Regional Synod News May 21, 2018

The 212th gathering of the General Synod will take place on June 7-12, 2018, at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   Delegates of ministers and elders from classes, general synod professors, corresponding delegates, seminary and college presidents and students, commission representatives and global mission guests will gather to hear reports and discern, discuss and vote on recommendations of various commissions, agencies, boards, task forces and institutions of the General Synod.  They will listen and vote on 20 overtures from classes and regional synods.   People will gather in advisory committees and attend various workshops.

What makes this particular General Synod unique is that much of the discussion and conversation will occur in joint meetings with delegates of the Synod of Christian Reformed Church in North America.  All worship services and advisory committees will meet jointly with the CRCNA Synod delegates.  These delegates will discuss one of four topics related to the RCA’s and CRCNA’s work together:  congregational renewal, interfaith engagement, and two scenarios (Collaboration and New Creation) from a video shown to Synod 2017 delegates presenting potential scenarios for the trajectory of the RCA and CRC’s working relationship.

There will be a recommendation to approve the General Synod Council employment of Eddy Aleman as general secretary of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America.  The African American Black Council will bring an affirmation of support of last year’s RCA anti-racism policy.  The delegates of General Synod will hear the results of the discussion process called Listening Together engaged by classes and regions around the future of the Reformed Church in America in light of a covenant people and church united in mission, recognizing that a church divided is not God’s intention for God’s people and is not a redemptive witness to our world.   The interim General Secretary will share some recommendations around the future of the RCA.   A special evening of celebration is planned honoring women to fully and freely use their gifts and leadership in the RCA where brothers and sisters work together to build the body for mission in the world.  Many other reports and recommendations will come before this General Synod.

In preparation for General Synod 2018, I wrote a devotional thought as we pray for the 212th gathering of the General Synod.  I pray that the power of God will work in super abundance through all who participate in General Synod.  Listen to these words of Scripture in Ephesians 3:20-21:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.”

Paul’s spirit is soaring in prayer as he writes this very simple statement about the power of God.  He reminds us that our God is not only alive, but active in our lives and at work in the church creating a sense of hope and expectancy, doing what we cannot even imagine God might be pleased to do in the neighborhood or city where we live.  What sends Paul in orbit here is the thought that God is able to do far more abundantly than what we have asked God to do or we ever thought or imagined God could do through us.  The word abundantly here in the Greek doesn’t just mean more, but it means super abundance in quantity and quality.  Every time we stretch our faith in caring for people in our neighborhood, God says, “I can do super abundantly more through you!”  Every time we bring the name of Jesus to an unreached people group in the world, God says, “I can do super abundantly more through you!”  Every time we ask God to use us to feed the hungry or end sex trafficking in our city, God says, “I can do super abundantly more through you!”  Every time we think a problem is too difficult to solve, the conflict and division within the RCA is too deep to bring reconciliation and revival, God says, “I can do super abundantly more through you!”

Let’s pray that as we prepare for General Synod 2018, that God will do something in our midst that when we look back on it, the only thing we can attribute it to is the super abundance of the power of God at work through us.