Being a deacon involves a lot more than passing the offering plate. Let's discuss all aspects of being a deacon.
Jodi
Diaconal Ministries
Terry
Andrew
Mavis
What would our churches look like if we intentionally worked WITH our communities? This is a key question I asked myself after becoming the new Church with Community Coordinator.
With a desire for spiritual renewal, Maple Ridge CRC initiated a Community Opportunity Scan in order to listen to their community, their church, and the Holy Spirit.
The annual day of encouragement and learning for deacons and church leaders, held bi-annually in the Maritimes, has gotten a makeover!
In this post, we'll talk about the feasibility of attending classis and synod. We'll discus not just the where, but also the when and the how much.
Bates Place Neighbors is the community center through which First CRC in Grand Rapids is building relationships with neighbors. This newsletter is a great example of how it is done and how progress is being made.
While classis and synod may seem too formal to some, perhaps there is value in the way they are designed and conducted. Perhaps instead of being too formal, they are actually focused.
This post provides a reminder of the resources available for orienting new deacons as churches begin a new program year.
Welcoming deacons at Classis and Synod requires paying attention: both to the receiving and to the showing up.
Here's a review of Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic's recent book, A Field Guide To Becoming Whole. The book and field guide are helpful in understanding where traditional responses to poverty have missed the mark.
Does your church council talk regularly about the spiritual health of your congregation? Here is a set of twelve devotionals that will lead your elders and deacons to focus on your church's flourishing.
When it comes to deacons at classis and synod, what is your immediate reaction? In our many discussions with deacons (and other ministry leaders), we came to realize this is a pretty hot topic!
Best Christian Workplaces Institute is an employee engagement ministry "dedicated to helping Christian leaders and organizations achieve their full potential." Here are some great resources they have shared.
The summer 2019 issue of For Deacons focuses on the call that is at the heart of the office of deacons. Find stories of deacons living out the call, as well as tools for deacons eager to live out the call.
I've been wanting elders and deacons to weigh in on this question: What do you wish you had known when you were first installed in office?
How can churches ensure that their members are given the opportunity to support the church's ministries in ways that are accessible and readily available?
Bridge of Hope Church in Sioux Center Iowa recently attended a workshop focused on the role of deacons as leaders in the life of the church. Here's what happened.
As the deacons at New Life CRC in Geulph, ON, set out to define their vision, they resonated with the words of Synod 2016 calling deacons to be not only servants, but catalysts.
In the context of today's world the mandate of mercy and justice that is at the heart of the call on the office of deacon is both profound and challenging. We need to keep the call in front of us as deacons to continue to live into it more fully
How can your diaconate (and church!) get the rest you need AND stay motivated during these cherished summertime months here in Canada?
I'm wondering if the CRCNA has any affiliation with International Needs Canada? Should we support another Christian community development agency other than World Renew?
We have a church/diaconate hoping to help cover the cost of counseling for those who request it and want to formalize the process for consistency and fairness. Got any suggestions?
Deacons work to create community, encourage service and stewardship, and reach out to fill needs in people's lives. Find ideas and inspiration in these tasks at Inspire 2019.
It is our Christian responsibility to care for God’s creation, which not only includes personally in our homes, but also corporately, in our churches. So whose job is it to lead the charge in our churches? It's YOURS, Deacons!
Since 2015 deacons in the CRC have been asked to live into a new level of leadership. The May 2019 issue of For Deacons includes resources designed to help deacons live into this leadership mandate.
In this short interview, Dr. Steve Timmermans, Executive Director of the CRCNA, reflects on the refocused expectations of deacons laid out by Synod 2015.