News

Welcome to The Banner’s guide to the Agenda for Synod 2020 and the Agenda for Synod Supplement 2020.

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.

Holland Christian Homes’ Grace Manor in Brampton was one of five long-term care homes in the province of Ontario cited in a harsh report about conditions in the facilities. Having addressed the relatively minor citations at Grace Manor, the facility is not subject to the Ontario government appointment of temporary management as at the other four homes.

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.

While remaining at home, residents of the Raybrook campus of Holland Home in Grand Rapids, Mich., joined together in a lawn-and-balcony, socially distanced worship service May 21.

From participating in the Lord’s Supper every week, to making the sharing of the sacrament less frequent, to holding off on the practice altogether until in-person fellowship resumes, a few British Columbia churches told The Banner of their pandemic-related adjustments in worship.

The Iowa communities of Orange City and Sioux Center presented a joint service of remembrance this Memorial Day. Pastors Cory Van Sloten and Jordan Helming, both serving military chaplains, participated.

John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, and others comment on studies showing a possible link to a higher rate of coronavirus spread when singing in groups.

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.

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.

Community initiatives from Christian Reformed churches across Canada are getting a $40,000 boost thanks to local ministry grants from World Renew and Diaconal Ministries Canada.

Christian evangelist and apologist Ravi Zacharias, founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, died May 19.

Insurance companies are primed to play an increasingly influential role for houses of worship as legislators ease social distancing restrictions and faith groups prepare to reopen their doors. Religion News Service spoke with two insurers.

Hope Unexpected, an eight-year-old organization serving young single mothers in Byron Center, Mich., opened a second location in January. Now they’ve adapted their approach to continue supporting families.

Wilma Van Schelven, a member of Maranatha Christian Reformed Church in Belleville, Ont., said her congregation’s city-wide food drive began with the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

A letter released May 11 includes 23 Christian leaders requesting that upcoming American Coronavirus economic stimulus legislation include measures to ensure “an inclusive and fair voting process” this fall.

Speaking at the CRC's Council of Delegates May meeting, Classis Red Mesa delegate Stanley Jim shared difficult stories of the effect of COVID-19 among Navajo people in New Mexico and Arizona.

The Christian Reformed Church’s Canada Corporation, the Canadian portion of the church’s governance body, has approved a proposal for a three-year process to build reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

Here’s how Trinity Christian College; the Institute for Christian Studies; and Dordt, Calvin, The King’s, and Redeemer universities are marking commencement 2020.

First Christian Reformed Church and Shalom CRC in Sioux Falls, S.D., are both part of Corona Help Sioux Falls, an online resource connecting help from the city's churches with people in need.