SMC - History

Over the last many years various groups and individuals have been working to develop a coordinated and effective ministry with and for ministry staff.  Here is a bit of history:

• The Christian Reformed Association of Staff Ministers (CRASM) was developed sometime in the 1980s.  The group eventually merged with the denominational Pastor-Church Relations Committee.
• After merging with Pastor-Church Relations, members of the group continued to meet, giving themselves the name “Unordained Church Professionals.”  A person was hired part time to work with the group and Pastor Duane Visser on several initiatives.
• A note was made at Synod in 1988 that “…the word minister in the synodical mandate for Pastor-Church Relations Committee does not exclusively designate ordained clergy, but also professionally identified persons on a church’s ministry staff.”  Pastor Visser, the only full time ministerial staff for Pastor-Church Relations in 1988, met with the Unordained Church Professionals group many times and was always encouraging.  However, Duane’s work was already significant and focused largely on crisis intervention and the ordained clergy.
• Synod 2000 adopted a resolution encouraging the Board of Trustees to facilitate the addition of staff for Pastor-Church Relations, because of the demands on this office.  In 2002, Norm Thomasma was hired as this additional staff member.  One aspect of his job is working with specialized ministry staff. 
• The Unordained  Church Professionals eventually renamed themselves the Staff Ministry Committee (SMC) as they are known today.  Norm’s presence on SMC has added momentum to its work. 
• On May 1, 2006, Jeanne Kallemeyn began working in the Pastor-Church Relations Office. Her focus is on church staff ministry leaders who are not ordained.