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 represent things that I have seen, heard, learned about or experienced that give me hope for the future of the RCA and the church in general.
- One for the World
- Holding hands, praying the Lord’s Prayer and singing the Doxology together after a painful time of vehement disagreement in Saturday night’s advisory committee meeting “A Pastoral Response to Homosexuality”
- Kingdom Enterprise Zones (KEZs) - cooperative efforts by the RCA and the CRC to reach unchurched people in places like Phoenix, AZ and Wyoming, MI
- The fruit of the RCA’s mission work that started decades ago in Chiapas, Mexico
- Personal messages via text, email and facebook from my church (ARC) telling me they are praying for us
- Pastor Jill’s messages of unity, peace and purity in opening worship
- Our mission partners asked the RCA what they can do to help us in mission
- The second substitute motion on homosexuality which was grace-filled, upheld the current position and called for continued dialog - although it failed, received strong support
- Opening General Synod worship
- The 17 10-word statements from the All-Synod Advisory Committees