June 12, 2007, Grand Rapids, Mich. - Synod warmly embraced 30 new candidates for ministry of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church with prolonged applause.
Introduced by Calvin Theological Seminary President Rev. Neil Plantinga as "willing, intelligent, faithful servants," the candidates stood in the company of their families and teachers to receive synod's blessing.
"Just go ahead with what you've been given," urged Rev. Thea Leunk, chair of the denomination's ministry candidacy committee, quoting Colossians 2 from The Message.
"You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it!"
This year marked the first time that alumni from the seminary's "Facing Your Future" program were among the candidates for ministry, Plantinga told synod.
He said that all the candidates "have learned to read the Bible deeply, have learned its original languages, have learned how to preach with power and beauty; have learned how to administer the church; and have learned how to be missional in this world."
Being a pastor is "an exciting life, but not an easy life," Synod 2007 president Rev. Joel Boot told the candidates. "It's a calling that not you have made, but that God has made upon you. He's not only called you to this task, but given you his Word to lead you."
"Take them to places they thought they'd never see," CRC executive director Jerry Dykstra prayed as he closed the ceremony.
"Take them on a journey from the hills and valleys of life, in such a way that they know you are their God, and that they are your people."
Looking ahead
Items scheduled for discussion today include:
Publications Committee
* Approval of the Revised Version of the Contemporary Testimony
* Encouragement to congregations to keep accurate minutes and other items related to the archives of the CRC.
* Discussion of whether or not ordained ministers of emerging churches should be allowed to be delegated to Classis and allowed fuller participation in other ways.
* Discussion and recommendations pertaining to the issue of undocumented workers.
* Discussion of approving the English Standard Version as acceptable in worship in CRC services.
Financial Matters Committee
* Discussion of various pensions fund issues.
* Discussion of various ministry share and approved agencies issues
* Response to several overtures concerning pension fund for chaplains and pastors of small church, and allocating ministry shares.
* Discussion of the use of new church offering voucher booklets
Contact: Henry Hess, Synod News Officer, 616-526-8654; mailto:hessh@crcna.ca <mailto:hessh@crcna.ca
To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church, visit www.crcna.org <http://www.crcna.org/