For the first time in its 163-year history, the Christian Reformed Church canceled its annual synod due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council of Delegates met to deal with matters from the Agenda for Synod 2020 that couldn’t wait.

A new articulation of “Reformed Christian commitment” for trustees, administrators, and faculty of Calvin University, in Grand Rapids, Mich., looks for demonstration of Reformed beliefs, not necessarily membership in a Christian Reformed or CRC-affiliated church.

Two or three times each year, Christian Reformed churches send representatives to their classes, regional groups of churches. Here is the report of classes meetings of the past few months.

In a short service of lament, the CRC’s Council of Delegates recognized the pain and hurt of racism and heard black pastors call for more than this moment of recognition.

The Council of Delegates, acting on behalf of Synod 2020, approved the candidacy of 36 men and women to serve in the Christian Reformed Church, sending them off in a special Zoom presentation.

At its special June meeting, the CRC’s Council of Delegates decided to continue its work in governance restructure, despite a protest from two Ontario congregations.

Most CRC ministry leaders signed on to a statement about racism. Reginald Smith, director of diversity and former director of CRC Race Relations, declined to sign. The Council of Delegates debated whether to support the statement.

Dick Los, known as a compassionate man with a pastoral heart, died May 13, in his 97th year.

Pastor Rog Kok, 82, died May 12 after 31 years of serving Christian Reformed congregations in the United States.

The first church in Munster, Ind., Munster Church celebrates 150 years of ministry this August.

On Monday three Christian Reformed pastors in three churches near Minneapolis, Minn., spoke to The Banner about ministering in their congregations and their city at this time.

The CRC’s Council of Delegates, acting on behalf of synod, has approved a training program prepared by the task force appointed by Synod 2019.

The 25th anniversary of women’s ordination in the Christian Reformed Church will be recognized, though the proposal for 15 months of events was scaled back to the summer of 2021.

With a 28-15 vote the CRC’s Council of Delegates approved the Synod 2019-proposed change to the way money is collected for joint ministries.

The Christian Reformed Church’s international development ministry is remembering John DeHaan, director of then-Christian Reformed World Relief Committee from 1978 to 1998. He died May 7.