Synod delegates declined a request from Classis Toronto to reinstate a Canadian director of Chaplaincy Ministries but shone a spotlight on chaplaincy ministries on both sides of the border.
Synod directed the request for a Canadian director to the denomination’s Board of Trustees. The request argued for a revitalized Canadian identity in chaplaincy, complaining of a lack of administrative focus and representation.
Delegate Rev. Gary Van Leeuwen from Classis Toronto said, “We need to consider what has been lost. . . . Please reinstate this position and give our chaplains a voice again.”
Though delegates forwarded the request to the Board of Trustees, they added a directive. Synod asked the board to consider the leadership needs for chaplaincy ministries not only in Canada, but in the United States as well.