I a pastor at Heritage Fellowship CRC, a church within Holland Christian Homes (www.hch.ca) in Brampton Ontario. It's a seniors apartment complex with two nursing homes attached to the 6 apartment towers.
Good points and questions George! I don't think Synod has done a service to the church by hurrying the process and shorting the time in which it meets.
Likewise I don't think elders, deacons, ministers, and those in the pew have done a service to the denomination as well. Many don't read the Agenda or the Acts of Synod. The general feel is "They (Synod? BOT? ED?) know what to do. They can make the decisions that will need to be made."
It seems to me that many churches operate on a local basis... not even at the classical level, just the local level. They seem to do what they feel they need to ro should do.
In many ways we are all responsible for Executive Director quitting. We have neglected our duty as office bearers and church members of the CRCNA.
The question is, "Are we all willing to do the work that is needed to keep the CRCNA together?" That is keep up on decisions, participate in the decision and deliberative process of council, classis, and synod? Are we willing to study and learn and understand how the denomination works, how classis functions, and how a church council goes about its work? Are we willing to keep one another accountable?
It almost seems that the denomination functions more like a hierarchy.
Thank you George for being both a front runner and a churchman who looks at doing things the right way. Maybe you should be up front with a copy of the church order in hand to guide Synod 2011.
An Article 17 should not be seen as a negative thing! For minister or for church. It is a recognition that both have problems or issues that need to be addressed. It is a wake up call for everything that they need to get some help. When an article 17 is carried out and the classis steps in with the two committees, they should make sure the church completes it's "counselling" over time. And the minister needs to receive his/her counselling as well. An article 17 is not the fault of a pastor, nor is it the fault of the church. It is a together thing. Both need help. Both must seek help. Both must receive help for what is wrong.
For many years I looked at churches that went through the Article 17 process as problem places. And ministers who endured an Article 17 as problem pastors. Now that I'm on the other side, I see most Article 17 pastors and churches as honest people who have come face to face their issues. They have acknowledged their brokeness and their frailties. And if they have honestly looked at it, they are now addressing their short-comings and they are upfront with the help they need, and they are honest with who they are. There is little that is hidden now.
I would much rather take a call to a church that has just undergone a true Article 17 where Classis has been involved in following the Church Order guidelines to the full extent and where an interim pastor has come in to address concerns and to work through solutions with the council and the congregation. Why would I want to go there? Because this is a church that has been hurt, but they are now healing and eager to do the right thing. That is part of the sign of a healthy church... it's honest with itself and with the people they serve and the pastor who they want serving them.
Change is inevitable! Every moment things are changing. We are getting older. Some are closer to death. Others are getting closer to their birth. In a day, a week, a month, a year, five years... every single one of us and our communities will be different. Made up of different people... though the names may be the same, their experiences in life are different! We can help to direct change or we can sit back and let change happen. I not saying we dictate our destiny. But we have some control over how we will be getting there. If a person, a council, a church isn't actively talking about change, then change will dictate who and what they are going to be. Let's be bold and activate a little bit of change every time we can in order to tweak and correct what is going on in order to help shape and lead us in the direction we need to go. Just like riding a bike... if you don't turn the handle bars every so often, you will follow your dominant hand into something unpleasant.
Thanks for sharing. I wish that Synod 2022 had actually thought about and came up with some pastoral advice rather than saying "we'll figure it out as we go along." That was unpastoral and harmful to so many people.
Thank you for opening up about how you thought about this all. God's strength as you continue to serve and bless, listen and care.
Yes a lot of good advice. But a lot was missing. How to care for families who disagree with their children and grandchildren's choice, but still want to love and walk with them while not shutting the door on living the gospel according to Synod 2022 to them without fear of being put under discipline. (This is based on several true stories that I have and are doing pastoral care for). Synod didn't help in addressing this and others.
Synod 2022 could have done some better work instructing what kind of care shouldn't be done... like threatening discipline when family members are trying to walk alongside their LGBTQ+ children and grandchildren.
I think most everyone can agree that some items of pastoral care were clear and accurate and appropriate. But there was a lot that was left hanging and sorely abused by those who appreciated what Synod 2022 decided.
I have been left with lots of questions and no help from the report or from Synod's responses.
Posted in: Will Synod Have Adequate Time to do Its Work Well?
Good points and questions George! I don't think Synod has done a service to the church by hurrying the process and shorting the time in which it meets.
Likewise I don't think elders, deacons, ministers, and those in the pew have done a service to the denomination as well. Many don't read the Agenda or the Acts of Synod. The general feel is "They (Synod? BOT? ED?) know what to do. They can make the decisions that will need to be made."
