tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34871276996364748692024-03-08T03:08:35.509-05:00General Synod 2009Insights from the floor of RCA's General SynodJennifer VMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239529761066190814noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-88958713089233365022009-06-10T05:09:00.013-04:002009-06-10T07:39:19.553-04:00The Future of RCA Communications...It's been a privilege for me to participate in the 2009 General Synod as a delegate and as one invited to participate here on the RCA's General Synod blog. All my interactions with staff have been positive and affirming. This year's Synod was well-run and there was a good spirit in evidence from beginning to end.IN RETROSPECT...As I've previously written here, the one aspect of Synod 2009 which Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-23956033722400693372009-06-09T14:27:00.007-04:002009-06-09T14:43:43.808-04:00Final SessionsThis morning's General Synod session was intense and draining as the delegates sought to forge a comprehensive communications strategy for the RCA. The advisory committee's six recommendations were extensively debated in three parts. The first narrowly rejected (after an initial one-vote plurality), a recommended two-year independent study of denominational communications. The second part was aLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-75766671242015927612009-06-09T08:51:00.001-04:002009-06-09T08:54:58.058-04:00RCA General Synod: A Day in the Life of SynodFinal unofficial staff video of RCA General Synod, this time, they quiz delegates and volunteers! drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938318288912238935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-33821197948748317472009-06-09T00:53:00.002-04:002009-06-09T01:07:02.551-04:00Theological HistoryI sat in Synod today thinking about all the conversations that have taken place throughout history on important theological matters. I thought about the great councils of our early fathers and the debates that would take place on the third person in the trinity, God's grace or human will, and many more conversations that have so profoundly shaped what we call the Reformed tradition.Today was oneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-78001927059984180522009-06-08T20:56:00.004-04:002009-06-08T21:10:47.924-04:00Communications RecommendationsThe Report of the Advisory Committees on the RCA Dialogue on Communication and the Church Herald presented tonight to delegates proposes an end to the ministry of the Church Herald. Among the six recommendations: "R-68 To instruct the General Synod Council, in its capacity as the executive committee of the General Synod, in cooperation with the Church Herald Editorial Council, to facilitate Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-54073883121341721822009-06-08T14:28:00.003-04:002009-06-08T14:36:18.837-04:00General Synod WILL Meet in 2010 After All!By a vote of 145-72 the delegates reversed their Friday decision to effectively cancel General Synod in 2010. So General Synod plans to meet in Orange City, Iowa in 2010 after all.The initial vote on Friday was 120-100 in favor of an amended GSC motion to not hold General Synod in 2010. Upon further reflection, the thinking of this year's delegates obviously changed.Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-37462826873920547222009-06-08T11:15:00.003-04:002009-06-08T11:40:27.126-04:00What WE Believe.No need to use some lame metaphor for this occasion.The Reformed Church in America has just adopted the Belhar Confession as a fourth standard of unity for our church. I have to admit that I was more moved by the affirming response than I had imagined. At first I thought it was because I had invest so much time and energy over the past few days in the conversation and proposal (realizing it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-83822480201908521022009-06-08T10:48:00.007-04:002009-06-08T14:26:47.785-04:00General Synod Votes to Add the Belhar Confession as a Fourth Doctrinal StandardAfter nearly two hours of debate, R-24 was approved 164-65. The action (if approved by 2/3 of the classes) would add the Belhar Confession as the fourth doctrinal standard officially recognized by the RCA:"To adopt the following amendment to the first paragraph of the Preamble to the Book of Church Order for recommendation to the classes for approval: The purpose of the Reformed Church in AmericaLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-65830028740652478412009-06-08T07:17:00.004-04:002009-06-08T08:54:46.445-04:00The Belhar Confession's Relevance Elsewhere (e.g. the Sudanese context)Sunday evening’s plenary featured presentations by the Our Call Forum on Global Mission and Christian Unity which included introductions of a number of ecumenical delegates and guests. Highlighting the Global Mission segment were resolutions honoring RCA missionaries Vern & Carla Sterk who served for more than 40 years in Chiapas. Much of the Christian Unity presentation featured a variety of Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-5707109375751379892009-06-07T20:15:00.000-04:002009-06-07T20:15:00.181-04:00Putting it into Practice.We might say that some swimmers become coaches. And, there are some swimmers who could never coach. It's possibly just as true to say that there are some coaches who could never swim. In other words, there are people who know all the right moves and techniques, but could never or would never put them into practice.One of my favorite moments at Synod so far has been the ordination of our Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-26588651855562071132009-06-07T20:02:00.005-04:002009-06-08T06:34:26.940-04:00James Seawood Elected General Synod PresidentVice President James Seawood was elected General Synod President for 2009-2010. He was enthusiastically affirmed by a busload of members from Staten Island's historic Brighton Heights Reformed Church which he pastors. Some of the members present publicly expressed to the Synod their heartfelt appreciation for their pastor who will be installed Tuesday as the second African-American General Synod Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-48797774807628523122009-06-07T19:31:00.002-04:002009-06-07T19:34:22.646-04:00annoucement: PrayerI want to invite all those delegates here at GS and all of those people who are praying at home to join us in prayer tonight. Table 70 at GS. 9:00pm TONIGHT. Specially around the Belhar confession.May Justice, Reconciliation, and unity be True of us at it was with our Lord Jesus Christ.Grace and Peace.