Hello,
If you’ve been receiving our emails lately, you already know that we’ve been hosting Zoom conversations this summer. Thanks to everyone who attended! Below is a brief summary of the major themes in these sessions. It is not verbatim minutes and it respects the need for safe space by not including any names or direct attribution of specific comments. The purpose is to inform on-going dialogue and find the best solutions for the future.
Why, when and who?
Toward CRC Canada (TCRCC) decided to hold these conversations because of heightened concerns in Canadian churches after the decisions of the CRC Synod 2024 in June. The purpose was to provide a forum for dialogue about the future of CRC churches and our public witness in Canada. They also included an update on the initiatives of TCRCC.
The Zoom sessions were held on July 20, July 23, and August 13 at different times to accommodate interested people across Canada. In total, more than 300 people participated, with some returning to express strong concerns or strong interest in the goals of TCRCC.
Opening Presentations to Start Dialogue
For each session, TCRCC set the context with a summary of developments to date, and delegates to Synod from Canada shared their experiences and thoughts about impacts for the future of the CRC in Canada.
This moment combines enthusiasm for the opportunities we have in Canada with increased concerns about the impacts of the decisions of Synod 2024 for local churches and many members of the CRC in Canada. With Synod 2024, the focus has shifted from the issue of human sexuality to what kind of church the CRC is and will be. Of particular concern are the following:
- Respect for the authority of the local church to decide who can be leaders and how local ministry will be shaped.
- Space for thoughtful, well-informed deliberation that listens to various voices and seeks the common good, rather than a focus on winning votes, power and control of the CRC, and polarization on specific red-line issues.
- Willingness to accommodate diverse local contexts and openness to different interpretations of basic creeds and confessions.
- Heavy influence of US culture, including elements of Christian nationalism, within the CRC, that leads to experiences of being bullied, silenced, and unwelcome unless one conforms to certain specific views.
- Limited awareness of Canadian context and marginalization of Canadian concerns in assemblies and governing bodies where 75% of the votes are responsive to US context.
What we’ve already done
In this context, TCRCC reported that it continues to work for space for a distinct CRC in Canada. Steps taken since the first round of Zoom meetings include the following:
- Vision Statement, based on creeds, that provides basis for unity with respect for diversity.
- Three Working Papers that explain the need for a distinct CRC in Canada:
- Differences in the history and culture of the CRC in Canada
- Contextual Ministry in Canada – opportunities to do better if we focus on Canada
- Accountability to Members in Canada and Good Governance
- Declaration of Readiness as a tool for churches to express interest in a distinct CRC in Canada.
Calls for a Canadian Synod
In addition to these emails, TCRCC is using a website and Facebook to provide space in Canada for the kind of conversations that respond to concerns we hear in Canadian churches. At this moment, TCRCC is focusing on its proposal for a Canadian Synod, where Canadians deliberate and make decisions about ministry in Canada, with the following benefits:
- Stronger partnerships across Canada
- Substantive accountability to Canadians, as well as formal accountability
- Remove conflict of interest for board members
- More clear links between priorities and allocation of resources
- Greater engagement between Canadian members and our shared ministries
Out of these zoom meetings, we heard several key themes and repeated questions/concerns. So in
this document, we’ve compiled our answers.
