Great question. At this point, I can't see rolling the two sites together because the overlap is fairly small. But I do think the Network site provides a new, more social way to discover and access resources that are housed elsewhere on CRCNA.org.

Having said that, there may be certain situations where the Network eliminates the need for a more traditional 'site'. For example, there's a Faith Formation website that was set up a couple of years ago and, now, a discussion network. The two complement each other nicely, but the next time a situation like that arises it could be that a guided network would be a nice all-in-one solution.

Other thoughts about the connection between the Network and other CRCNA sites?

I could certainly see a connection with the Calvin Institute of Worship's website and some of their resources, blogs and such.

I would like to see a section devoted to Canadian issues. Issues often are very different in Canada than in the US and AMerican solutions offer little for us. Below are a couple of examples. The category that you label as Native Americans does not compute here. In Canada we refer to either Aboriginal Persons collectively or as First Nations/Registered Indians or Metis or Inuit individually. Also, although there has been conflict between Aboriginal groups and the British and French who made up most of the population until the early 1900's, it never came down to the all out wars that took place in the US. That is not to say that Canadians have always treated aboriginal persons well. Very much the contrary. In other areas, for example health care, I suspect many Canadians cannot understand or want anything to do with the current US debate on Health Care as we realize that, even with its imperfections, for virtually all citizens, waht we have in Canada is far superior to what the US system offers and if reports are to believed, is cheaper. I think it is probably fair to say that many Canadians members of the CRC cannot understand the almost total lack of discussion of such a vital issue as health care in publications such as the Banner. The question resonates here, as a Christian, how can I love my neigbour as myself when my neighbour cannot get adequate health care. In Canada, most CRC members are of Dutch origins and are considered to be ethnics so the concept of ethnic advisors is odd, to say the least. According to the 2001 Canadian Census, of those aged 15 and over, 37.4 thousand reported being CRC. Of this number, 30.8 thousand reported Dutch origins. Another 1.8 thousand reported German origins. Of the 14.6 million Canadians aged 15+, 10.2 million reported themselves as either British or French or Canadian. Race relations is another area where Canada and the US are very different. The legacy of large scale black slavery and the war fought over it in the US was never an issue here. That there is racism in Canada is without question, but most members of what we call visible minorities here, Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, etc. are relatively recent immigrants or the children and now grand children of relatively recent immigrants, most having arrived in the past 50 years. Finally, perhaps it would be at least interesting to have a forum which looks at whether or not the CRCNA should split and become the CRC in Canada and the CRC in the USA.

You wrote:

The category that you label as Native Americans does not compute here.

Actually, the network is called "Native American - First Nations Churches" which was an attempt to acknowledge exactly the point you made :-)

To your broader point, as someone who has spent plenty of time on both sides of the border I agree that there are distinct differences. But there are also distinct differences between churches by region, size of church, urban/rural/suburban, ministry passion, etc. 

I'm sure these differences will play out in conversations across all the networks. At times it will be a challenge, no doubt, but it's also an opportunity to learn from each other. I think that's one of the great things about making this a CRCNA-wide conversation instead of separate US and CDN conversations.

There are many topics that could be handled at the at the overall CRCNA level but there are also issues which are strictly Canadian or American. We tend to originate from different immigrant streams, with Canada being largely post WWII. While there are also regional and urban/rural differences within the Canadian segment, from what I have seen, and I have been across the country many times and have friends and family in many places, many of our cultural attitudes are different. Although many are conservative, it is not American conservatism. That plays out in attitudes to government funded health care, attitudes to the Iraq war, etc. As I said, most fellow CRC members that I have talked to do not understand why the church has been so silent in the US health debate and why they have not been pushing for a system in which everyone is covered. Maybe this is the wrong forum but I for one cannot see how you can love your neighbour as yourself and then watch your neighbour die from lack of medical treatment, run out of money due to health cost caps or be turned down for pre-esisting conditions. From my point of view, it makes our Christianity seem irrelevant, we talk the talk but don't walk the walk. I also recognize that my perspectives may be influenced by the fact that I live in Ottawa and am part of Classis Eastern Canada. We have had our debates on various contentious issues as well, but generally, we have not had splits like those in Southern Ontario where large numbers left the CRC to start new denominations. (Several tried here but got nowhere and little support.)