NR #1996-074: Synod Supports Schedule Shrinkage: Four Year Test of One-Week Synod to Begin with Synod 1997 Until the final part of this century, the Christian Reformed synod met for one week every other year. As the denomination grew, increased synodical business led to annual meetings, a full-time stated clerk (now general secretary), a two-week schedule, a denominational office building, a much-expanded synodical interim committee (now denominational board of trustees), and finally a full-time executive director of ministries to oversee the burgeoning crop of denominational agencies and staff. Synod 1996 took some of the first steps ever to stem the growth by freezing denominational ministry shares paid by the churches and by paring the time allotted for the synod back to one week per year. NR #1996-074: For Immediate Release Synod Supports Schedule Shrinkage: Four Year Test of One-Week Synod to Begin with Synod 1997 by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (June 17, 1996) URNS - Until the final part of this century, the Christian Reformed synod met for one week every other year. As the denomination grew, increased synodical business led to annual meetings, a full-time stated clerk (now general secretary), a two-week schedule, a denominational office building, a much-expanded synodical interim committee (now denominational board of trustees), and finally a full-time executive director of ministries to oversee the burgeoning crop of denominational agencies and staff. Synod 1996 took some of the first steps ever to stem the growth by freezing denominational ministry shares paid by the churches and by paring the time allotted for the synod back to one week per year. While few delegates objected to the freeze in ministry shares, the effort to shorten synod's schedule led to serious concerns by some delegates. "It sounds nice; I don't want to be in Grand Rapids, but it is unrealistic," said Rev. Bart van Eyk of San Diego (CA) CRC. "We know how busy we are now; it behooves us to take the time to do our business properly." "We are already here from 8:30 am to 9:30 pm at night, and you're talking about adding an hour from 8 to 10 at night," noted Rev. Alvin Beukema of First CRC in Medicine Hat, Alberta. "There is a saying that goes, 'the mind can only deal with what the seat can endure.'" The recommendation for a one-week synod met with the approval of many delegates, however. "When it comes to administration and doing business in councils or elders' meetings, you give the amount of time, it'll take that amount of time," said Rev. Andrew Vanden Akker of Trinity CRC in Artesia, California. In the end, the recommendation passed with minor procedural amendments. Synod 1997 will see if the "seats" of the delegates can withstand stripping a week from the synodical schedule and still complete their work. In other structural changes, synod acceded to concerns voiced by Classis Lake Erie and amended the procedure for electing members of the denominational board of trustees. Using a procedure patterned after the boards of Calvin College and Calvin Seminary, the members of the CRC denominational board of trustees will now be elected by the combined votes of the delegates to each classis in the region to be represented by the board member. Synod also acceded to concerns by three classes, Columbia, Muskegon, and Pella, and voted to allow denominational boards which still follow the older pattern of one board member from each classis to retain that pattern. At present, the Back to God Hour broadcast ministry, Calvin College, Calvin Seminary, and the Pastoral Ministries agency have some form of regional representation, often combined with at-large representatives. CRC Publications, World Relief, Home Missions, and World Missions all expressed a preference to retain their classically-elected boards and the Calvin Seminary board had considered returning to a classically-elected board. In acceding to the overtures, synod took the unusual step of rejecting a recommendation by the denominational board of trustees that would have required all denominational agencies except Calvin College to follow a single model of sixteen regional representatives with no more than five at-large representatives and to complete that transition within two years. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-034: Lake Erie Overture Engine Shifts Into Overdrive Contact List: Rev. Alvin Beukema, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church 1269 Crooksford Cres. NW, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 7C3 * H/O: (403) 528-9326 Dr. Peter Borgdorff, Executive Director of Ministries, Christian Reformed Church 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0832 * H: (616) 957-3288 Dr. Cal Bremer, Director of Ministries, The Back to God Hour 3513 - 193rd St., Lansing, IL 60438 * O: (708) 371-8700 * H: (708) 474-4439 * FAX: (708) 371-1415 Dr. Gaylen Byker, President, Calvin College 3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 * O: (616) 957-6100 Mr. John De Haan, Director, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560-0600 * O: (616) 246-0740 Dr. James A. De Jong, President, Calvin Theological Seminary 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4387 O: (616) 957-6086 * H: (616) 957-6087 * FAX: (616) 957-8621 * E-Mail: DEJJ@Calvin.edu Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail: engelhad@crcnet.mhs.compuserve.com Rev. Siebert Kramer, Stated Clerk, Classis Pella 1434 Country Club Dr., Pella, IA 50219 * H/O: (515) 628-1125 Mr. Gary Mulder, Executive Director, CRC Publications 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0819 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Rev. John Rozeboom, Executive Director, Christian Reformed Home Missions 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0760 * H: (616) 940-0765 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Pastor Howard B. Spaan, Stated Clerk, Classis Columbia 100 SW 195 Ave. #143, Beaverton, OR 97006 * H/O: (503) 645-2415 Ms. Beth Swagman, Abuse-Prevention Director, Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0735 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Rev. Andrew Vanden Akker, Pastor, Trinity Christian Reformed Church 18706 Grayland Ave., Artesia, CA 90701 * O: (310) 865-7311 * H: (310) 865-5620 Pastor George Vander Weit, Stated Clerk, Classis Lake Erie 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 * O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: NoHillsCRC@aol.com Rev. Douglas Van Essen, Stated Clerk, Classis Muskegon 1132 Peck St., Muskegon, MI 49441 * O: (616) 725-7325 * H: (616) 728-6289 Rev. William Van Tol, Executive Director, Christian Reformed World Missions 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560-0200 * O: (616) 246-0700 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Rev. Bart van Eyk, Pastor, San Diego Christian Reformed Church 6710 Shannon Ave., San Diego, CA 92115 * O: (619) 469-5218 * H: (619) 460-4466 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr96-074.txt .