Board of Trustees Welcomes Young Adult Representatives

For the first time, the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees now includes two young adult representatives.

Youri Lee and Ashley Bootsma were welcomed to the Board of Trustees meeting at the end of February and will be serving a two-year term.

Lee, 26, brings not only a young adult perspective but also an international one. She came from Seoul, South Korea, five years ago to study at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, and is now studying for her M.Div. at Calvin Theological Seminary. Bootsma, 25, is from St. Catharines, Ont. She is studying theology and history at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ont. Both served as young adult representatives at Synod 2015 (the annual leadership meeting of the CRC).

The women confessed to being both excited and nervous about their first meeting but said they felt very welcomed and that their contributions were appreciated.

Bootsma appreciated that the board meetings are “more intimate and discussion-based than debate-based.”

Both of the young women agree that having a young adult perspective at the board level is important. Lee said that the board is already diverse, and this representation adds one more dimension.

Bootsma wonders if one day young adults will be nominated for the board rather than singled out as a separate group.

As young adult representatives do at synod, which has such representatives since 2010, they may comment on all matters on the agenda but have no vote.