MFCA News and Information

I receive a regular email newsletter from someone named Todd Rhoades – the name of the blog is “Monday Morning Insight.” I have received it for years and can’t tell you how I first got on the mailing list. It usually alerts me to what is happening in the larger church and provides useful information about things of interest to me such as the latest happenings at Crystal Cathedral and the Hour of Power.

This week, the author decided to create his own list of why young pastors leave the ministry. I provide the list, not because I support everything he mentions, but because it makes me think about our own candidates and what they face as they move into fulltime ministry.

Rhoades presents the following ten reasons as a starting point:

1. The discontinuity between what they imagined ministry to be and what it actually is… is too great.

2. A life without weekends sucks.

3. The pay is too low (most pastors in my denomination make less money than a school teacher with five years experience.

4. They are tired of driving ten year old cars while their congregations trade in their cars every two years.

5. Many young pastors are called into difficult congregations that chew pastors up and spit them out because experienced pastors know better.

6. Even though the search committee told them they wanted to reach young people, they didn’t really mean it.

7. When the pastor asked the search committee if they were an “emergent church”, the members of the search committee thought he said “divergent church” and agreed.

8. Nobody told the young pastor that cleaning the toilets was part of the job description.

9. The young pastor’s student loans came due and the amount of money he/she owes on a monthly basis exceeds his/her income.

10. Working at McDonalds has a lot less stress.

Rhoades asks… “Why do you think young pastors are leaving the ministry in droves?”

My response to Rhoades is that I wasn’t aware that young pastors were leaving the ministry in droves, at least not in the RCA. I understand that money is important, but my experience with candidates in the MFCA is that most individuals know there are no lucrative salary levels for ministers, and that their “call” to ministry is defined by a love for Jesus and being part of the mission to the world, not for monetary gain. I also believe that the RCA, despite weaknesses, has a reputation of providing for its ministers and operates according to a covenantal understanding of caring for one another on multiple levels.

The first point that Rhoades mentions is the discontinuity between expectations for ministry and the reality. This is where the seminaries and MFCA must perform their role, and I believe we have shown ourselves to be successful in this area. Not that there isn’t room for improvement, but, I do believe our emphasis on teaching churches and requiring a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) have provided candidates with realistic experiences. Supervised ministry experiences should, to be effective, resemble actual ministry and not allow a candidate to be a mere observer.

It is common with MFCA candidates for the placement site and responsibilities during the supervised ministry process to become the first call and ministry placement. When candidates are given ministry responsibilities and they are successful in their service; not only has the candidate proven they have what it takes, but he or she has also been forced to face the reality of ministry. They no longer have to imagine what ministry might be like; they have lived and experienced it. 

I am open to correction, but I believe that in the RCA we are preparing pastors of all ages who have realistic expectations for ministry. Despite challenges and surprises, I believe most will remain in ministry and experience longevity. I have honestly not met a new minister who prefers working at McDonalds or even Starbucks where they will at least receive benefits, as opposed to being in ministry.

Cor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The graduation ceremonies at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago will witness two MFCA candidates marching across the stage… Marjorie VanderWagen and Matthew Ploeger are both graduating with their M.Div. Congratulations Marge and Matt!

We are also pleased to announce that two more MFCA candidates will graduate with their M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.  They are David Nearpass and Matthew Schuring.  Congratulations Dave and Matt!   

If you are graduating, please let us know so we can announce your news and celebrate with you!

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The registration material has gone out to those the MFCA had listed as potential students for the courses. If you are planning to participate and did not receive an email to registrar, please contact the registrar, Ms. Kelly Talsma @ ktalsma@rca,org.

Early registration is important for several reasons. The MFCA staff must send in the information to Hope College in order to insure that there are rooms and meals reserved for those who require it. There are also minimums and caps for each course. We have met the minimum of eight students to make the courses viable but we are now concerned that each course must not exceed twenty-four students.

