synod
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Posted on May 10, 2012, 5:06 pm
Topics: Synod
I sat in the Brussels Airport with dozens of different nationalities and more languages. Soon we all boarded one plane, made in Europe, run by an Indian company, and headed to Toronto. Among us we are all able to communicate basically. If we had spent a long time together, we’d have to learn to live together deeply. That's what this year's diverse Agenda begs us to do ...
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Posted on May 9, 2012, 3:00 pm | 11 comments
Topics: Mission and Vision
We needed to pay more attention to our confessional identity if we want to have a voice in our missional future. Is our tiny classical liturgy of binary subscription to our Forms of Unity sufficient?
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Posted on April 20, 2012, 4:35 pm
Topics: Synod
I hereby solemnly pledge NOT to make this blog a soapbox for my own opinions about issues before Synod 2012--though opinions will not be entirely absent either. I am glad to be back with you. I invite your attentiveness and comments, disagreements and invitations to dinner or free tickets to Tigers or Blue Jays games.
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Posted on December 6, 2011, 10:56 am | 1 comment
Topics: Denomination
The Diakonia Remixed Deacon Task Force has shared the responses from the survey taken earlier this year. With over 333 responses, it helps paint the landscape of diaconal ministry in the CRCNA. Reviewing the survey I had two responses...
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Posted on November 16, 2011, 11:45 am | 19 comments
Topics: Synod
The synodical report by the Creation Stewardship Task Force is now available for study and reflection by the churches. It always is the privilege and praise-giving responsibility of each one of us to acknowledge that the earth...
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Posted on November 14, 2011, 2:15 pm | 3 comments
Topics: Network Buzz, Synod
The following discussion took place on November 3, 2011 at Bethel CRC in Lansing, IL. Hosted by Classis Illiana, speakers Rev. Peter Borgdorff and Rev. John W. Cooper discuss the pro and con of adopting the Belhar Confession as a fourth confession of the CRCNA...
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Posted on October 27, 2011, 12:09 pm
Topics: Synod
The following synodical reports are ready for study and reflection by the churches: (1) Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee—Belhar Report and (2) Form of Subscription Revision Committee II (2012). In addition, (3) the Creation Stewardship Task Force requested an extension in submitting their report and, thus, will be made available to the churches around mid November.
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Posted on October 21, 2011, 8:50 am | 1 comment
Topics: Synod
At its combined session of Synods last June the RCA and the CRC approved a joint new edition of the three historic Reformed confessions, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort.
Today, I’m pleased to announce that they are available from the Beliefs page on CRCNA.org. Here are the direct links:
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Posted on September 6, 2011, 12:22 am
Topics: Congregation, Denomination
To date Diakonia Remixed has received 300 responses to the survey that was created to help them evaluate the state of diaconal ministry in North America. Have you filled it out yet? If you haven't, you have less than a month to add your voice to this important discussion. So what are you waiting for? We need you! (And I'm not only talking to deacons here!)
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Posted on August 10, 2011, 2:23 pm | 11 comments
Topics: Classis Structure
The denominational structure is a drama queen that too often distracts Synod from where its focus should be. Let's trying thinking outside the box. What if we got Synod out of the agency management business? Could shifting resources from the denominational to the classical level better serve the church by reinvesting in local ministry? Would local ministry flourish if your classical budget were two to three times its current size?
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Posted on July 14, 2011, 11:30 am | 2 comments
Topics: Leadership
I’d like to offer three data points and then some synthesis on individualism, a confessional church, and the future of our confessional witness.
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Posted on July 6, 2011, 1:12 pm | 9 comments
Topics: Synod
For me it’s time to say farewell. For you who’ve read any of the posts about Synod 2011 it’s time to give The Network and the Board of Trustees some feedback. Was this blog helpful? Did it give you a broader understanding of what Synod 2011 would be addressing? Should the Board do something similar
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Posted on June 20, 2011, 2:24 pm | 7 comments
Topics: Classis Structure, Mission and Vision
No more "exceptional gift" entry for Ministers of the Word (Article 7) by Classis. In 2010 Synod discouraged affinity classes. In 2011 Synod didn't like ratifying confessional changes at Classis. It's not difficult to see within these debates the tension between uniformity and diversity, between trust and control.
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Posted on May 31, 2011, 10:23 am | 1 comment
Topics: Youth
Should more youth be represented at Synod? And if so, how would they be represented? By participating? By watching? By participating in various service roles at Synod? Do they want to be at Synod? Lots of folks say that youth are not the church of tomorrow but instead are the church of today. Do we mean that?
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Posted on May 20, 2011, 8:23 am | 18 comments
Topics: Synod
This year a number of young people from Sunrise Community CRC in Austin, Texas reviewed a number of matters to be discussed by Synod 2011 and came up with this profound question: “Why is synod spelled with a “Y?”
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