Back Atcha!

Well, well, well. It has been a while since I've taken an active part in The Network. I even had to look up my password this morning as I was getting ready to write this first blog for Synod. No, that doesn't mean I haven't been reading postings in several departments. Rather, I simply wait for the weekly email notice from Network to hit my inbox and then I lurk, picking and choosing. But I have intentionally given myself and others a rest from my comments for about ten months now. I hope we all enjoyed the rest. I know I did.

Now, though, that is all about to end. So, either hit "delete" or read on at your own risk, 'cuz I'm back atcha!

About a week and a half ago Henry Hess, the CRC's communications guru, asked me in an email if I would be the Synod blogger for Network this year. (By the way, the Agenda for Synod 2012 is available on-line. ) I mulled that over: Do I want to be saddled with at least a blog a week for two and half months, maybe longer? Why does Henry ask me? I thought standards had slipped last year at Synod when delegates elected me president. Or maybe Henry is giving me a chance to redeem myself? We'll see about that, now, won't we!

In any case, I was honoured to be asked. I did wonder: Maybe this presents a bit of a conflict of interest; some of you might think so too. My reason for that temporary reservation is this: Though I am not a delegate to Synod this year, I will for the fourth--and I pray final!--time be reporting to Synod on behalf of the Form of Subscription Revision Study Committee along with Mark Davies and Michael Borgert. After a difficult and somewhat frustrating debate that lasted an evening and part of Synod's final morning, Synod sent back to committee our hoped-for final draft "Covenant for Office Bearers" with some clear guidelines for final revision. Yes, I have some opinions about that, which some of you well know. I will necessarily be writing about that as one of the issues before Synod.

I hereby solemnly pledge NOT to make this blog a soapbox for my own opinions, though opinions will not be entirely absent either. Thus I did eventually decide to take up the laptop again. I will first try to take a birds-eye view of Synod's great big fat Agenda (next blog or two). Then I'll dig into some of the several issues that are up for discussion and decision this June at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario. Since my wife Rose and I will be travelling to West Africa to conduct a retreat with World Mission and World Relief staff and families, I will also spare you my scribblings for a couple of weeks and invite you to read contributions from one or two other guest bloggers--provided they accept the mission, Mr. Phelps!

OK! That's it for the intro. 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.