons of Abbotsford erred in withdrawing the appointment of a brother to the office of elder, and so should rescind the withdrawal of appointment of a brother to the office of elder and proceed forthwith to his installation.

Classis Observed:

1. Appellants have communicated their concerns about the actions of the consistory with the deacons in withdrawing the appointment of a brother to office in a letter dated June 21, 2006.
2. Consistory with deacons replied to appellants in a letter dated July 14, 2006, defending the decision to withdraw the brother's appointment.
3. In their letter dated July 14, 2006, the consistory with deacons provided three grounds why the appointed brother could not be ordained:

a. The brother "states that he will not uphold the decisions of the broader assemblies as accepted by his own consistory even though he himself has not appealed those decisions."
b. As an elder the brother "would he involved in calling the congregation to the Lord's Table at which he himself would refuse to sit."
c. The brother "states that he will not sit at the Lord's Table due to the presence of a member in good standing of an acknowledged sister church."

4. The appellants bring this matter before classis without responding to the Abbotsford consistory with deacons about the July 14th letter.

Classis Considered:

1. The grounds presented in the July 14 letter of the consistory with deacons are an appropriate response to the appellants' June 21st letter of complaint.
2. In their submission to classis appellants have not attempted to show how the second and third grounds of the Abbotsford consistory with deacons are insufficient reason to withdraw the appointment.

Classis Decided: To deny the requests of the appellants.

The delegates of the church of Abbotsford abstained from voting.

In Christ's service,
on behalf of Classis,

Rev. J. Moesker, clerk e.t.
5600 MacDonald Rd.
Vernon, BC V1B 3L2