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What is a Classis?
 Mission
Classis Lake Erie of the Christian Reformed Church is a network of twenty-two congregations and almost 5,000 members scattered across eastern Lower Michigan and Ohio. The Classis links these churches and people together both to enhance their own ministries and to enable them to accomplish together what none of them could do separately. The mission of Classis Lake Erie is to be a community of witness to Jesus Christ and to the Reign of God in the whole region to which we have been sent, fostering an increasing number and diversity of congregations and ministries where the good news of Jesus Christ is announced, the love of Christ expressed, the worship of God encouraged, and persons of every race, class, ability, age, and background gathered around the table of the Lord in joy and peace.
Vision
 Ministry Priorities
Therefore, it is our vision as a classis that We come to know the Lord and each other better, so that we may pray for each other, encourage each other in faith, offer guidance to each other, and support each other, while we await the abundant gifts of God, which include:
  • new congregations celebrating with old congregations
  • new ministries coming alongside long-established faithful ministries
  • persons of long faith worshiping joyfully alongside persons of new faith
  • lives changed by the power of God
  • the hungry fed
  • the sick healed
  • the sorrowing comforted
  • the despairing given hope

and that given all these things by God, we will be a powerful witness to the hope of the Gospel and that our names and faces will come to reflect not only the richness and diversity of the people among whom we work and worship but the face and name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Classis Lake Erie will support all of its ministries with prayer and will call its congregations to a comprehensive and consistent life of prayer.
Mission-shaped Congregations
Classis Lake Erie will encourage, support, and equip congregations for vital local ministries that call people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and help people in Jesus’ name. By the year 2006, our congregations will have active mission plans, and we will experience at least 3% total annual growth by evangelism in the classis considered as a whole.
New Church Development
Classis Lake Erie will continue to bring the good new of Jesus Christ to a diverse and changing population through the planting of new churches. By year 2006, Classis Lake Erie will plant 3-5 new churches in a variety of ministry settings, taking account of the diverse demographics of the Classis Lake Erie region.
Specialized Ministries
Classis Lake Erie will establish, explore, support and help to guide special strategic local ministries, such as chaplaincies, campus ministries, youth ministries, diaconal ministries, and prison ministries that bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in specific settings. By the year 2006, Classis Lake Erie will plant 5-7 ministries in diverse settings.
Leadership Development
Classis Lake Erie will identify, train and support leaders (for the local, classical, denominational and ecumenical levels) who represent the existing diversity of gifts, people and interests within classis.
A Nurturing Community
Classis Lake Erie will develop and nurture relationships and networks that build community and fellowship within classis in order to build up the church of Jesus Christ.
Denominational Involvement
Classis Lake Erie will full participate in the life of the Christian Reformed Denomination.
Effective Classis Organization
Classis Lake Erie will be structured to carry out its mission plan and church order responsibilities. Classis meeting will be designed to emphasize ministry and fellowship in addition to governance.
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