Rev. John Terpstra, president of the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees, delivered a report on the Board’s work to Synod 2012. Synod is the annual leadership meeting of the CRC. This is the second year that such a report was given.
One of the primary tasks of the board is to supervise the work of the executive director, who is responsible to lead the senior staff and ministry agency directors in carrying out the ministry plan endorsed by synod.
Terpstra listed for delegates the many ways in which the executive director, Rev. Joel Boot, has provided pastoral care for staff who grieved at a variety of levels after the resignations last year of the previous executive director and the director of denominational ministries, as well as carrying out the administrative functions of the role.
“Joel mentioned to me earlier and again last night that he feels as if the ground beneath him is shaking. He wonders if it is a crisis about to happen, or if it is the creative presence of the Holy Spirit moving,” Terpstra said. “All he knows is that when he feels his world starting to shake, he moves toward God and rests in the comfort of God’s promises.”
Terpstra noted the highlights of the past year included the interviews of Bonnie Nicholas, Michael Le Roy and Rev. Kurt Selles, all assuming new leadership positions in the CRC. He also listed for delegates the many ways in which the ministry agencies extend the ministry of Christian Reformed churches in today’s complex mission field of North America.
Terpstra noted the challenges facing the CRC. “We have targets for diverse leadership that elude us,” he said. “We need to revisit the conversation about how to more effectively be a denomination with a kingdom presence in two countries. I offer no new solutions, only that I continue to hear concerns, and I see the need to talk more about it.”
Terpstra closed by calling the church to dream together of a denomination filled with thriving churches, facing the challenges on our knees before the throne of grace.
For continuous Banner coverage of Synod 2012, please follow The Banner on Facebook or @CRCBanner on Twitter. News stories will be posted at www.thebanner.org three times daily. For CRC Communications releases, webcast, and more, please visit www.crcna.org/Synod.
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
