The directors of the Christian Reformed Church in North America Canada Corporation met (by video conference) for one of their four regular, yearly meetings July 25. Directors heard updates on plans for a September Canada-wide gathering between the board and representatives from Christian Reformed congregations in Canada, welcomed new members (who will be elected and appointed as directors at the fall membership meeting of the board), and provided feedback to a draft “opportunity statement” prepared by an ad hoc group.
“This is to be a statement for guiding the Canada Corporation board going forward in its work,” said Henry Eygenraam, an at-large director of the Canada Corporation and a member of the ad hoc committee. He described it as a “board-directing statement, not a new methodology of how to be a board,” and explained that the desire for such a statement came from a board workshop held earlier this year. Participants in that workshop April 9 heard from current staff and former Canadian ministries directors with an eye to improving “relationships with congregations, classes, and our U.S. brothers and sisters” and “they also began to articulate where they want to see the churches in Canada be in the next five years,” a CRC communications report said. (The Banner requested but was not given permission to attend the April 9 workshop.)
Directors offered feedback on the statement at the July 25 meeting, and the ad hoc group will now refine the statement and bring it back to the October board meeting.
The board also:
- Appointed Lesli van Milligen to serve on the joint ministry agreement management committee beginning July 1, 2022. She does so in her role of directing congregational ministries in Canada, a responsibility assigned to her to replace Peter Elgersma, who resigned effective July 5. (Joint ministry agreements govern how organizations carrying out ministry in the U.S. and in Canada work together to accomplish the goals of the binational church.)
- Officially closed the file on CRCNA restructuring by instructing the law firm Carters Professional Corporation to do so.
- Acknowledged that Maureen Beattie, director of human resources for the CRC in Canada, will retire effective Aug. 19.
Received an update on finance matters from Terry Veldboom, formerly director of Finance & Operations (Canada), now chief administrative officer (Canada). “Revenues from churches and from individuals in Canada have been pretty stable,” Veldboom said, noting this is the second year of receiving ministry shares by pledges (rather than specified per-member remittance). “The churches through at least this point have continued to support denominational ministries in Canada, and we need to continue to express thanks to God and express that gratitude to the local churches,” Veldboom said.
About the Author
Alissa Vernon is the news editor for The Banner.
