Synod Hears from BOT President

Synod 2012 reconvened in a brief plenary session on Saturday morning.

The session opened with worship, led by the Faith Alive editorial committee putting together a new hymnal scheduled to be released in a year. Some of the songs were old favorites, but some are new ones that will be included in the hymnal.

The worship team also included children from Jubilee Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines, Ontario. The message, with a Pentecost theme, was delivered by Rev. Angela Taylor Perry, an ethnic adviser from Kalamazoo, Mich.

The main order of business was a report from the denomination’s Board of Trustees, delivered by board president Rev. John Terpstra (to watch it, see the webcast archive from Saturday morning).

Terpstra reported on the work that the board does on behalf of synod. This includes supervising the work of the executive director, who leads senior staff and agency directors in carrying out the ministry plan endorsed by synod.

Terpstra described ways in which the executive director, Rev. Joel Boot, provided pastoral care to staff after the resignations last year of the previous executive director and the director of denominational ministries, as well as carrying out the administrative functions of the role.

“Joel mentioned to me earlier and again last night that he feels as if the ground beneath him is shaking. He wonders if it is a crisis about to happen or if it is the creative presence of the Holy Spirit moving,” Terpstra said.

“All he knows is that when he feels his world starting to shake, he moves toward God and rests in the comfort of God’s promises.”

Terpstra said highlights of the past year included interviewing Bonnie Nicholas, Michael Le Roy and Rev. Kurt Selles, all of whom are assuming new leadership positions in the CRC. He also listed many ways in which the agencies extend the ministry of Christian Reformed churches in today’s complex mission field in North America.

Terpstra also noted the challenges facing the CRC. “We have targets for diverse leadership that elude us,” he said. “We need to revisit the conversation about how to more effectively be a denomination with a kingdom presence in two countries.

“I offer no new solutions, only that I continue to hear concerns and I see the need to talk more about it.”

He closed by calling on the church to dream together of a denomination filled with thriving churches, facing the challenges on its knees before the throne of grace.

Delegates also voted for people nominated to serve on the boards and committees of the CRC.

Delegates will spend the rest of today in advisory committees. Supper will be an outdoor barbecue, weather permitting, hosted by the president of Redeemer University College, Hubert Krygsman.

For continuous coverage of Synod 2012, visit www.crcna.org/Synod.