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The Great Lakes Region Is…
The mission of the Great Lakes Region is to partner with its classes and denominational staff to challenge and equip every RCA congregation in the region to turn outward and become healthy, growing, and reproducing congregations in order to make more disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Synod of the Great Lakes includes eight classes (districts) made up of about 187 congregations with over 75,000 total members. The region of responsibility of the Synod of the Great Lakes includes six and one-half states. The number of congregations in each state is as follows:
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Alabama 0 |
Indiana (East) 0 |
Michigan 173 |
Tennessee 1 |
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Georgia 2 |
Kentucky 3 |
Ohio 8 |
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About 75 percent of these churches, and an even larger majority of our members, are located in five West Michigan counties: Allegan, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa.
Our Reformed Church Book of Church Order does not assign as much supervisory authority to the regional synods as it does to the classes and the General Synod. However, one broad responsibility is assigned uniquely to the regional synods: “to create whatever organization it desires for the furtherance of the work of the gospel within its bounds . . . .” Fulfilling that responsibility has involved three major areas of ministry by the Synod of the Great Lakes: revitalizing established congregations, multiplying new congregations, and coordinating regional mission outreach.
As a consultant to the established churches, the Great Lakes region currently provides resources, training, coaching, and consulting in the areas of church multiplication, church revitalization, coached revitalizing networks including NCD (Natural Church Development) networks, specialized interim ministries, prayer, evangelism, commissioned pastors, ministerial placement, urban ministries, and youth ministries including Genesis and TASC (Taking A Stand for Christ) summer work camps. Cran Hill Ranch and Geneva Camp and Retreat Center are also important ministries within the synod.
As a partner with classes and parenting congregations, the synod supports the church planting/parenting movement by providing potential planter assessments, planter selection guidance and coaching, encouragement and guidance to congregations parenting new churches, and fund development services to provide the funds that are needed to start new churches on a healthy basis.
As the regional mission agency, the region, through its Great Lakes Missions Fund, provides significant support to ministries at five university campuses and more than twenty urban churches and ministries. That support involves consulting, training, and evaluation as well as funding. In almost every case the synod support is given in partnership with that of classes and congregations. Creating partnerships where resources are shared, needs are met, and God is glorified is an essential part of the region’s ministry.
The broad ministry of the synod is carried out by seven office staff members and by several other part-time staff who work with hundreds of volunteers serving on ministry teams, task forces, and committees. All of these ministries are overseen by the annual Synod Assembly and its Executive Committee.
For more information about the Great Lakes Region, contact Dave Schutt at dschutt@rcagl.org or (616) 698-7071 ext. 203.
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Highlights .
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