Please be aware that there are only two courses offered this summer:

RCA Standards, Holland, MI

June 3 – 7, 2013

Instructor: Rev. Dr. Leanne Van Dyk

RCA Worship, Holland, MI

June 10 – 14, 2013

Instructors: Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

THE DIRECTOR”S TRAVEL SCHEDULE

May 7 – 8                        Denver, CO

May 14                            Chicago, IL

May 15 – 16                    Wisconsin

May 19 – 20                    Holland, MI

June 1 – 17                     Holland, MI

June 18 – 25                   Pella, IA

VOLUNTEERS REQUESTED

The MFCA Office is investigating a new program to assist candidates and the MFCA staff in tracking individuals and their requirements. The program is an educational service called EDMODO. See www.edmodo.com.

If you are willing to be a guinea pig and test the program with us, please contact Cor at ckors@rca.org.

The decision by the General Synod of 2012 to eliminate the “Conscience Clauses” from the Book of Church Order (BCO) has resulted in questions being directed to the MFCA and RCA seminaries. The main questions being asked are: “Is there a place for a complementarian in the RCA with the elimination of the conscience clauses? And, will a complementarian be eligible for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry?”

If you are not acquainted with the expression “complementarian,” MFCA graduate, Rev. Ben Kappers, explains his understanding of the concept and why he is committed to it in the RCA Church Herald Blog: http://heraldblog.squarespace.com/guest-blog/2013/3/12/complementarianism-what-is-it-why-should-i-believe-it-why-sh.html I encourage folks to read it as well as the comments that follow.

My personal response to the questions is “Yes, there is a place for complementarians in the RCA.” The RCA is extremely diverse and has a history of respecting differing voices. I believe that Jesus’ prayer in John 17 is especially apropos when it comes to matters such as respecting each other’s biblical interpretations and co-existing in the harmony it mandates.

I must stress that this is my personal opinion. I do not speak for others, since to my knowledge; they have not discussed or made decisions regarding the questions stated above. For one, I know that the MFCA Board of Trustees has not dealt with the questions regarding the future of complementarians in the RCA and the MFCA process. The “Core Values of the MFCA,” as stated below, constitute the operating principles of the agency and provide the building blocks upon which the governing policies are formulated and carried out. As the director of the agency, I am expected to interpret these values and make conclusions regarding them. It is with that in mind that I believe there is a place for complementarians in the RCA and that we can respectfully endorse the qualified candidate for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) who is committed to the complementarian position.

Our “Core Values” are:

We value being proactive in contributing to the success of our candidates; therefore we

-       help candidates discern and respond to their call to ministry with integrity

-       offer equal and fair access to those who are called to ministry

-       recognize that barriers exist (language, disabilities) but we do not    allow them to deter the candidate from responding to the call to ministry

-       demonstrate love and respect for every candidate

We value the integrity of a certification process that balances care for candidates and the church’s traditions; therefore we uphold

-       rigorous but not rigid application of the standards on preparation

-       being instinctively and intentionally relational as we approach our work

-       the distinctive roles of all parties in the process

-       honest, direct communication with the candidate

We value the distinctive role the MFCA plays in strengthening the ministry of the RCA; therefore we commit to

-       providing an educated clergy from all regions of the church

-       working with diverse candidates from non-traditional backgrounds

-       remaining culturally relevant

-       a diversity of voices around the table

-       good stewardship of the resources given to us

These values call for respectful treatment of all candidates, and I commit myself to perform my role in the MFCA with those as guidelines.

It is important to recognize that the RCA is mostly an egalitarian denomination and the majority of our members support women in leadership. Our posture as a denomination is that we embrace the gifts and authority of women in ministry. It is not only difficult, but also painful for female leaders when they must serve in contexts where there are those who do not support them in their ministry. That is accentuated if individuals are hostile toward them. I pray that such experiences for women will lessen and be non-existent in the near future.

