The committee members come from various cultural, ethnic, racial, generational, and geographical backgrounds and each serve a three-year term. They advise and assist the co Senior Leaders for Intercultural ministry.
The collective meets four times per year (twice in person and twice by videoconference).
Anti-racism work has been limited within the CRC in Canada, leading to feelings of exclusion among racialized individuals. To address this, the CRC in Canada has established the Intercultural Collective. This BIPOC-led committee and its staff are dedicated to facilitating systemic and cultural change within the Canadian CRC, rooted in addressing racism and upholding commitments in documents like God’s Diverse and Unified Family and the Belhar Confession. Our goal is to create a community based on an intercultural foundation of love, respect, reciprocity, justice, and equity.
A. We work in partnership with the Senior Leader for Anti-Racism and Intercultural Conciliation, advising the CRC in Canada in alignment with the biblical vision found in Revelations 7:9-10.
B. We acknowledge the importance of Indigenous justice and aim to act on Indigenous calls for decolonization and right relations. We collaborate closely with the CRC’s Canadian Indigenous Ministry Committee (CIMC).
C. We embrace a "family" model that treats all members as equal family members, irrespective of race. This model involves decentering power and privilege and empowering equity-seeking groups. Dutch culture, historically predominant in CRCNA, will be celebrated as one of the many cultures within CRCNA.
D. Our primary focus is on the Canadian context, maintaining dialogue and collaboration with relevant committees, networks, and organizations.
A. Develop and propose a context-specific mandate for decolonization and anti-racism within CRCNA Canada, including measures for internal culture change, institutional accountability, and learning resources for congregations.
B. Collaborate with the Executive Director of Canada to draft and implement action plans, strategies, staffing, and programming based on gathered data. Goals may include education, awareness, theology, policy, advocacy for racial justice and decolonization, and collective healing.
C. Ensure the well-being and sustainability of the Senior Leader, offering recommendations if needed to support their work-life balance and spiritual life.