It seems to me that many churches operate on a local basis... not even at the classical level, just the local level. They seem to do what they feel they need to ro should do.
In many ways we are all responsible for Executive Director quitting. We have neglected our duty as office bearers and church members of the CRCNA.
The question is, "Are we all willing to do the work that is needed to keep the CRCNA together?" That is keep up on decisions, participate in the decision and deliberative process of council, classis, and synod? Are we willing to study and learn and understand how the denomination works, how classis functions, and how a church council goes about its work? Are we willing to keep one another accountable?
It almost seems that the denomination functions more like a hierarchy.
Thank you George for being both a front runner and a churchman who looks at doing things the right way. Maybe you should be up front with a copy of the church order in hand to guide Synod 2011.
Posted in: Facing a Troubled Congregational Past
An Article 17 should not be seen as a negative thing! For minister or for church. It is a recognition that both have problems or issues that need to be addressed. It is a wake up call for everything that they need to get some help. When an article 17 is carried out and the classis steps in with the two committees, they should make sure the church completes it's "counselling" over time. And the minister needs to receive his/her counselling as well. An article 17 is not the fault of a pastor, nor is it the fault of the church. It is a together thing. Both need help. Both must seek help. Both must receive help for what is wrong.
For many years I looked at churches that went through the Article 17 process as problem places. And ministers who endured an Article 17 as problem pastors. Now that I'm on the other side, I see most Article 17 pastors and churches as honest people who have come face to face their issues. They have acknowledged their brokeness and their frailties. And if they have honestly looked at it, they are now addressing their short-comings and they are upfront with the help they need, and they are honest with who they are. There is little that is hidden now.
I would much rather take a call to a church that has just undergone a true Article 17 where Classis has been involved in following the Church Order guidelines to the full extent and where an interim pastor has come in to address concerns and to work through solutions with the council and the congregation. Why would I want to go there? Because this is a church that has been hurt, but they are now healing and eager to do the right thing. That is part of the sign of a healthy church... it's honest with itself and with the people they serve and the pastor who they want serving them.
Posted in: What Was Your Favorite Part of Inspire 2017?
What was my favourite part? ALL OF IT. Really!
In order... Workshop 4 to Cass Community. WOW!!! Powerful work going on that could be replicated in a few ways.
Food and fellowship... great spaces to eat and meet new and old friends. Lots of time to do so.
Reflective, engaging, inspiring worship... thanks Melody and the team.
The space in which we were in... enhanced community.
Posted in: How Prepared Are We For Change?
Change is inevitable! Every moment things are changing. We are getting older. Some are closer to death. Others are getting closer to their birth. In a day, a week, a month, a year, five years... every single one of us and our communities will be different. Made up of different people... though the names may be the same, their experiences in life are different! We can help to direct change or we can sit back and let change happen. I not saying we dictate our destiny. But we have some control over how we will be getting there. If a person, a council, a church isn't actively talking about change, then change will dictate who and what they are going to be. Let's be bold and activate a little bit of change every time we can in order to tweak and correct what is going on in order to help shape and lead us in the direction we need to go. Just like riding a bike... if you don't turn the handle bars every so often, you will follow your dominant hand into something unpleasant.
Posted in: The Houses That Build Us: My (Slightly Dramatic) Network Farewell
Thank you Staci. God bless you in your future ministry work which includes being a mother.
Posted in: Peace of Conscience and Unity in the Church: Why I Did What I Did As a Delegate to Synod 2022
Thanks for sharing. I wish that Synod 2022 had actually thought about and came up with some pastoral advice rather than saying "we'll figure it out as we go along." That was unpastoral and harmful to so many people.
Thank you for opening up about how you thought about this all. God's strength as you continue to serve and bless, listen and care.
Posted in: Peace of Conscience and Unity in the Church: Why I Did What I Did As a Delegate to Synod 2022
Yes a lot of good advice. But a lot was missing. How to care for families who disagree with their children and grandchildren's choice, but still want to love and walk with them while not shutting the door on living the gospel according to Synod 2022 to them without fear of being put under discipline. (This is based on several true stories that I have and are doing pastoral care for). Synod didn't help in addressing this and others.
Synod 2022 could have done some better work instructing what kind of care shouldn't be done... like threatening discipline when family members are trying to walk alongside their LGBTQ+ children and grandchildren.
I think most everyone can agree that some items of pastoral care were clear and accurate and appropriate. But there was a lot that was left hanging and sorely abused by those who appreciated what Synod 2022 decided.
I have been left with lots of questions and no help from the report or from Synod's responses.