There will be a tension when complementarians co-exist with egalitarians; there is no way around that. Both sides will naturally want to defend and promote their cause. Both will have biblical and social arguments supporting their point of view. It is my premise that the intent of the conscience clauses, despite their elimination, may, by common consensus, continue to exist as part of how we relate as Christians in community. Individuals, as they serve on consistory and in classis, should be allowed a conscientious scriptural objection regarding women in leadership, and, those same individuals should agree not to obstruct women from their call to serve. I believe that we are mandated to live in harmony with love, grace and mercy at the center of our relationships. This matter should not be one to divide us...

Cor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Ben Kappers recently accepted the call to be the lead pastor at First Reformed Church in Lansing, IL. Kappers has been serving Bailey Reformed Church in Northwest Illinois. He is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, MS.

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The registration material has gone out to those the MFCA had listed as potential students for the courses. If you are planning to participate and did not receive an email to registrar, please contact the registrar, Ms. Kelly Talsma.

Early registration is important for several reasons. The MFCA staff must send in the information to Hope College in order to insure that there are rooms and meals reserved for those who need it. There are also minimums and caps for each course. For a course to be offered the MFCA requires a minimum of eight students to make it viable and each course will not exceed twenty-four students.

There will be only two courses offered this summer:

RCA Standards, Holland, MI

June 3 – 7, 2013

Instructor: Rev. Dr. Leanne Van Dyk

RCA Worship, Holland, MI

June 10 – 14, 2013

Instructors: Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

This past week, Earl James and I spent the day at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Deerfield, Illinois. With the assistance of Rev. Dr. Felix Theonugraha, Dean of Students at TEDS and an MFCA alumnus, we had a productive day meeting with the Director of Placement, the Society for Women, representatives from the Social Justice Group and the Mosaic (The Ministry of Open Racial Reconciliation).

Earl and I are intentionally visiting various seminaries in order to learn what we can do to be a more gracious denomination for women and minorities. We also hope to tell seminary students about the RCA and share how the RCA may become an option for those who have not made a commitment to a denomination, and yet consider themselves to be called to ordination; especially people representing diverse racial and ethnic groups.

This endeavor is a direct result of the RCA ten year mission, “Our Call;” which not only includes the objective a of “A future free of racism,” but also includes the goal of having one-third of our new church plants be congregations representing diverse racial and ethnic people. Our effort to reach out to seminaries is founded in our commitment to leaders who are educated as well as indigenous to the group they are to serve. Our time at TEDS allowed us to hear numerous diverse voices, and plant seeds for potential relationships with individuals who may be led to the RCA.

Before our visit at TEDS, Earl and I were given some topics. We took the assignment seriously and addressed them to the best of our ability.

Topics we were asked to speak to for the meeting with the Society for Women:

• Please share your own story of supporting women in ministry
• Please share the RCA’s story of supporting women in ministryWhat makes the RCA a welcoming place for women in ministry?
  • If time allows, and as the Spirit leads, perhaps share a bit about the current debate on the removal of the conscience clauses

Topics we were asked to address for the meeting with the Social Justice Group and Mosaic:

• Please share your own story in racial reconciliation
• Please share the RCA’s story in racial reconciliation
• Why does the MFCA require candidates to reflect on the issue of white privilege?  What difference has this made?
• How do you see the RCA contributing to the issue of racial reconciliation in the 21^st century?
• What makes the RCA a welcoming place for students who are passionate about racial reconciliation?

I share the topics, not to discuss them here, but to ignite personal reflection for the reader. These are important matters, and I encourage others to think about these for themselves. What is your story on these topics? How would you respond to these questions? Do you believe these to be topics that are important to the mission of the RCA and the future generation of leaders?

Maundy Thursday:

I am writing this edition of the news feed on Maundy Thursday and my thoughts look ahead to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The fact that Jesus took death upon himself has always been a mind boggling and humbling thought for me, and it causes me to ponder death and how I tend to think about death. MFCA alumnus Kevin DeYoung explains Maundy Thursday in his blog at: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/

In thinking about death, a friend from church, whose wife has been dealing with brain cancer and facing death for a number of years, writes a journal that he occasionally publishes and shares with our prayer team at church. The following is an excerpt from his journal that was posted this week after another major surgery for his wife Susan.

