For years the weather ball stood high above the Michigan National Bank building in downtown Grand Rapids. The colors of red, green and blue, all indicating with moderate precision the next day’s weather.

Weather ball blue colder in view

Weather ball red warmer ahead

Weather ball green no change foreseen.

I remember as a child peering through the windshield of our green Datsun wondering when the weatherball would come into view.

With the start of a New Year we often take time to look ahead, wondering what God has in store for us. We make resolutions and promises. We check calendars and review budgets. Hopefully added to this list is taking a spiritual inventory, a deep, Holy Spirit guided look into our hearts.  As we look back, what growth happened in our lives.  How did we bear more spiritual fruit than we did last year?  What promises did we hold to more tightly?  What blessings were more evident. And then as we peer into 2012 we look in the mirror to see what our spiritual weather all is saying about our hearts…

Red? Green? Blue?

One challenge we all face is the temptation to stall spiritually, to coast inwardly. As we do so, our spiritual weatherball begins to glow green… “No Change Foreseen.” Instead of pursuing a deeper life in Christ, we enter a new year with little thought or intention. We anticipate no change, we pursue no change. And we find at year’s end it turned out exactly as we planned, with now measurable and demonstrable growth. We find the cruise control got stuck at 10mph and we are no closer to being like Christ than we were last year.  Another “green no change foreseen” year.

What color is your weatherball?

The official work of synod has come to and end. (Joint session with the RCA synod this afternoon). The delegates have all head to lunch. The tables are being tore down.  The podium is being packed away.  Now the work continues at home.  I have again been reminded that we serve a awesome God within the context of a wonderful church.  No doubt we will not all agree on all matters.  But hopefully, this year’s synod will be a small yet import reminder to the entire denomination that we can speak and work together, even when we don’t agree.

As a denomination we are doing so much throughout the world.  Praise God for faithful servants of Him, who have dedicated their lives in service of the King.

To all those who prayed for synod and for me personally, I express my thanks!

I am so grateful to belong to this denomination, and so grateful to be a pastor at Friendship Christian Reformed Church.

Looking forward to worshiping with all of you Sunday.

Pastor Tim

The most recent challenge before Synod today is whether to approve the following:

What would you do?

Hiring of senior leadership

All future hires will be made in accordance with the CRCNA’s current
denominational scorecard diversity objectives with its goal of 25 percent racial minority leaders in CRCNA positions of senior leadership (level 16 and above).

Timeline –To be implemented immediately.

Tuesday afternoon

Back at it for another day.

Here is a taste of some of the things we have dealt with today.

Did you know…

•  that there are 49 person who are now eligible for a call in the CRC?
•  that Synod approves all retirements and advancements of Calvin College professors?
•  that the Canadian government gave the CRCNA Pension fund 60 days to come up with a plan to have the pension fully funded in five years (down from 15 years?).
•  the person most Nigerian Reformed Christians see as the mother of their church is Johanna Veenstra?

We are now back at it.

It has been a long day.  We just wrapped up to head to our rooms for the evening. Here is a look at some of the things we did today

1. Determined large changes for the CRC Minister’s Pension Fund
2. Approved various changes to the church order relating to Faith Formation
3. Determined not to approve a study committee to revisit the topic of homosexuality
4. Approved various documents relating to a conversations that have occurred between the Roman Catholic church and various Reformed denominations, including the CRC.
5. Heard reports from Inter-Church Relations, Christian Reformed World Missions, a new ministry shares awareness campaign.

Thanks everyone for your ongoing prayers!  More tomorrow.

This afternoon has been the longest debate on any subject matter at synod.

Here is the question:

Should synod appoint a study committee to review the biblical teachings regarding homosexual orientation and practice in light of current biblical and theological study of these issues?

In 1973 and later in 2002 the denomination wrote two excellent reports on the topic of homosexuality.  No doubt much has changed since the 1973 report.  Do the changes warrant  a new study committee?

How would you vote?

Pray God would give us wisdom.

This evening we listened to the new interim executive director of the denomination, Rev. Joel Boot, now former pastor of Ridgewood CRC in Jenison. When the webcast becomes available, I urge all of you to watch it. (When it does come available I will link to it.)

As he assumes this new position, taking the office vacated by Rev. Jerry Dykstra, we would all do well to pray for him. Two weeks ago Rev. Boot pastored with joy his congregation. Now he works in a position he did not seek, but affirms the overwhelming calling on his life by our God to use his gifts in this capacity.

Just finished work on my advisory committee. Close to seven hours today thinking through whether to approve a revised translation for the three forms of unity, Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession and Canons of Dort. (If you would like to look at the documents see the Agenda for Synod 2011, page 183)

It has been a been a long day. I realize anew what a task and challenge it is to keep a denomination all journeying in the same direction. I also realize what a joy it is to walk with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to achieve greater goals for God’s kingdom.
Pray for and give praise to God for the Christian Reformed Church.

Good morning! Synod day two has begun.

I came to synod eager and willing to do the work of the Lord.  This morning I witness my God doing his work in me.  Worship this morning was deeply moving, Spirit-filled, and challenging.

A new song, by Keith Getty, blessed me mightily (text below).

Praising God for the opportunity to be present here.  Move, God, in me.  Move in all the delegates.  Move in the Christian Reformed Church.  God, move in your Kingdom around the world.

___________

Speak O Lord

Verse 1
Speak O Lord as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy word
Take Your truth plant it deep in us
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak O Lord and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

Verse 2
Teach us Lord full obedience
Holy reverence true humility
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity
Cause our faith to rise
Cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority
Words of power that can never fail
Let their truth prevail over unbelief

Verse 3
Speak O Lord and renew our minds
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us
Speak O Lord till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory

Keith Getty | Stuart Townend