Re: #6, make sure you bring a travel iron! Sounds silly, but you won't regret it!
One of the ways that I've been blessed by my limited Synod experience is just getting a sense of how big our denomination is and how much we are involved in. Comparatively, we're a small denomination, but we're involved in much. I have also been touched by how centrally prayer can play a role in the deliberations.
Sorry...the one line should say "Hence it is necessary to remind even children *of the covenant* constantly of the necessity of regeneration and conversion."
See also a few pages earlier where he talks about how various Reformed theologians have distinguished between the covenant as a legal relationship and as a communion of life.
But wouldn't you say that diaconal conferences work best in a classis where the churches are in pretty close proximity to each other? My classis encompasses an entire state. Other classes are even larger, stretching over more than one state. And since diaconal work is so contextual, it's hard to get people together on the same page, harder when some work in urban and some in rural areas.
Would you have examples of Diaconal Conference agendas, speakers, topics, etc...that would be helpful in setting up a conference? I think that one existed in our classis back in the 80s but ceased operating some time ago. No idea where the information would even be found. Do you meet monthly or quarterly?
I've been thinking about deacons with my thesis for the last couple of years with this...did you know that already almost 100 years ago William Heyns thought that they should be delegated to the broader assemblies? People have been convinced of the wisdom of delegating deacons for decades...since 1967 this has been brought up in overture after overture, but has been voted down because it was not in line with "traditional" understandings of the diaconate. But I'm convinced that taking a fresh look at the office of deacon is critical in our emerging missional era. Hopefully others will be as well.
Posted in: Advice for First-Time Delegates
Re: #6, make sure you bring a travel iron! Sounds silly, but you won't regret it!
One of the ways that I've been blessed by my limited Synod experience is just getting a sense of how big our denomination is and how much we are involved in. Comparatively, we're a small denomination, but we're involved in much. I have also been touched by how centrally prayer can play a role in the deliberations.
Posted in: Invited
Sorry...the one line should say "Hence it is necessary to remind even children *of the covenant* constantly of the necessity of regeneration and conversion."
See also a few pages earlier where he talks about how various Reformed theologians have distinguished between the covenant as a legal relationship and as a communion of life.
Posted in: Waiting... But What about our Breath?
But wouldn't you say that diaconal conferences work best in a classis where the churches are in pretty close proximity to each other? My classis encompasses an entire state. Other classes are even larger, stretching over more than one state. And since diaconal work is so contextual, it's hard to get people together on the same page, harder when some work in urban and some in rural areas.
Posted in: Waiting... But What about our Breath?
Karl or aguilla1,
Would you have examples of Diaconal Conference agendas, speakers, topics, etc...that would be helpful in setting up a conference? I think that one existed in our classis back in the 80s but ceased operating some time ago. No idea where the information would even be found. Do you meet monthly or quarterly?
Posted in: Synod to Get Overture on Deacons
Karl,
Yes! Once more into the breach!
I've been thinking about deacons with my thesis for the last couple of years with this...did you know that already almost 100 years ago William Heyns thought that they should be delegated to the broader assemblies? People have been convinced of the wisdom of delegating deacons for decades...since 1967 this has been brought up in overture after overture, but has been voted down because it was not in line with "traditional" understandings of the diaconate. But I'm convinced that taking a fresh look at the office of deacon is critical in our emerging missional era. Hopefully others will be as well.
Thanks for pointing it out!