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Synod 2017 Opens Friday

June 7, 2017

Delegates from across the U.S. and Canada will be gathering at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 9, for the opening of Synod 2017, which takes place this year at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill.

Crossroads Community CRC, Schererville, Ind., will serve as the convening church for the annual meeting. Rev. Drew Brown, pastor of Crossroads Community, will serve as the president pro-tem until synod is constituted and its officers have been elected.

At 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, a community-wide Synodical Service of Prayer and Praise will be held at Crossroads Community, located at 1538 Janice Drive in Schererville.

Anticipated to run through noon on June 15, synod will address a range of issues, including the following:

  • The formation of a new Council of Delegates to take over the responsibilities of the denomination’s Board of Trustees.
  • The approval of Resonate Global Mission as the new name for an agency that includes the former Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed Home Missions.
  • The approval of Rev. Zachary J. King as director of this new mission agency.
  • The consideration of a recategorization of the Belhar Confession from an Ecumenical Faith Declaration to the status of a contemporary testimony.
  • A discussion about the CRC’s ongoing relationship with the Reformed Church in America and how they can work toward a future of being more intentional in their ministry together.

Regarding a request from Synod 2016, this year’s synod will also have before it “a detailed chart of all existing ministries that includes the following information: ministry description, date the ministry began, account of synod that established the ministry, and current financial ministry-share allocation” (Acts of Synod 2016, p. 858). The chart is published in the Agenda for Synod 2017 (pp. 137-66).

Included with this summary is a program evaluation overview of all ministries, titled “Our Calling: Understanding the Breadth and Depth of the Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church” (Agenda, pp. 167-79).

For news before and during synod, subscribe to Synod News and the CRC News weekly email. Or follow the CRCNA on Facebook or on Twitter (#crcsynod).

Want to discuss the matters coming before Synod 2017? Join the conversation or post your own discussion topic in the Synod section of The Network.

During synod, the Synod 2017 webpage will contain the latest news, live webcasts, photos, reports, and more.

The Agenda for Synod 2017 and Agenda Supplement are available for delegates, councils, and others to read and study in preparation for synod . Past reports and Acts of Synod — and much more — can be found on the Synod Resources webpage.

If you have questions, please email or call 877-279-9994.