The Consistory
Canadian Reformed Church of Abbotsford, B.C.
P.O. Box 66
Abbotsford, B.C.
V2S 4N7

Esteemed Brothers:

Last week Sunday, May 14 2006, the consistory made known in the Church bulletin that the Church of Abbotsford has set a new policy in admitting guests to the Lord's Supper. This policy is as follows:

Next week Sunday, we hope to celebrate the Lord's Supper during the morning service. If you have visitors who would like to partake, please remind them to provide the elders with a written travel attestation or else with enough time to obtain a verbal attestation from their home congregation.

Brothers we have never in the history of Canadian Reformed Churches accepted this method of admission of guests to the Lord's Supper. This new criteria is vastly inadequate of our duties when it comes to the admission of guests to the Lord's Supper. The Church of Abbotsford has properly applied what is required in Art 61 of the Church Order until now and this move comes with a lack of due diligence in what we are required. The reason being, we have adopted the policy reflected in Art 61 because members are required to provide a written attestation that is "…signed on behalf of the consistory by two members." Cf. Art 62 of the Church Order. In addition the consistory should not have to attempt to get a verbal attestation, the visitor should endeavor that there be a written one passed along. This places an undue burden on the consistory.

When we rely on a verbal attestation we have established a different method of admitting members from sister churches to our Lord's Supper and this is not done in accordance with the Church Order. No consistory can change the Church Order. Our churches have accepted the Church Order with common accord.

Brothers, with this in mind I humbly request that the consistory return to the proper method of admission of guests to the Lord's Supper as is laid out to us in Art 61 and 62 of the Church Order.

Yours in Christ,

Richard Van Laar