Synod 2025 Encouraged to Demonstrate Union in Christ

For the third time in its history and as a practice that it will carry forward, the annual synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America had a virtual convening May 28. The denomination’s general secretary, director of ecclesiastical governance, several more staff, a few guests, and 168 delegates assembled by Zoom video conference to work through opening devotions, announcements, and the election of officers. The bulk of the work of synod will continue in person June 13 to 19.

Nate Van Denend, pastor of First Christian Reformed Church in Chatham, Ont., welcomed the assembly as pastor of synod’s convening church. After opening devotions and prayer by CRCNA prayer shepherd Jon Hoekema and a reflection on Luke 24:15 by Thrive’s equipping team leader Elaine May, Van Denend presided over the first part of the meeting.

First CRC in Chatham was approved by Synod 2024 to be the host church for Synod 2025, meeting in Ontario for the first time since 2012 on the campus of Redeemer University in Ancaster. First CRC is the oldest Christian Reformed congregation in Ontario and will celebrate its centenary in 2026. Van Denend noted it’s not the oldest CRC in Canada, a distinction that belongs to Nobleford (Atla.) CRC, organized in 1905.

Recognizing tension

“We are gathering at a time of upheaval in our denomination, in our respective nations, and in many places around the globe,” Van Denend noted in his opening remarks. Recalling words from the book of Esther where Mordecai says, “Maybe you've come into this position for such a time as this,” Van Denend said, “You are the group that God has chosen for Synod 2025. For such a time as this.”

Saying, “the political tensions between the U.S. and Canada are higher now than perhaps they've been in quite some time,” he encouraged everyone “to not pour any more fuel on those fires. Instead, we have an opportunity, as a binational denomination, to show that union in Christ supersedes and even transcends national borders and identities.”

He recalled, “A hundred years ago, a small group of Christian Reformed people in Grand Rapids, Mich., took note of a small group of Dutch immigrants who had settled in Chatham, Ont., and they made contact with them—and not all of those Dutch immigrants were even Christian—but they sent a minister there, they put a church together.” That was 1925, and in 1926, the first CRC in Chatham was formed.

Canadian distinctives

Despite those encouragements, Van Denend did point out a few particulars of Canadian practice, for “those of you who haven’t been to Canada before.” He noted that “words like ‘Saviour’ and ‘neighbour’ are properly spelled in the King's English, with a ‘u’ between the final ‘o’ and ‘r.’ There are no ‘bathrooms’ in Canada, there are only ‘washrooms,’ and you can participate in those activities in such facilities, if you need to.” He also added, “And contrary to what you may have heard, Canadians are content to remain their own sovereign country.”

Van Denend referred to May’s opening devotions, reiterating her reminder “that you are here as a delegate, not as a representative. You might be here because other people are hoping that you vote in a particular way. I'm here to say you don't have to. Listen to the Spirit. In your own time of prayer and devotion, discern what the Spirit is saying together as you talk to the other delegates here and then trust that the Spirit will guide us through the decisions we have to make.”

In addition to being the host church’s pastor and therefore president pro tem (temporary president) until elections were complete, Van Denend is a delegate to Synod 2025, sent by Classis Ontario Southwest. He will lead the synodical service of prayer and praise 5 p.m. Sunday, June 15, in Redeemer University’s auditorium.

Synod 2025, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is meeting June 13-19 on the campus of Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ont. Find daily coverage from The Banner at TheBanner.org/synod. Visit crcna.org/synod for the agenda, advisory reports, recordings of plenary sessions, and to subscribe to the daily Synod News email.