인종차별과 백인 우월주의, 그리고 우리 교단 내에서 어떻게 함께 공존할 수 있을지에 대한 대화를 우리는 계속 해 나가야 합니다. - 김영광 목사

The synodical deputies, those ministers appointed by synod to ensure proper administration of Church Order, reported long lists of actions taken by classes to Synod 2023. Delegates prayed for the people affected.

Noting that last year only 13% of Christian Reformed students of college-age attended Calvin University, Wiebe Boer encouraged church leaders to help change that trend.

Synod 2023 participants attended workshops with denominational ministry leaders on topics important to furthering the church’s mission.

Andy de Ruyter, chair of the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates, leaned into his role as an “adviser” to synod as he addressed the general assembly Monday, June 12.

In his second synod as the official prayer shepherd of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, Jon Hoekema is working to “raise a culture of prayer.”

Church planter and music producer Christian Sebastia is a delegate to Synod 2023 from Classis Rocky Mountain. His daughter, Sam, is a young adult representative.

Daniel Daley, most recently of the University of Leuven, in Belgium, is joining the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary as assistant professor of New Testament.

In an “oasis” moment, Synod 2023 shared a banquet together and honored two recent or upcoming retirees.

Delegate Dave Struyk, Classis Grand Rapids South, left Synod 2023 in protest Thursday “on behalf of the pain that was caused to many LGBTQ+ people.”

Serving as a delegate for Classis Alberta South/Saskatchewan, Ryan Poelman was also presented as a candidate for Minister of the Word at Synod 2023.

Darlene Silversmith and Hyung-jun Kim come to Synod 2023 as previous advisers; William Krahnke as a previous young adult representative; and Catherine Chan as a first-time attendee.

Two American and two Canadian pastors make up the officers for Synod 2023, guiding the Christian Reformed Church’s general assembly June 9-15.

Gabriela Tijerina-Pike is the new director of Latino ministry and associate professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Synod 2023 heard from its Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee Tuesday, receiving greetings from guests and an update on the relationship with the Alliance of Reformed Churches.

A user-friendly guide to the matters and documents for Synod 2023, to be addressed when the synod convenes June 9-15, 2023 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Kevin DeRaaf, acting Canada director of Resonate Global Mission, who was nominated as mission agency’s director in February, was appointed to that position by Synod 2023.

Present to “witness to what synod is doing and to let them know we are here and watching,” members of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based All One Body advocacy group sang with signs June 12.

Three married couples from Ontario, Arizona, and Utah have served together at Synod 2023, the general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church.

With three delegates and two other members serving in other positions, Calvary CRC is contributing above and beyond at Synod 2023.

Zachary King, the Christian Reformed Church’s general secretary, reviewed challenges and opportunities facing the CRC.

Delegates to Synod 2023 debated a proposed Code of Conduct that several churches rejected after having a year to review it, but synod accepted a modified version.

Considering the system by which the Christian Reformed Church in North America collects pooled money to fund shared ministry, Synod 2023 asked for some changes and continued review.

Responding to requests from one church and one classis to call churches affirming of same-sex relationships to repentance, Synod 2023 determined such churches should be “guided into compliance.”

Thirty candidates for ministry in the CRC—14 in person and 16 virtually—were welcomed by Synod 2023.

Synod 2023 declined to say that a church “which by design ‘meets’ only online” is not a “church,” but called for a report to consider the theological implications.

Synod 2023 took several significant actions that did not incur much discussion amid the larger impact of debates over last year’s synodical decisions.

Tim and Todd Kuperus and Adrian and Erik deLange are two sets of brothers at Synod 2023.

Urging that, to him, addressing declining membership was the most important issue at Synod 2023, delegate Scott Vander Ploeg pushed synod to commit to developing a strategy to reverse it.

Synod did not sustain an appeal by Neland Avenue CRC to Synod 2022’s order to “immediately rescind its decisions to ordain a deacon in a same-sex marriage.”

Synod 2023 adopted changes to the Church Order proposed by Synod 2022 that make including a deacon in a delegation to synod not mandatory.

Synod 2023 has decided to keep the doors open—even when the general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church discusses sensitive topics next week.

After having decided to stay with Synod 2022’s view that including homosexual sex as ‘unchaste’ has confessional status, Synod 2023 debated how to speak love and urge prevention of harm to LGBTQ+ people in the church.

“Even as we leave this place with much of the brokenness we came in with still all broke, let’s leave with rejoicing on our lips, because that’s always directed toward God,” Paul DeVries, president of Synod 2023, said.

Synod 2023 tried to discuss and decide on how to properly deal with gravamina—something many churches and classes had sent formal requests about. With time running out and delegates feeling unheard, the work of this synod’s committee will instead be passed on to Synod 2024.

Delegates to the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s 2023 general assembly were encouraged to “prop each other up” and lean into restorative leadership as they work together in the coming week.

Participants of Synod 2023 rested on the Lord’s Day and gathered for worship at the host Church of the Servant in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Regina Jupp, from Lombard (Ill.) CRC, creates art “made to help lift our hearts and our eyes to worship.” She contributed a three-piece sculpture to Synod 2023.

In an impromptu request, Jamie McIntosh, co-director (Canada) for World Renew, sought a commissioning prayer from Synod 2023. He’s been at the work since February.

Synod 2023 heard the importance of practicing corporate lament in worship. It encourages it, but is not changing Church Order to require it.

Synod 2023 is proposing changes to Church Order to catch up with how pastors are funding ministry—often with more than one job.

A congregation in Ontario asked Synod 2023 to adopt the 1982 Belhar Confession as a confession of the Christian Reformed Church. Synod said there was no new reason to change its 2017 response.

Despite several delegates urging for a delay in acting on implications of Synod 2022’s decision on the confessional status of prohibiting homosexual sex, Synod 2023 decided not to delay.

Considering an appeal from the council of St. Joseph (Mich.) Christian Reformed Church against a decision of Classis Holland, Synod 2023 upheld the St. Joseph council and asked for future clarity in appeal situations.

After much debate and two views of how to respond, Synod 2023 upheld Synod 2022’s interpretation that “unchastity” in the Heidelberg Catechism includes “homosexual sex” and upheld the “confessional status” of that interpretation.

“Some object that there are women seated as delegates; others lament that there are not more women among us. We choose to work together despite these differences,” Synod 2023 says.

Guided by a report looking at marriage “in the eyes of the church but not in the eyes of the state,” Synod 2023 recommends Christian Reformed pastors avoid solemnizing such marriages.

News editor Alissa Vernon, editor-in-chief Shiao Chong, reporters Roxanne Van Farowe, Kristen Parker, and Greg Chandler; and photographer Steven Herppich will be in Grand Rapids June 9-15 providing coverage of Synod 2023.

Reader satisfaction with The Banner has gone up over the past three years, according to data from reader surveys in 2020 and 2023.

Seven young adult representatives at Synod 2023 are speaking and networking with people in the denomination and growing in their faith.

Synod 2023 heard calls for a clear statement against “assisted suicide” and is calling a task force to prepare a comprehensive report.