2005 SYNOD FOR AGENDA AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2005 AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2005 June 11-18, 2005 Martin & Janet Ozinga Chapel Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, Illinois © 2005 Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560 U.S.A. Printed in the United States of America The Christian Reformed Church is active in missions, education, publishing, media, pastoral care, advocacy, diaconal outreach, and youth ministry. To learn about our work in North America and around the world, visit www.crcna.org. CONTENTS Preface .........................................................................................................................7 Announcements .........................................................................................................9 Delegates to Synod...................................................................................................13 Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church in North America Board of Trustees Report....................................................................................21 Appendix A: Ministry Associate Task Force Report..................................44 Appendix B: Clarification of Church Membership ...................................46 Appendix C: The Denominational Ministries Plan Scorecard .................52 Appendix D: Abuse Prevention...................................................................54 Appendix D-1: Revised Procedures to the Advisory Panel.................56 Appendix D-2: An Advocate Role on the Abuse Response Team.......58 Appendix E: Chaplaincy Ministries ............................................................60 Appendix F: Disability Concerns.................................................................63 Appendix G: Pastor-Church Relations........................................................67 Appendix H: Race Relations ........................................................................69 Appendix I: Social Justice and Hunger Action...........................................70 Appendix J: Executive Search Committee..................................................73 Appendix J-1: Curriculum Vitae (Calvin L. Bremer)............................76 Appendix J-2: Curriculum Vitae (Gerard L. Dykstra)..........................77 Appendix K: Condensed Financial Statements of the Agencies and Institutions ................................................................................................78 Unified Report of Agencies and Service Committees Introduction..................................................................................................111 The Back to God Hour.................................................................................113 Calvin College..............................................................................................118 Calvin Theological Seminary .....................................................................124 Appendix: Faculty Statement on the Nature of Excellence in Preaching........................................................................................129 CRC Publications.........................................................................................132 Christian Reformed Home Missions.........................................................145 Christian Reformed World Missions.........................................................160 Christian Reformed World Relief Committee..........................................174 CRC Loan Fund, Inc., U.S. ..........................................................................185 Pensions and Insurance ..............................................................................188 Appendix: Strategic Plan re Retirement Plans for Ministers .............198 Historical Committee.......................................................................................227 AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2005 Contents 3 Interchurch Relations Committee...................................................................233 Appendix A: For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility ...............................................................................245 Appendix B: Report of the Twenty-fourth General Council of WARC...257 Appendix C: Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth ...264 Appendix D: Mission Section Plenary Report..........................................269 Appendix E: Spirituality Section Report...................................................274 Appendix F: Message Committee Report.................................................278 Appendix G: Letter from the Protestant Church in the Netherlands ....282 Sermons for Reading Services Committee.....................................................285 Sesquicentennial Committee...........................................................................286 Denominationally Related Agencies Dordt College....................................................................................................291 Institute for Christian Studies .........................................................................293 The King’s University College ........................................................................295 Redeemer University College .........................................................................297 Reformed Bible College ...................................................................................299 Trinity Christian College..................................................................................300 Dynamic Youth Ministries...............................................................................302 Study Committees Committee to Review the Classical-Local Options with Respect to Women Serving in the Office of Minister, Elder, and Evangelist ......307 Appendix: Results of Surveys of Councils and Classes ..........................316 Committee to Review the Practice of Appointing Ethnic Advisers to Synod...................................................................................................333 Committee to Study Christian Day School Education .................................352 Appendix A: Council Survey .....................................................................450 Appendix B: Pastor Survey ........................................................................453 Appendix C: Reports on Educational Funding Plans for the CRC in the United States and Canada by Deloitte & Touche ................456 Appendix C-1: Technical Memorandum/Executive Summary (United States)....................................................................................457 Appendix C-2: Full Report (United States)..........................................464 Appendix C-3: Report (Canada)...........................................................476 Committee to Study Church Education.........................................................482 Appendix A: Final Survey Results of the Church Education Survey ....512 Appendix B: Summary of Responses to Leadership Training Questionnaire..........................................................................................523 Committee to Study Restorative Justice.........................................................529 Appendix: Resources re Restorative Justice Issues..................................561 Overtures 11. Classis Greater Los Angeles Permit the Transfer of the Los Angeles Church of Love CRC to Classis Pacific Hanmi ...........................................................................569 12. Classis Alberta North Convene Synod 2010 at The King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta....................................................................................569 4 Contents AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2005 13. Classis Zeeland Allow Former Elders to Serve as Delegates to Synod ...........................570 14. Classis Zeeland Replace Article 41 of the Church Order ..................................................571 15. Classis California South Drop Questions 5-a, 5-b, and 5-c from Church Order Article 41..........573 16. Classis Toronto Change the Title for the New Chief Denominational Executive Position .....................................................................................573 17. Classis Illiana Depose the Minister and Elders of First CRC, Toronto .........................574 18. Classis Quinte Appoint a Study Committee re Improving the Relational Health and Nurture of Marriage and Family Life..............................................575 19. Classis Grand Rapids East Develop a Denominationally Supported Fund to Assist with the Cost of Christian Day School Education for the Children of Seminary Students ....................................................................................578 10. Classis Grand Rapids East Honor Both Convictions Regarding the Use of Women’s Gifts ...........579 11. Classis Illiana Request Not to Adopt the Recommendations of the Committee to Review the Classical-Local Options with Respect to Women Serving in the Office of Minister, Elder, and Evangelist........................590 12. Classis Pella Reject the Report and Recommendations of the Committee to Review the Classical-Local Option re Women in Office .......................592 13. Classis Minnkota Not Adopt Certain Recommendations of the Committee to Review the Classical-Local Options with Respect to Women Serving in the Office of Minister, Elder, and Evangelist.................................................593 14. Classis Pella Reject Recommendations