Canadian Catalytic Conversations 2
At CCC2, members of every Canadian CRC Classes debate next steps.
Four delegates representing every Christian Reformed classis in Canada, along with Canadian CRCNA staff, Canada Corp Board members and observers, met online on Saturday, January 29, via Zoom, for a meeting dubbed Canadian Catalytic Conversation 2 (CCC2). The stated purpose of the meeting was to “wrestle with the options put forward for ministry in Canada,” specifically as that relates to the denominational Structure and Leadership Taskforce (SALT). (For more background on SALT, see “Canadian Classes Called to Special Meeting,” by Kathy Vandergrift, Jan. 7). The January 29 meeting was meant to initiate conversations within local classes; it was not a decision-making body.
“I think the meeting was a potential catalyst,” delegate Paul Verhoef said. “We shall see what it catalyzes.” Decisions made by the Council of Delegates in its February meeting responded to a few of the Jan. 29 concerns, and will move the CRCNA more toward a partnership between the U.S. and Canadian churches instead of Canadian ministries being a subsidiary of a U.S.-based church.
The following articles reflect on the outcomes of the Jan. 29 meeting (Vandergrift), institutional health (Wagenman) and binational perks (Hielema).
Overheard on zoom
“There is a sense of ownership, passion and love for the Christian Reformed Church in Canada and wanting to see it flourish.”
Terry Veldboom, Interim ED for Canada
“Going our own separate ways is something to be celebrated rather than grieved because becoming distinct denominations in close fellowship will make the relationship between the Canadian and U.S. churches stronger and better.”
Bruce Adema, delegate and former Director of Canadian Ministries.
“This was an incredibly good listening session. We need to decide for ourselves what we want to be. We do that by conversations like this, but we also need more structured conversations . . . that have some authority to make decisions. ”
Andy deRuyter, Canada Corporation & COD Chair.
“Governance can be dry as toast but this was a lively discourse. I have no idea whether any of these schismatic impulses will have any legs. We can only hope and pray not.”
John Tamming, observer.
