Synod's Experienced, Diverse Executive

When Synod 2009 elected its officers, it covered just about all the bases.

As president, Rev. Williams Koopmans (Classis Chatham) brought relative youth at age 50. He is the youngest synod president in recent memory, and only the third Canadian ever to serve as president. This was his seventh synod and his second time on the executive.

Vice president Rev. Sheila Holmes (Classis Hackensack) brought ethnic and gender diversity as the first African American woman to serve on a synod executive. This was her second time delegated to synod. She also served previously as an ethnic adviser.

First clerk Don Dykstra (Classis Illiana) brought 81 years’ and 13 synods’ worth of experience. This was his fourth time as clerk.

Second clerk Rev. William Veenstra (Classis Hamilton) was at his fifth synod and previously served as synod’s vice president. Also a Canadian, Veenstra balanced the executive evenly between Canadians and Americans.

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