Ryan Poelman had a dual role at Synod 2023 on Tuesday morning, June 13. Serving as a delegate, he was also presented as a candidate for Minister of the Word.
“This is an overwhelming day,” said Poelman, an elder from Classis Alberta South/Saskatchewan. “I’m very grateful to see the support from the body.”
Because he and his family live in Fort Macleod, Sask., more than 1,600 miles (2,600 km) from Grand Rapids, Mich., where synod is meeting, Poelman’s wife and five children were unable to join him in person for the special day. But Poelman said he felt cared for and supported by the church body all through his journey toward becoming a candidate. And while at synod, his classis cohorts did their part to encourage him.
“God is doing good work in you, and I want to celebrate that,” fellow Alberta South/Saskatchewan delegate Adrian de Lange told Poelman.
Poelman told The Banner that he came to synod “to see how the body functions and deliberates at this level, the broader assembly of synod.” He added, “I feel hopeful about the future of the CRC.”
About the Author
Roxanne VanFarowe is a freelance writer who claims both Canadian and American citizenship and grew up in the Christian Reformed Church. She is a member of Blacknall Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina.