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-18170908399215581302009-06-07T14:54:00.003-04:002009-06-07T15:12:30.438-04:00Open Swim - IIIn Saturday morning's Advisory Forum we finally took on the Belhar. I'm not at liberty to say how things turned out, but I would like to take the time to say how things went. I know that I admitted in the last "Open Swim" that I would have to learn how to swim with others who have been welcomed into the pool. That was decidedly more difficult in the session during which we discussed the BelharAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-9884421836366276842009-06-07T14:30:00.003-04:002009-06-07T15:25:25.305-04:00Trophy Time!My apologies to staff for my departure. Saturday was a busy day for the Advisory Forum Moderators. Here are my belated thoughts:Friday evening of synod captures for me the tension I feel with the focus of the denomination. It's the same tension, I think, that I feel with competition. Sticking with our (un)creative thread I've been maintaining, there is a tension I feel between striving to winAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-64028457428313342752009-06-07T14:30:00.002-04:002009-06-07T14:47:18.730-04:00RCA General Synod 2009: Quiz ShowNew unofficial staff video of RCA General Synod, this time, they quiz delegates and volunteers! drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938318288912238935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-62915287987216319892009-06-07T11:32:00.004-04:002009-06-07T12:08:46.262-04:00What GS means to meThis has been my first GS ever and I have to tell you that it has been like a spiritual retreat for me. I am sure some of you 'old timers' who have been to GS year after year might feel differently, but let me plead my case why it has been refreshing, sad, and propelled me to prayer.1-The gathering of brothers and sisters from around the world who are RCA (and our ecumenical friends who are notAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-19178714508328859542009-06-06T20:38:00.001-04:002009-06-06T20:39:46.383-04:00MissionsThis afternoon’s Our Call Forum on Missions was an inspiring opportunity to become better acquainted with the RCA’s global missions effort. Reports from the Middle East, Chiapas, Sudan, and elsewhere were encouraging and challenging. The Good News is being courageously and creatively modeled and proclaimed. Hallelujah!Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-55845952870747667032009-06-06T19:42:00.004-04:002009-06-07T14:48:46.719-04:00RCA General Synod: Meet the StaffMeet the staff! Clever, well done hilarious unofficial video of the staff hard at work. If you're a fan of GS I'd recommend showing this especially to the youth, the next generations of GS delegates.Apparently, there are more to come! :)drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938318288912238935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-4918608545051283972009-06-06T19:38:00.004-04:002009-06-06T20:24:35.486-04:00Advisory CommitteesFor the third year, every General Synod advisory committee dealt with the same key issues. While the fruitfulness of this approach is dependent on selecting the "right" issues, this approach enables all delegates to engage these significant matters more extensively than would typically be practical during floor debate. Discussing challenging issues face to face in the context of a relatively Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-30736649471951241442009-06-06T08:48:00.004-04:002009-06-06T14:09:30.976-04:00I arrived late Tuesday evening from the far west, the northern part of the west. I am one of the pastors of First Reformed Church in Oak Harbor, WA on Whidbey Island. Whidbey Island is known for its foggy mornings and rainy afternoons. Though, I'm now three time zones away from that fog, I think this morning I may have come out of a different fog that the three hour time difference between here Jon Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789479285041021460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-15011169111304453752009-06-06T08:40:00.004-04:002009-06-06T21:08:26.972-04:00Marlin VisMarlin Vis preached this morning. I happen to personally adore the man and the courageous, prophetic words he has to offer us. Two things I want to share with you that I want us to remember.1-Every decision we make here, keep the children in mind. I think we could even say, every decision we make in life, keep the children in mind. 2-Put down our swords. There is a time for us to debate, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-61658319689413283422009-06-05T23:24:00.006-04:002009-06-05T23:33:38.728-04:00Recommended ReadsThe General Synod Seminarian Seminar (GS^3) had the privilege of spending some time with President Bechtel and General Secretary Wes Granberg-Michaelson before GS began. They were asked to bring some books that they would recommend to us to read. Carol Bechtel recommends:Norman Wirzba, Living the SabbathEllen Davis, Scripture Culture and Agriculture: an Agrarian Reading of the BibleCarol Bechtel drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938318288912238935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-3486848729223185482009-06-05T23:04:00.002-04:002009-06-05T23:23:05.846-04:00The Beauty of General SynodIt's so easy to be cynical, pessimistic, and negative in life. I was reminded that today, through seeing the beauty of General Synod in the simplest places. While walking around in the cafeteria, the diversity of GS really stood out to me in ways that I don't always notice: The older elder delegates, those that are physically disabled, those who do not speak English as a first language were all drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938318288912238935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-14285022167020723592009-06-05T20:10:00.008-04:002009-06-06T04:43:40.983-04:00Embracing the whole gospel with our whole lives for the whole worldIn his annual General Secretary's report, Wesley Granberg-Michaelson reminded the General Synod of a past conversation between RCA's Gregg Mast and the late Bob Bast. They had imagined combining the offices for Social Witness and Evangelism. It didn’t happen then, but the idea was right.We must learn to “shout the gospel with our lives.” These two areas of ministry are often viewed separately. Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163668194882279883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3487127699636474869.post-54520617927325241742009-06-05T19:53:00.002-04:002009-06-05T20:02:28.690-04:00Preach it Wes!How many times did I want to stand up and say "Alright now, preach it Wes!" Wes is so right. My generation - the emerging and current leaders want to see what our actions are. Don't just preach the word (though important) live the word. Come on now - Amen! Live it! Come on church, listen to the words of Amos 5:24 "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2