“If God himself becomes our greatest fear, all others become lesser, even small. Even death. As odd as it sounds, the fear of the Lord becomes our ultimate comfort. Like a frightened child who runs into the arms of a strong and loving father, each of us can take refuge in the shadow of the Almighty, where he welcomes us.” (Michael Buccowich, Facebook)

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Cor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Drew Yamamoto was married last weekend in Sapporo, Japan. Congratulations Drew… details will follow.

The MFCA office received a church Profile Form for the position of Senior Pastor @ First Reformed Church in Sibley, Iowa. Those interested should contact the MFCA office at 562-408-2520 or ktalsma@rca.org.

The MFCA office also has a job description for a pastoral residency position at Niskayuna Reformed Church in New York. Those interested should contact Pastor Scott DeBlock, Niskayuna Reformed Church.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule:

April 9 – 10          Rochester, NY

April 10 -11         Hamilton, ONT

April 16 – 18        Cleveland, OH

April 23 – 25        NYC and Princeton, NJ

May   19 – 20       Holland, MI

Upon first appearance the task of the MFCA appears straightforward, simple, and to the point. The MFCA is to oversee and credential candidates in the RCA who are called to be Minister of Word and sacrament. There are two paths those individuals can follow: 1) An M.Div. at a Non-RCA seminary, or, 2) The Approved Alternate Route (AAR). To guide the MFCA, the General Synod has established Standards for the Preparation for Ministry. Those standards are summarized in eight criteria and those criteria apply equally to both tracks.

So what is the problem you may ask? The problem is that not only are there small gaps in the standards where the role is not clearly defined, but it has also proven to be difficult to figure what should and what should not be included in the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) process. There is also the role each classis plays, and the MFCA is responsible to not violate the jurisdiction of the classis. Given the fact that there are areas of overlap between the standards identified for the CFM and the role of the classis as defined by the Book of Church Order (BCO) when it comes to assessing and determining when candidates are eligible to be ordained, there is a dance that occurs around a number of matters.

The MFCA Board of Trustees recognized this “fine line” between the classis and what is to be included in the determination of the CFM, and at its meeting last week the board decided to clarify its role through one of its Governance Policy statements. It is the hope of the board that the certification committees, as they do their work, will keep clear what is the responsibility of the MFCA and what falls under the role of classis. There is also the desire of the board to have the MFCA committees consult with, and work alongside of the classis when there are areas where responsibilities are not clearly spelled out. The MFCA Board of Trustees approved the following statement as a guiding principal:

“The board relies heavily on its certification committees to implement the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry process and to evaluate the qualifications and accomplishments of its candidates.  Of necessity, therefore, the certification committees interpret the standards of preparation for ministry as approved by the General Synod and assess fitness for ministry according to those standards.  Further, the committees may communicate with classes, including conveying concerns about candidates, as they deem appropriate.

Certification committees, in consultation with the director, recommend the awarding of the CFMs to candidates, but only the MFCA Board may grant the CFM.  The board expects that the certification committees will from time to time make recommendations to the board; that board members who also serve on these committees will keep the entire board apprised of their collective assessments on the process; and that committee members will comply with any board directives in the performance of their duties.

The certification committees have the authority to admit and continue candidates in their process, subject to the board review and to formal appeals of their decisions by classes which have candidates under their care.  The board retains overall responsibility for ensuring that the entire process of candidates in the CFM program is in compliance with the Book of Church Order, other instructions of the General Synod, and the board’s directives.”

The statement is meant to not only clarify the role of the committees, but it is also the hope that communication between the committees, the board, and the classes will be enhanced.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tyler and Rose Teague added a new member to their family on March 2^nd… Joshua David was born at 8:46 am. The Teague’s reside in Denver and Tyler serves in chaplaincy. He is a graduate of Denver Seminary.

