Dear congregation,
The main event of today's session of synod was Nathan Langerak's sermon on Isaiah 43:1-3. His work on and delivery of this sermon was outstanding. Synod approved the sermon and will proceed to the oral exam beginning tomorrow morning, 8:30 AM, in the church sanctuary. Anyone is welcome, and even if you stop by for only a brief while, it'll be worth it.
You all know a sermon only takes 30 mins to 1 hour, so what happened the rest of the day?
We began meeting at 8:30. Officers for synod were elected: President - Rev. Slopsema, VP -- Rev Koole, Clerk -- Rev. Smit, Assistant Clerk -- Rev. A Brummel. A committee on committees was appointed to divide up the Agenda between five committees, and to divide the delegates into these five committees. Their proposal for dividing the work and delegates was adopted. At 11:30, after the sermon, we all ate a delicious soup and salad dinner in the basement of church -- thanks ladies -- and then our committees met to do their work for the rest of the day.
What does committee work involve? The five committees are called "committees of pre-advice," and so we take all the information that has come to synod, summarize it, and then write out recommendations to synod -- which become the actual motions that synod will vote on. So, for instance, I am on the committee dealing with the Theological School Committee report, and they report on interviews they had with three students who have enrolled for our seminary this fall, and they recommend Synod approve admitting these men. We write up the information, and then the motion, "That synod approve admitting Mr. so and so into our seminary beginning in the fall of 2007."
Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not exactly, because we also have to deal with a protest against Synod's decision of last year concerning Wyckoff, and an overture from Classis on the same decision, which is quite different to the protest. We have to write a motion or two that Synod is likely to adopt, that answers all the concerns, and that is grounded in previous decisions of synod or in the church order and Scripture. So, there's a lot of unravelling, and then trying to get five men on the committee from different churches and different parts of the country to think the same thing, and draw up something that will give synod some direction.
And, though we finished meeting at 5 PM, my work is not done yet. I am the clerk and have yet to type up the information and recommendations for TSC, Rector's report, Student Aid, and Wyckoff.
I expect if you visit the News section of www.prca.org you will find more information and pictures from synod.
Let's remember Nathan, as well as the synod, in our prayers in the days to come.
Greetings,
Rev. Kleyn
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