A couple weeks ago, several of our elders and staff attended the fall gathering of City Classis at All Souls Church in Boulder. Although Charlie and I joined the March meeting in Chicago, this was our first official gathering since Platt Park formally transferred into City Classis. Our time in Boulder was a beautiful reminder that our church is part of something larger than ourselves—a denomination with deep historical roots—and that we’re also personally connected to pastors and churches serving in similar ministry settings.
City Classis is a diverse community of 14 churches in the Reformed Church in America (RCA), stretching from Long Beach, California, to New York and New Jersey. Because we only meet in person twice a year, classis meetings are wonderful times to catch up, pray together, share joys and challenges, and encourage one another in ministry. It’s honestly a lot like a youth group retreat but with a lot more voting.
Highlights from the October Classis Meeting
- Four of our elders joined one afternoon and evening of the meeting. It was wonderful to introduce them to other elders and pastors in the classis.
- We got to introduce James to the women and men who had been praying for him and for our church during our pastoral search—they were thrilled to finally meet him (and of course, they all loved him!)
- James and I attended a training on conflict awareness and healthy team communication, part of City Classis’s ongoing commitment to supporting healthy leadership.
- The classis received 14 ministers transferring their ordination (many from the Christian Reformed Church) and welcomed two candidates “under care” (one of whom was me.)
- City Classis continues to be healthy—both financially and organizationally—and our time together was filled with prayer, laughter, and encouragement.
I’m deeply grateful for Platt Park Church’s participation in the RCA and City Classis because it reminds me that our faith is never lived alone. We are part of a wider body—a family of churches that learns from one another, holds one another accountable, and stands together in ministry. It is a unique connection that not only gives us the freedom to follow God’s call for us here in Denver but also gives us the wisdom and grounding of a tradition that has been faithfully seeking Christ for nearly 400 years.
It’s such a joy to be on this journey with you all,
Holly