Jeremy and Marie Visser announce the birth of Grace Marie Visser. Grace was born at 4:50PM, March 6th, weighing 6.8lbs and 20 in long. She and mom are doing great! Grandpa, Greg TenBrink also shows a large smile of pride. Jeremy serves in Hudsonville, Michigan and is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Classis of South Grand Rapids will ordain Jonah Barnes on March 17th. Jonah and family will be leaving for Wisconsin on March 22nd to start as the associate pastor of First Reformed Church of Waupan.

PLACEMENT and OPPORTUNITIES

North and Southampton Reformed Church, located in Southampton, PA is seeking an individual to fill their Associate for Family Ministry position. This person will work alongside the pastor(s) to facilitate, coordinate, and encourage the spiritual life of the congregation. The Associate for Family Ministry is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the church’s ministry to children and youth (ages 0 to 18 years) and their families. 

North and Southampton Reformed Church (NSRC) in Churchville, PA is seeking to partner with a seminary student(s) as a place of learning and ministry.  Located in the suburbs outside the Northeast corner of Philadelphia, PA, NSRC is a 300 year-old congregation in the process of renewing itself for another generation.  Co-pastored by Rev. Bethany and Rev. Corstian Devos, the congregation seeks to offer a warm, welcoming, and active ministry environment to a seminarian learning and exploring the nature of their call.

Colts Neck Reformed Church in Colts Neck, NJ is seeking a Minister for Youth, Mission and Community Connection – Associate. The individual in this position will be asked to advance the Realm of God through assuring that people of all ages have opportunities to grow in the knowledge and love of God as revealed in the Scriptures, through worship leadership, through encouraging mission involvement, through leading the youth of the congregation to critically consider how they will honor God, through connecting to the community, and through serving others and loving their neighbor as they would love themselves.

Please contact the MFCA Office for detailed job descriptions and contact information. ktalsma@rca.org 

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule:

March 13 – 15                         San Francisco, CA

March 19 – 21                         Calgary, AB

March 26 – 28                         Chicago, IL

April 9 – 10                              Rochester, NY

April 10 – 12                            Hamilton, ONT

April 16 – 18                            Cleveland, OH

May 19 – 20                             Holland, MI

June 1 – 19                              Holland, MI

June 19 – 25                            Pella, IA

The MFCA Board of Trustees met at the MFCA offices in Paramount, California on Monday, February 25 and Tuesday, February 26. The eleven-person board spent a significant portion of its time reviewing the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) program resulting in recommended changes to the Book of Church Order (BCO). It is the board’s desire to have the changes considered by the 2013 General Synod, which meets at Central College in Pella, IA.

The board awarded the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry to two candidates; Jonah Barnes and Kirsten Shepler-Ross. Barnes is a recent graduate of Grand Rapids Seminary and has been under the care of both the Classis of Muskegon and now the Classis of South Grand Rapids. Shepler-Ross is a graduate of Louisville Seminary, has been under the care of the Classis of Greater Palisades, and has served as student pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Old Tappan, NJ for several years. Her husband Keith is also an MFCA alumnus and serves various RCA commissions.

The board extended its thanks to two members of the board who have served the MFCA a total of twenty-one years. Bradley Lewis and Bart Strong will be completing their terms at the end of June. Lewis has served the MFCA Board for twelve years and has been moderator of the board several times. Strong has served for nine years and been moderator once. Both men continue to serve the MFCA as members of certification committees; Lewis the AAR committee and Strong the RCSC committee.

Technology served the board well in that member Anne Mead of Orange City, Iowa was not able to get to California due to snowstorms. Anne was able to fully participate in the meeting with the assistance of the synchronous video equipment that the MFCA office owns. Photos of the meeting demonstrate the effectiveness of this technology. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

First Reformed Church of Waupun, WI has officially extended a promise of a call to Jonah Barnes to be their associate pastor! Jonah is a graduate of Grand Rapids Seminary in Michigan, and has completed the “care” process through the Classis of Muskegon.

