Synod 2000 (the annual leadership meeting of the CRC) adopted a report on denominational governance structure that included a restructuring of the denomination’s Board of Trustees (BOT). When the Canadian Ministries Board was folded into the BOT that year, half of the board’s membership of 30 was to come from the Canadian side of the denomination. It was to be known legally as the CRCNA-Canada Corporation, or, as it has become known, Canada Corp.
Within the larger BOT, Synod 2000 declared that the Canadian trustees “be responsible for all specific ‘in Canada’ functions that cannot be or ought not be the responsibility of a synodical binational Board” (Acts of Synod 2000, p. 623).
At the February 2014 BOT meeting, a broader interpretation of what Synod 2000 decided was put forward by the Canada Corp. The recommendations adopted by the full board “affirm the direction for the CRCNA-Canada Corporation outlined in the ‘Governance Proposal’ to Synod 2000 as the interpretation of the meaning of ‘in Canada’ functions that ought to be done by the CRCNA-Canada Corporation.” That includes “providing strategic advice based on judgments about the cultural appropriateness of existing programs in Canada” and “ensuring that outcomes from national conferences are incorporated into denominational ministry plans with appropriate accountability.”
The new approach “includes regular gatherings of Canadians to focus on the future of the CRC in Canada specifically, a voice in setting priorities for all ministries in Canada, and input into the budget from Canadian perspective,” said Kathy Vandergrift, president of Canada Corp. and vice president of the full BOT.
Vandergrift said that the changes parallel an expanded role for the Canadian Ministries Director. “That helps to make this a ‘new day’ for CRC ministry in Canada,” she said.
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
