Chaplain’s Letter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

In 2015 our Chaplaincy made the formal decision to establish a congregation in Amersfoort on the basis of the Vision Document prepared at the time. In 2017 our Chaplaincy Annual General Meeting (AGM) approved a roadmap to bring about that Vision. Over the last year the congregation of Amersfoort has demonstrated to the Bishop that it can be a viable independent chaplaincy. We are almost there!

We are in a unique situation right now as we make the necessary structural changes to bring this about and so we have sought the advice of the Archdeacon, Paul Vrolijk, on our approach over the next few months. He has responded positively to the following plan and is doing a final check with the Registrar.

One last collective AGM 

We plan to hold one last collective AGM for the current chaplaincy (which includes Utrecht, Amersfoort, Zwolle and Groningen) on Sunday March 24th. This AGM will cover:

(1) approving the 2018 Financial Accounts;

(2) receiving the new electoral rolls for Utrecht, Amersfoort, Zwolle and Groningen;

(3) making the formal decision to split into two chaplaincies;

(4) approving an endowment for Amersfoort from our reserves for its healthy transition to independence;

(5) proposing that all officers elected and appointed at the 2018 AGM will continue until Amersfoort is formally established. In other words, we would not be electing new officers at this collective AGM on March 24th. All members of council, leadership teams, the churchwardens, the secretary and the treasurer are asked to retain their current responsibilities until the new chaplaincy is formally established. Should any further decisions need to be made in the transition time there will still be the current collective Chaplaincy Council to do so.

 

AGMs in Amersfoort and Utrecht 

The plan is that the Amersfoort Chaplaincy will be inaugurated, God willing, on June 2nd 2019. On that day Amersfoort will hold its own first AGM. The new Utrecht Chaplaincy (which will include Utrecht, Zwolle and Groningen) will hold an AGM in the time leading up to June 2nd (probably April 7th or May 26th). The continuing Local Leadership Teams in each of the churches are in a position to prepare for these two new chaplaincy AGMs: TACA for the Amersfoort Chaplaincy AGM; and Utrecht, Zwolle and Groningen Leadership Teams for the new Utrecht Chaplaincy AGM. The electoral rolls will have already been established (thanks to Sheila Kooijman) at the March 24th collective AGM and can be used to figure out the preferred number of council members in the two new chaplaincies.

According to this plan, after the new Utrecht Chaplaincy AGM (probably April 7th or May 26th), the Zwolle and Groningen Leadership Teams will continue to provide guidance for their local churches but there will no longer be a Utrecht Leadership Team, as it will be merged at that time into the new Utrecht Chaplaincy Council.

Concluding 

This is an exciting time for our churches in these places. We believe that God has gifted us with this vision, and we’ve been blessed in so many ways that seem to confirm God’s leading. The vision seems to be coming to its realization. We hope that you can attend this important AGM on March 24th to voice your opinion about this plan and to vote. I ask for your prayers for the churches and for the AGM as we prepare to decide if we should reconfigure ourselves structurally in this way for the mission to which God has called us in these cities.

In the love of Christ,

David