The Seminar for Pastoral Formation commences March 7, 2013. Those intending to participate in this alternative to a unit of CPE should register immediately. Please contact ktalsma@rca.org

Linda Miles reports great news…  I do not have to undergo radiation, which means I will be able to continue my classes this semester.  I did have a lot of sinus/ear infections in the last three months due probably to the chemo.  So today (February 26) I had tubes put in my ears in a minor surgery which should resolve the problem.

COR’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE

 February 27 – 28                            Phoenix, AZ

 March 13 – 15                                    San Francisco, CA

 March 26 – 28                                     Chicago, IL

 April 10 – 12                                     Rochester/Buffalo/Ontario

MFCA IMPORTANT DATES

March 7 Seminar for Pastoral Formation begins

March 29 Good Friday – Office closed

June 3 – 7 RCA Standards, Holland, MI

June 6 – 8 AAR Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 10 – 14 RCA Worship, Holland, MI

June 14 – 19 RCSC Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 20 – 25 General Synod, Pella, IA

Registration material for RCA Standards and RCA Worship have been sent out electronically by the registrar... If you did not receive it and you are planning to take those courses please contact Kelly

It has been a busy week, and I must admit that there is so much running through my mind that I find it difficult to focus on one thing. Therefore, I will share some random observations…

While grading a student’s work I found myself standing in amazement about something that was written regarding the RCA and mainline denominations. It gave me reason to ponder and reflect… This is the statement:

 “Denominations function best when they are of optimum size (not too small and not too big), are agreed on their core beliefs and tolerant of secondary matters, and energized by their mission opportunities. Still I think it’s possible to be a healthy denomination blessed by God with a wide divergence of theological and liturgical differences yet with common mission concerns. If orthodoxy and piety can co-exist in one denomination, perhaps evangelical and liberal social agendas and theology can as well.”

This week I had the opportunity to read my winter 2013 copy of Leadership Journal. This issue focused on “Callings: A clearer view of your vocation and everyone else’s too.” In it John Ortberg wrote something that struck a chord in me…

“Churches need to find a way to be generous, to help their pastors with education and other benefits. But the reality is that often churches in older denominations, with the largest financial packages and benefits, are the ones most suffering from a lack of young leadership. Young leaders do not mostly want security or safety. They want opportunity, relationship, freedom, and impact.

One writer put it like this: ‘Young adults don’t want to save the church. They want to save the world. If we can show them that they can save the world through the church, and pour our resources and efforts to all ages from babies to geezers, we can show that the church can be a vehicle through whom the world can be saved.’” (Pg. 31)

The same issue had an article titled Developing Future Leaders: Seven Principles for Training the Next Generation of Church Leaders by Scott Thomas (Pg. 33-34). I will not go into detail about the article other than to share the seven principals… I encourage you to look up the article for the actual information yourself. The seven principles were:

• Nurture their inner lives
• Focus on their potential
• Let them lead (and fail) and lead again
• Encourage innovation and risk taking
• Think long-term and short
• Help them create life plans
• Model humility

And finally, I was in Minneapolis – St. Paul this week and had a series of good meetings. I even had the opportunity to walk to the Mall of America for dinner with a good friend and MFCA board member. At dinner, the two of us pondered our age and how getting older had its ups and its downs. We also shared multiple stories about our grandchildren.

The next day I met with a new applicant who in her own way, without knowing it, placed the conversation of the evening before into a whole new perspective for me. The applicant is a grandmother of fourteen grandchildren and soon to have her seventy-second birthday. If I am not mistaken, she is the oldest applicant to ever apply to the MFCA program. The person who held the record until now is Rev. Carol Cruikshank who was sixty-nine when she entered the program.

Doreen Dorenkamp is a student at Bethel Seminary, and she plans to complete the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) and seek ordination. During our time together she shared her struggles with Greek as well as the joy she found in the many new relationships she was forming at seminary. Doreen was a delight to meet and I must say that I stand in amazement of who she is and how God continues to work in her life.

