Task Force to Address Inequities in Funding for Seminarians

Recognizing the need and importance of properly trained ministers, the Christian Reformed Church requires that each classis maintain a student fund to financially assist those preparing for ministry.

Classes (regional groups of churches) have Classis Ministerial Leadership Teams to support and encourage students in their preparation.

An overture from Classis Hamilton acknowledged the long-standing practice of classes fulfilling this mandate, but noted differences in levels of financial support from classis to classis.

Synod 2016 agreed this is an issue and formed a task force to “address equity of classis-based funding, financial challenges faced by students from Canada desiring to attend Calvin Theological Seminary, and the impact of these financial circumstances on CRC members accessing a Reformed preparation for ministry with the CRCNA.”

The task force is to be composed of representatives from Calvin Theological Seminary representatives, the CRC’s Candidacy Committee, three classis committees responsible for student funding, and two current or recent CTS students. Its findings and recommendations are to be presented to Synod 2017.

For continuous coverage of Synod 2016 including the live webcast, news, video recordings, photos, liveblog, social media links, and more visit www.crcna.org/synod.