Board of Trustees President is Grateful, Says the Church Should Be Too

Gratitude was the theme this year for the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees members. During their devotional times and meetings, they would reflect on being grateful and would spend time in prayers of thanks for each other, the church, and denominational ministries. The outgoing board president, Chris Van Spronsen, carried that theme over when he addressed synod, the annual general assembly of the CRC, on June 10.

Van Spronsen began by asking delegates how to pronounce the name of the tear-dropped shaped nut grown in Central California. While the name of the nut is almond, some delegates pronounced it with a long “a” and a silent “l” (A-mend), and others pronounced it with a short “a” (all-mond). He then told a fictional story about a synod where debate over the correct pronunciation of almond was debated.

“What both of these sides are missing,” he said as the story drew to a close, “is gratitude for the other. Both of them were missing the gift that this little nut was from nature. Both of them so caught up in their side of the argument, they missed the gift.”

Van Spronsen explained that sometimes in our relationships, our churches, and even at previous synods, we have allowed trivial disputes to become polarizing. When we get so caught up in our arguments, he said, we miss the gift

Instead, he suggested, we should approach our relationships and the work of synod with gratitude.

Van Spronsen’s speech, in part, marked the conclusion of the Board of Trustees era in the Christian Reformed Church. The Board of Trustees over the past years had become an increasingly important presence in the life of the denomination.

It began as a committee entrusted to do the work of synod when synod was not in session—the synodical interim committee. Its role increased as it was entrusted by synod to oversee the agencies and ministries of the Christian Reformed Church.

This year, the Board of Trustees is slated to give way to the new Council of Delegates. As they mark the end of this era, Van Spronsen thanked his parents for teaching him to love and serve the CRC. He thanked his fellow board members for serving alongside of him for the past six years.

He then returned to his fictional story, by saying that the great almond debate was resolved by synod deciding that “both are acceptable.  It is a local issue.”

“Praise God, we are diverse,” he said, urging the delegates over the course of the following week to “come to the microphones with gratitude. Listen to the microphones with gratitude. Vote with gratitude.”  He also reminded them to offer grace to those they disagree with focus on the many ways that God has blessed and continues to bless the Christian Reformed Church. 

“If we approach our work this week with gratitude as our goal,” he said.  “I think we will be blessed.”

For continuous coverage of Synod 2017 including the live webcast, news, video recordings, photos, reports, liveblog, social media links, and more visit www.crcna.org/synod.