Cor

COR’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE

February 12 – 14    Sioux Falls, SD

March 13 – 15        San Francisco, CA

March 26 – 28        Chicago, IL

Reformed Students Luncheon at Sioux Falls Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD - Wednesday, February 13 @ 12:15 Room 206.

MFCA IMPORTANT DATES

February 18             RCA Holiday – Office closed

February 25 – 26     MFCA Board of Trustees meets in Paramount, CA

March 29                  Good Friday – Office closed

June 3 – 7                RCA Standards, Holland, MI

June 6 – 8                AAR Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 10 – 14            RCA Worship, Holland, MI

June 14 – 19            RCSC Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 20 – 25            General Synod, Pella, IA

Registration material for RCA Standards and RCA Worship have been sent out electronically by the registrar... If you did not receive it and you are planning to take those courses please contact Kelly Talsma at ktalsma@rca.org

Admittedly, we are taking small steps when it comes to growing the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) process for Latino candidates. The “up side” of the steps that we do take is that they feel significant each and every time. This past week I travelled to Orlando, Florida, where I had the opportunity to observe RCA students participating in an Old Testament Survey course taught in Spanish. The course was taught by Dr. Seong Park, and offered by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS).

There were four RCA students enrolled in the course, three from California and one from Iowa. Two of the students are enrolled in the MFCA. The graduate course became a reality through the efforts of Rev. Dr. Fernando Jensen, an RCA pastor who is currently the president of the RCA Hispanic Council, and an adjunct professor at Gordon Conwell’s Jacksonville, FL campus.

This is the first course offered as part of a special graduate program presented by the Hispanic Ministries department at GCTS; the second is scheduled for Fresno, California in August. The course in August will be a New Testament Survey course taught by Rev. Dr. Alvin Padilla, Dean for Hispanic Ministries at GCTS. The program is heavily supported and most students receive significant financial aid allowing them to take these courses that would otherwise be inaccessible.

I was privileged to meet with Dr. Padilla, Dr. Park and Dr. Jensen while in Florida. Together we were able to begin conversations about a partnership. Possibilities include a partnership between the RCA and perhaps Newbigin House of Studies and the RCA seminaries. Invitations have been extended to these others and it is my hope that MFCA can act as the conduit to make graduate theological education available to Latino leaders in the RCA.

The RCA group and Dr. Seong Park...

 There are numerous efforts in the formation stage that are intended to address the challenges that face not only the RCA, but also most denominations. Earl James, an executive in the denomination for multiracial and ethnic efforts, is planning a gathering for Latino leaders who have English as their dominant language. These individuals are often referred to as generation 2.0. The MFCA has several individuals who fall into this category; therefore this is seen as another opportunity for the MFCA to be proactive and support efforts to train and prepare Latino leaders. The gathering, supported by the MFCA, is being planned for this fall.

The opportunities to make one course available at a time, to a small group of students, may appear miniscule in the larger scheme of the denomination. I believe, however, that by taking these small and calculated steps, we are making great headway towards what I see as huge opportunity… making graduate level education available at an affordable cost to Latino leaders.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

January 29 – Feb. 1                        Newark / NYC

February 5 – 6                               Minneapolis, MN

February 12 – 14                           Sioux Falls, SD

March 13 – 15                               San Francisco, CA

March 26 – 28                               Chicago, IL

February 25 – 26             MFCA Board of Trustees meets in Paramount, CA

June 3 – 7                        RCA Standards, Holland, MI

June 6 – 8                        AAR Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 10 – 14                     RCA Worship, Holland, MI

June 14 – 19                     RCSC Certification Committee, Holland, MI

June 20 – 25                     General Synod, Pella, IA

Fifteen years since its inception, the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) has recorded forty-six graduates, representing two-thirds of those who entered the AAR process with the purpose of earning the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM). This track has proven to be a successful alternative for individuals preparing for ordination in the Reformed Church in America who have limited access to an academy to earn a Master of Divinity degree or are heavily invested in a doctoral program, making it impractical to also attempt an M.Div.  Each of the forty-six graduates had a different story, and each navigated the process in their own time and unique manner. 

