Synod Speaks

June 19, 2008 – Synod isn’t just a group of delegates meeting to make decisions. It is men and women who love the Lord, from various cultures and ethnicities, coming together to speak their minds and hearts. Here are a few of the memorable quotes from Synod 2008.

“The church wins if you serve in love. If you love … God will be glorified, and what would be better than that.” – Rev. Richard Verkaik, pastor of the River Walk Community CRC

“If we are part of one worldwide body of Christ, we need to relate to one another, work for peace, and engage in community-building” – Rev. Ira-Rimam Matthias Iratsi, Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria (RCCN).

“We do not know what God is calling you to do, or where God will be calling you to live and work. But the one who began a good work in you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” – Rev. Thea Leunk, vice president of synod and chairperson of the CRC’s Candidacy Committee

“If he [John Calvin] were alive today, he would tell us ‘it’s not about me, it’s about Him.’” – Elder Tobias Lewis, Classis Atlantic Northeast

“It’s odd, isn’t it, how those of us who find our home in the Reformed family of faith can recognize each other, almost instinctively. To look into each other’s eyes, and to listen to each other’s conversations, is to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are family—close family.” – Rev. Carol Bechtel, president of the synod of the CRC’s sister denomination, the Reformed Church in America

“We read the Old Testament and scratch our heads and we are appalled (at some of the things that God's people do). We ask ourselves how can God continue to favor his people. But God can't help himself. He loves us. He is faithful.” – Rev. Richard Verkaik, pastor of River Walk CRC

“Can we imagine the Lutherans not celebrating the 500^th anniversary of Luther, in 1983, which they did? I think we don’t adequately honor our tradition and the gifts we’ve been given.” – Rev. Raymond Blacketer, Classis Alberta North

“We’re not trying to open old wounds. I think it would be perfectly in order, every year for decades to come, for our classis to say ‘We’re here, we’re part of you, but no, we don’t think you made the right procedural move by agreeing to seat women delegates at synod.’” – Rev. Joseph Vanden Akker, Classis Minnkota

“The church today is so much more diverse in old and new ways that no single recipe can possibly feed everybody. The minister who attempts to force a ministry style into an alien context will only frustrate, baffle or amuse God’s people. Healthy pastors figure out the local culture—urban or rural, elder- or youth-based, immigrant or settled. Wise pastors will exclaim one part of the gospel, and whisper another.” – Rev. Neal Plantinga, president of Calvin Theological Seminary

“If we are part of one world-wide body of Christ, we need to relate to one another, work for peace, and engage in community-building. It is in view of these that we urge you, as our founding fathers, to maintain consistent ways of nurturing us.” – Rev. Ira-Rimam Matthias Iratsi, Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria

“We have varieties of practices, varieties of worship styles… one thing we cannot afford is a variety of creedal commitments.” – Rev. Ken Benjamins, Classis Hamilton

“There’s an African proverb that goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I believe that’s true for cyclists, and I believe that’s true for denominations.” – Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson, general secretary of the RCA

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