what we value

Welcome!

Classis comes from a Latin word to describe a fleet of ships sailing through the sea together. This word serves as a metaphor for how churches and ministers operate within a unified mission. While each ministry is its own distinct vessel—navigating its unique local context and challenges—they do not sail in isolation. They travel together in a coordinated formation, sharing the same "wind" of the Holy Spirit to power their sails and keeping communication lines open for mutual protection and logistical support. Just as a fleet provides a safety net where ships can offer aid during rough seas, the Classis ensures that if one congregation or person falters or faces a storm, the surrounding "vessels" are positioned to help.

Our Classis exists to follow Christ in mission to cities. Our shared purpose is to cultivate and nurture an environment where spiritual renewal, innovative ministry and leadership development result in healthy and multiplying urban churches and ministries. 

Within the Reformed Church in America polity, we are formally organized as a “Middle Assembly” in our bylaws. Yet our ethos remains rooted in the image of a fleet sailing together on a shared mission. For that reason, we will continue to use “Classis” to describe who we are, because it reflects that we’re on the move together with a collective identity and calling.

We are drawn together by:

Mission to the City

This is why we formed in 2008, and what continues to define us today. We share Christ’s love in urban settings, with all the complexities that come with it. A city is diverse and dense, and as a result, it’s often intense. That intensity shows up in many forms – from oppressive systemic issues like racial injustice and food scarcity to something as simple as finding a parking spot.

Change is the norm. People tend to move in and out of cities. This rhythm of departure and arrival invites us to cultivate adaptability, strong welcome practices, and systems that help people connect quickly and meaningfully.

We honor all of these contexts and realities, tailoring our ministries to deeply reflect and genuinely reach the people in our midst. While our focus on the city is a missional decision, we recognize the important work of God's church in rural and suburban areas.

When we speak of “city,” we also draw on the missional vision of Lesslie Newbigin, who described the church’s calling as being in, with, and for the city. To be in the city is about presence—ministries physically located within city limits. To be with the city is about participation—congregations near a city whose members actively engage and identify with its life. To be for the city is about support—churches and ministers that, wherever they are located, intentionally invest in urban mission. Our Classis seeks to be open to the Spirit moving in our midst; currently, we primarily consist of ministries “in the city,” and some “with the city” and a few “for the city.”

Joyful Connection

Our gatherings are more than business meetings. We come together in a spirit of love and robust hospitality, believing that building and sustaining genuine relationships is foundational to a thriving covenant community. We understand this work not merely as organizational, but as sacramental. Our life together flows from receiving the gift of Christ at the Table. Communion stands at the very center of who we are and how we relate to one another.

We prioritize two-day, in-person gatherings (every March and October) that build in ample time to share stories, laugh, and truly know one another—from coffee breaks to shared meals. We warmly welcome newcomers, inviting them to experience our gatherings before engaging in the transfer process, and we hold the hopeful expectation that our ministers will attend all stated meetings of Classis. As a minimum, we expect members of Classis to attend at least one in-person gathering every two years to remain anchored to the fleet.

Between our stated meetings, this same joyful spirit of connection continues through committee work, cohorts, and ongoing one-on-one relationships. Members of Classis lean on one another, sharing the joys of ministry, but also the challenges, disappointments, and even the ordinary, everyday realities of ministerial life.

Reformed and Reforming Led by the Spirit

We cultivate a posture of openness—openness to learn, openness to trust, and openness to new ideas and new people. We embrace the Reformed conviction of ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda—the church reformed and always being reformed according to the Word of God. This commitment shapes both our spirit and our practice.

Our gatherings dedicate significant time to continuing education, strengthening our bonds as we learn from the practicing theologians in our midst. We recognize that every church carries a gift to offer and a lesson to receive. By rotating our in-person meetings from city to city, we deepen our understanding of one another’s ministry contexts and broaden our imagination for faithful witness in diverse settings.

We are committed to an intentional and gracious process of inclusion for newcomers and encourage all members to serve on committees. We entrust our committees with the steady, behind-the-scenes work that keeps our Classis afloat, enabling business meetings to be conducted with clarity and brevity.

Our life together is guided by our Framework for Life Together. This shared posture calls us to profound respect for one another, attentive listening, curious questioning, and humble engagement. We seek to be a grace-filled and healing community—living deliberately, imperfectly, and faithfully in the creative tension that covenant life requires, and above all, practicing love.