Delegates of Synod 2013 joined Roosevelt Park Community Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., for the synodical worship service—a service held in both Spanish and English and punctuated by applause and cries of “Amen!”
Pastor Pablo Canché led the liturgy and communion, and Rev. Reggie Smith delivered the message.
“What is God up to in the Christian Reformed Church?” Smith asked the congregation. “We are dealing with big issues, structure changes, expanding minority leadership, falling ministry shares. What is God up to in the Christian Reformed Church?”
Preaching on the Gospel of John, Smith said that only if we are willing to get into the big story and set ourselves aside, “get de-centered and re-centered,” will we enter into our part of God’s redemptive history.
“God first speaks to us,” he said. “When God speaks, it is up to us to listen. At Synod 2013, if we listen, will he not show us where we need to go?”
Smith told worshipers that while we might wish for more light to know where we are going, God gives just enough light. What we need is more faith, like the faith of Abraham and Noah and the apostles.
“How are we at Roosevelt Park, at our classis, as a denomination called the Christian Reformed Church, letting our little light shine?” he asked.
“We will gather this week at Calvin College. We’re going to let our little light shine because God has called us to be his witnesses, and we shall do it by faith.”
Synod 2013 is meeting at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. from June 7-14. For continuous Banner coverage of Synod 2013, please follow The Banner on Facebook or @crcbanner on Twitter. You can find more tweeting by following hashtag #crcsynod. News stories will be posted at www.thebanner.org several times daily. For CRC Communications releases, webcast, and live blogging, please visit www.crcna.org/synod. Unless noted otherwise, all photos are by Karen Huttenga.
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
