General Synod
One of our founding members went to be with the Lord yesterday. The family wants to conduct services Thursday and Friday so I cancelled my trip to General Synod. Sorry not to be able to reconnect...
View ArticleAnnual financial reports to denomination need updating to reflect missional...
I heard somewhere that our leaders are considering changes in our annual financial reports to better reflect what missional churches spend on "congregational purposes" and missional work. I hope so....
View ArticleCRC/RCA relations
The CRC/RCA day of joint worship and synod meetings made the front pages of the Grand Rapids Press. Many of us have referred to this occassion as historic and gratifying. This afternoon, though, in...
View ArticleA Significant Experience
Lord,surrounded by your glory,what do our hearts feel...do we dance before you Jesusor in awe of you be still. Lord, regardless of any lingering questions or concerns we may have from this morning, we...
View ArticleWhat a blessing to be here this year.
What a privledge to be part of this General Synod! While there wasn't much extended debate about anything, and there have been complaints that everything was decided before we got here, for me it was...
View ArticleNew Vice President
Tom Smith is our new VP of General Synod. Serves a year as VP, a year as President, and a year as Immediate Past President. He's the brother of Paul Smith, librarian at Western Seminary....
View ArticleTwo minute warning...
Paul Vroom asked that the General Synod take two minutes to have each Vice Presidential candidate answer three questions: "Where do you stand on Women in Ministry, the Standards, and Homosexuality?"...
View ArticleUnity, Purity, Peace
Jill pointed out in this morning's worship that every pastor, in their ordination vows, has pledged themselves to unity, purity, and peace. However, as she moved on from that the word purity got left...
View ArticleOvertures regarding LGBT marriage and ordination
Well, we began with an Advisory Council recommendation, discussion, a substitute motion, a ruling from the chair that the substitute was out of order, a vote to overrule the chair's ruling, returned to...
View ArticleSigns of Hope
Today was a really difficult day at General Synod. I wanted, perhaps needed is a more honest word, to spend some time focusing only on signs of hope at General Synod 2012. All of the following...
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