Synod 2012 did not approve the addition of new provisions to the Church Order for pastors who leave ministry to pursue further education.
Classis Lake Superior (a regional group of churches) requested that synod add a section to the Church Order that would cover the case of ministers who leave their present congregation permanently to pursue more study. The pastors would have remained eligible for a call for two years after ending their studies.
The classis argued that the current method of release has a negative stigma that is not appropriate when a pastor pursues higher education.
However, synod decided that the current system allows for both positive and negative release, and singling out one reason is not necessary.
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About the Author
Ryan Struyk was a former Banner news correspondent for classes Grand Rapids South and Thornapple Valley.
