RIP Classis Yellowstone?

Synod 2026 delegates Andy Sytsma and John Sinnema from Classis Yellowstone carried a memorial “yellow stone” with them when they attended the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church June 12-18 on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich. The painted rock displayed “RIP 1988-2027” and is a little premature in memorializing Classis Yellowstone. The regional group of Christian Reformed churches in Montana and Utah was founded in 1988, and with only five remaining congregations, it anticipates a merger next year.

Sinnema, consulting his notes from the spring 2026 meeting of Classis Yellowstone, confirmed “we ‘directed the (Classical Interim Committee) to work with Classis Columbia on a plan for all of the Classis Yellowstone churches to merge with Classis Columbia.’”

“To that end,” Sinnema said, “there is a plan for both classes to meet in the same location for our fall 2026 meetings, and the two classes have been discussing what will be involved to effectuate a merger. Apparently this is the first time two CRC classes have proposed merging, so there are a lot of things to work through.”

Classis Columbia voted to create a committee to explore a merger with Classis Yellowstone at its September 2025 meeting, according to minutes. Columbia currently includes 15 churches, mostly in Washington and Oregon, with one congregation in Idaho.

Sytsma said the fall meetings will be in Eastern Washington on Sept. 25 and 26 where Classis Yellowstone and Classis Columbia will “meet for business separately, but also connect together to start to get to know each other.” He said the two interim committees “have been in communication, as well as church-planting leaders. Relationally, we are connecting and excited.” Sytsma is a church planter who serves on Yellowstone’s interim committee.

Joel VandeWerken, the CRC’s director of ecclesiastical governance, said in digging through the digital archive of the Acts of Synod he hasn’t seen another instance of such a merger between established classes.

Al Postma, executive director-Canada, who once served the denomination as a leader for classis renewal, agrees that if it goes as far as a proposal coming to synod, this classical merger may be a first. “It is not the first time this was explored, though,” Postma said. “In and around 2016, Classis Arizona had very intentional discussions with Rocky Mountain and California South about potentially merging into either classis. While Classis Arizona decided not to dissolve, that decision followed a significant discernment process.” Classis Arizona was founded in 1987 and has five organized and four emerging congregations.

Synod 2026 called for a task force to make recommendations about consolidations and/or overall restructuring of classes and to report to Synod 2028. Synod also asked the Office of General Secretary to aid any current classes working toward mergers, without having to wait for the completion of the task force.