'You’re Part of a Global Sisterhood of Faithful Women'

In a year where there are fewer women delegates to the Christian Reformed Church synod than there have been in the past five, the annual women’s dinner on the first night of the weeklong event was used as an encouragement to those who are here and advancement for future women leaders.

“We won’t continue to get women coming if we’re not telling them that this is a worthwhile way to use their leadership,” Thrive director Lesli van Milligen told the room of about 25, which included staff and some advisers as well as delegates. There are 18 women delegated to synod this year. Van Milligen encouraged the women to tell their stories of experience at synod, “even if it was challenging, but include how God used that experience to grow you or to influence the church.”

She asked the handful of women who had been delegated to synod more than once to share wisdom with first-time delegates.

Marguerite Ridder, a prayer intercessor who was a delegate twice before, said, “If you’re listening next week, don’t be afraid to stand up, but write it down,” sharing how a previous time at the mic caused her to forget what she’d meant to say. Sharon Jim, a delegate from Classis Red Mesa who was delegated to Synod 2019 and 2022 and who was a women’s adviser in 2001, said, “Prepare and be at your table ahead of time, read the resources, and show you’re here for business.” There can be a temptation to want to reconnect with friends if you’ve traveled back to a familiar place for synod, but, “You have a purpose, and that takes priority,” she said.

June Atsma, a first-time elder delegate from Classis Grand Rapids North, asked to share a story. Her grandfather was a CRC minister, and she recalls renting a cottage together with extended family during synod some years. On occasion when the role of women in the church was being discussed, two aunts “kind of disappeared,” Atsma said, realizing later they had joined the synod gallery, interested to hear how the leadership would decide. “And now here I am,” Atsma said, noting that when her mom recently had coffee with one of those aunts “she was so excited to hear that I was going to synod.”

Encouraged by the story, van Milligen said, “We may be in a dip (of numbers of delegated women), but God is faithful.”

Van Milligen welcomed World Renew director Carol Bremer-Bennett to offer words of encouragement to the gathering also. Noting that World Renew walks with women from many places—Senegal, Bangladesh, Uganda—who are rising, “stepping in and transforming their worlds,” she reminded, “You are not alone.” Leadership, she said, “is about service, courage, and love” and shared that though she’s never been a delegate, she’s attending her 10th synod. “You’re part of a global sisterhood of faithful women,” Bremer-Bennett said.

To illustrate that God “will give us the gifts—even unusual and unexpected ones—to do the job that God calls us to do,” van Milligen shared “a silly story” from her first position in preaching and as children’s ministry intern at a small church outside of Madrid. “Seniorita, play baseball with us,” the boys asked. Laughing, van Milligen shared, “There is not an ounce of athleticism in this person. But I played baseball, and I hit it out of the park. Because I knew if they come to baseball, they will come to Bible club. If we show up, God will show up and equip us.”

Eleven classes (regional groups of churches) delegated one or more women to this year’s synod. Most of the denomination’s 49 classes do have women serving as deacons, elders, and ministers, although the denomination’s position statement on women in ecclesiastical office “recognizes that there are two different perspectives and convictions on this issue, both of which honor the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God.” Classes may operate out of their convictions and are not required to accept women in offices of the church. Because the CRC position statement says, “All duly elected and ordained officebearers—men and women—may be delegated to synod, but officebearers will not be asked to participate against their convictions on this matter,” there is an annual protest communication from Classis Minnkota stating their convictions. This caused concern at Synod 2022 when new women delegates were caught off guard by the practice of reading the protest aloud. An overture about it came to Synod 2023, and the synod suggested a compromise to read a declaration about the denomination’s two views at the start of synod along with the protest.

The Office of General Secretary keeps a list of classes that have declared that women officebearers may not be delegated to classis, available on request. There are currently three classes in this category; another that accepts women elders and deacons but not Ministers of the Word delegated to classis; and one that has a policy of deference: those who believe women should be allowed to serve as delegates are urged to exercise deference by delegating women only when necessary; councils who believe women should not be allowed to serve as delegates are urged to exercise deference by respectfully serving side by side with women if they should be delegated to a particular session of classis.

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.