Agenda for Synod 2017 June 9-15, 2017 Devos Gymnasium Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, Illinois
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2017 AGENDA FOR SYNOD AGENDA FOR SYNOD Responding to God’s gracious call. 2017 AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2017 June 9-15, 2017 DeVos Gymnasium Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, Illinois © 2017 Christian Reformed Church in North America 1700 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49508-1407 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: Council of Delegates Governance Handbook .........44 Appendix B: Proposed Changes to Rules for Synodical Procedure and Church Order ...............................130 Appendix C: Transition Plan for Council of Delegates Executive Committee ......................................134 Appendix D: Annual Day of Justice Proposal ....................135 Appendix E: CRC Ministry, History, and Funding Overview Grid ..137 Appendix F: CRC Ministry, History, and Funding Summary Grid ..138 Appendix G: Program Evaluation Overview ....................167 Appendix H: Curriculum Vitae: Zachary J. King .................180 Appendix I: Condensed Financial Statements of the Agencies and Institutions ...........................................182 Reports of Agencies, Institutions, and Ministries Introduction ................................................207 Faith Formation Calvin College ............................................209 Faith Formation Ministries .................................214 Servant Leadership Chaplaincy and Care Ministry ..............................217 Christian Reformed Church Loan Fund, Inc., U.S. .............221 Pastor Church Resources ...................................224 Pensions and Insurance ....................................230 Global Mission Back to God Ministries International .........................235 New Mission Agency. .243 Timothy Leadership Training Institute .......................256 Mercy and Justice Aboriginal Ministries (Canada) .............................259 Committee for Contact with the Government/ Centre for Public Dialogue ...............................261 Disability Concerns ........................................263 Race Relations ............................................267 Safe Church Ministry ......................................269 Social Justice and Hunger Action ............................271 World Renew .............................................275 AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2017 Contents 3 Gospel Proclamation and Worship Calvin Theological Seminary ...............................295 Worship Ministries ........................................304 Standing Committees Candidacy Committee .......................................... 311 Appendix: Development of Church Order Article 23 .............318 Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee ....................329 Appendix A: Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone .........339 Appendix B: Statement by the World Communion of Reformed Churches Regarding the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification . 351 Appendix C: Response to the Ecumenical Faith Declaration Assignment by Synod 2016 ������������������������������������������������������������������358 Appendix D: Contemporary Testimony as a Category . 360 Appendix E: Acts of Synod 2016, pp. 909-14 . 362 Historical Committee ...........................................365 Denominationally Related Agencies Educational Institutions Dordt College ...............................................375 Institute for Christian Studies .................................377 The King’s University ........................................379 Kuyper College ..............................................381 Redeemer University College .................................382 Trinity Christian College ......................................384 Affiliated Agencies Communities First Association ................................386 Diaconal Ministries Canada ...................................388 Dynamic Youth Ministries Calvinist Cadet Corps .....................................390 GEMS Girls’ Clubs ........................................391 Youth Unlimited ..........................................392 Friendship Ministries ........................................393 Partners Worldwide ..........................................394 Study Committees Synod Review Task Force .......................................397 Task Force on Funding for Calvin Theological Seminary Students ....398 Appendix A: 2008-2014 Student Funding Data from the Candidacy Committee ��������������������������������������������������������������������������409 Appendix B: Data Regarding Seminaries Attended by Students on Candidacy Track . 410 Appendix C: Data from Classical Ministerial Leadership Team Feedback Regarding Policies and Procedures . 410 Appendix D: Data from Student Survey Related to Classis Funding . 412 4 Contents AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2017 Overtures 11. Classis Wisconsin Approve Transfer of Alto CRC, Waupun, Wisconsin, from Classis Wisconsin to Classis Minnkota .......................417 12. Classis Minnkota Permit Transfer of Alto CRC, Waupun, Wisconsin, from Classis Wisconsin to Classis Minnkota .......................418 13. Classis Yellowstone Remind Denominational Board Delegates to Report to the Classes ...............................................418 14. Classis Eastern Canada Adopt a Rule That Synodical Reports Longer Than Ten Pages Must Include an Executive Summary . 419 15. Classis Pacific Northwest Translate the Three Forms of Unity and Core Denominational Documents; Provide an Official Process of Denominational Recognition of the Translated Creeds and Confessions . 420 16. Classis Iakota Amend Church Order Article 13 ............................421 17. Classis Iakota Amend Church Order Article 45 ............................422 18. Classis Yellowstone Add New Church Order Article 23-f re Retirement of a Commissioned Pastor. 423 19. Classis Minnkota Establish Oversight of the Blog Do Justice .....................424 10. Classis Eastern Canada Limit Use of Disposable Serve Ware and Cease to Use Water Bottles at Meetings of Synod ..........................428 11. Classis Southeast U.S. Discover Cause for CRC Membership Decline; Develop Strategy to Reverse the Trend of Decline through Church Renewal and Planting; Require Annual Reporting of Progress ...429 12. Council of Ivanrest CRC, Grandville, Michigan Provide the Churches with Guidance for Providing Pastoral Care for Same-sex Attracted Members and Their Families ......434 13. Classis Red Mesa Recategorize the Belhar Confession to the Status of a Contemporary Testimony ..................................435 14. Classis B.C. North-West Recategorize the Belhar Confession to the Status of a Contemporary Testimony ..................................436 15. Classis Columbia Do Not Adopt the Belhar Confession as a “Testimony” or as a Fourth Confessional Standard of the Christian Reformed Church in North America ..................................437 16. Classis Alberta South/Saskatchewan Reject Elevating the Belhar Confession to the Same Status as Our World Belongs to God .................................439 AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2017 Contents 5 17. Classis Holland Do Not Elevate the Belhar Confession to Level of Contemporary Testimony ..................................441 18. Classis Hudson Retain Belhar Confession as an Ecumenical Faith Declaration ...443 Communications 1. Classis Toronto ..............................................447 2. Classis Minnkota ............................................447 Appeal 1. Consistories of First CRC, Lynden, Washington; Second CRC, Lynden, Washington; Bethel CRC, Lynden, Washington; Sumas CRC, Sumas, Washington; Mountain View CRC, Lynden, Washington; Anchor of Hope CRC, Silverdale, Washington; Cascade CRC, Marysville, Washington; and Pastor Mitchell R. Senti (from The Jesus Gathering/Envision Mission CRC, Bellingham, Wash.) ..........................................449 6 Contents AGENDA FOR SYNOD 2017 PREFACE Synod 2017 begins its sessions on Friday, June 9, at 8:30 a.m. in the DeVos Gymnasium on the campus of Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Crossroads Community CRC, Schererville, Indiana, will serve as the convening church. Reverend Drew Brown, pastor of Crossroads Community CRC, will serve as the president pro-tem until synod is duly constituted and its four officers have been elected. A community-wide Synodical Service of Prayer and Praise will be held Sunday, June 11, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. at Cross- roads Community CRC, 1538 Janice Drive, Schererville, Indiana. Prior to arriving at synod, all delegates and advisers to synod are encour- aged to take time to view the video orientation accessed on the synod site— designed as a secure site for delegates and advisers only. The orientation will assist first-time delegates and advisers in understanding the nature of synod and will provide helpful reminders for returning delegates and advisers to synod. In addition, orientations will be held for advisers to synod, first-time delegates, and advisory committee chairs and reporters and their