Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court have unanimously sided with a Catholic foster care agency that says its religious views prevent it from working with same-sex couples.

Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ont., and Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich., have made recent programming changes, including dropping majors in certain languages and launching new business degrees.

Celebrating joyful moments like the receiving of candidates for ministry and addressing weighty matters like requests for church discipline, the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates met June 15 and 16.

Responding to a request from a Christian Reformed congregation to Synod 2021, the CRC’s Council of Delegates has asked the denomination’s executive director to develop a mechanism that would allow LGBTQ voices to be heard by delegates to the next synod with regard to the human sexuality report.

In place of Synod 2021 the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates, with some discussion, left unchanged an earlier decision to remove adoption agency Bethany Christian Services from its list of approved organizations for offerings.

Over an online video meeting, streamed to YouTube, the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates received new candidates for ministry and blessed them as they take up God’s assigned work. 

Acting in lieu of Synod 2021 the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates chose to defer requests for discipline and not rescind an earlier letter of concern. In a new communication it urges synod to “be mindful of the three marks of the true and vital church.”

The Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates received a final report on work toward preventing abuse of power and requested a review of the denomination’s current appeal process.

Two regional groups of churches in Canada had asked to stop moves toward restructuring. Considering those requests on behalf of synod, the Council said no.

A pastor in the Christian Reformed Church since 1983, Rich Hamstra led his congregations with energy, enthusiasm, and love.

Chaplain and pastor, Carroll Keegstra, known for his sense of humor and wonderful laugh, died May 4.

Actions of Christian Reformed classes (regional groups of churches) of the last several months include new emerging churches, a classis name change, and communications to synod, the broadest assembly of the CRC.

In 2020 a member congregation of the Christian Reformed Church ordained to the office of deacon a woman in a same-sex marriage. The action prompted concerned communications from other member churches. In lieu of synod the CRC’s Council of Delegates will address the formal communications, June 15.

A pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for 45 years, Bob Holwerda loved the Lord his God with all his heart and soul, and his passion was obvious and contagious. He died April 30.

A vibrant leader, a man of deep convictions, and friend of God, Ken Gehrels, pastor of First Christian Reformed Church of Kemptville, Ont., died May 10.

Colorful art kits shared with members of First Christian Reformed Church in Toronto helped the congregation mark the church year in worship.

A user-friendly guide to the documents produced for Synod 2021, parts of which will be addressed in a special meeting of the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates held in lieu of synod.

Christian Reformed congregations reaching out creatively with technology are baptizing new believers and seeing communities grow, even over a distance.

A humble man with a “holy” legacy of leading many people to Jesus, Ron Baker died May 5.

Huu Phu Nguyen served Vietnamese New Hope CRC in Wheaton, Ill., for more than 25 years. He died April 17.

Religious colleges and universities that offer programming within correctional facilities have found ways to stay connected despite pandemic restrictions.

A 1957 plaque honoring missionaries Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian and Pete Fleming who were killed while attempting to share their Christian faith with the Waorani people in Ecuador contains language now seen as offensive.

Advocating for a ceasefire, which has been in place since Friday, the coalition of churches that works to encourage U.S. policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East, wrote to the UN Security Council on Thursday.