The flood of candidates predicted by some never materialized, however there has been a steady stream of candidates. Most have multiple reasons for choosing the AAR process, and many of them discovered their call while already serving in ministry settings. Whether individuals were Commissioned Pastors, or a long time youth pastor, the AAR became a natural “next step.” A lesser number have discovered their call to ordination outside the RCA, and life circumstances brought them to a place where ordination to serve in an RCA context would allow them to be most effective. Examples of this group include candidates who stepped into the RCA by accepting a staff position at an RCA church, and those who chose a program at a seminary not accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS).

The last fifteen years have demonstrated there can be numerous reasons for a person and their classis to opt for the AAR process. We are also reminded that changing situations and influences that did not exist fifteen years ago are now infiltrating the commonly known traditions of education. The influences of the economic climate, the rising peril of student loans, and rapidly advancing technology, deserve our attention and may be seen as opportunities, rather than pressures, to modify and create new, innovative learning options for candidates.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Last chance to sign up for courses commencing Monday, January 14, 2013… Please contact MFCA registrar Kelly Talsma immediately… 562-408-2520

RCA History & Missions DL with Dennis Voskuil

RCA Polity DL with Cornelis Kors

Basic Hebrew Tools with Chad Pierce

Liz Niehof had successful heart surgery on January 3^rd… We are grateful for the surgeons and the answer to prayer. Liz hopes to return soon to Princeton Theological Seminary to continue her M.Div. studies soon…

The ordination service for Susan Hetrick is scheduled for January 12, 2013 at Longview Community Church in Phoenix, AZ. (5:00 PM MST). Susan is a graduate of Phoenix Seminary. Susan and her husband Dave have founded The Oasis Renewal Center – a retreat center for Christian leaders in Sonoita, AZ.

The ordination and installation service for Howard Dalton is scheduled for Sunday, January 27, 2013 at The Reformed Church of Shawangunk in Wallkill, NY. (3:00 PM EST). There will be a reception after the service. Rev. Dalton has successfully completed the AAR process as a former Roman Catholic priest.

Rev. Andrew (Drew) Yamamoto became engaged to Ms. Mana Uemura (oo-eh-moo-rah). Wedding details are still pending but they will likely marry in Sapporo Japan at The Church of the 12 Apostles sometime this year, (Started by RCA missionaries Rudy and Trina Kuyten), and she will eventually move to the USA once green card issues are worked out. Congratulations to Drew who presently serves as coordinator for Pacific Asian Ministries in the RCA. He resides in San Francisco.

We wish everyone a blessed New Year!

2013

Unless you live in close proximity to New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) or you do not plan on taking RCA History & Missions and RCA Polity in 2013, it is critical that you sign up for the online versions of these courses this coming week. Both courses will commence on January 14^th and students must register before that day. This year, we do not intend to offer the courses during our regular session in the summer. They are only available online in the winter session.

It is important for students to register early so that the MFCA Registrar can sign individuals up for the new learning management system (LMS) called “Canvas.” The Canvas LMS is quite different from the Angel LMS used in the past and it would be wise for students to take the orientation session through “Canvas 101 – MFCA.” Students will also need to register for the History & Missions or Polity course before they can be given access to the material. All this takes time and therefore early registration is highly recommended.

On Monday, January 14^th there will be online orientation sessions offered by the MFCA office for RCA History & Missions DL and RCA Polity DL. The MFCA uses GoTo Meeting for this purpose and students will only be able to participate by special invitation. All this makes immediate registration crucial!

For those in New York City and New Jersey the courses are available as part of the NBTS regular program and are offered in the evenings and are made available to MFCA candidates by special permission. If 2013 is similar to previous years; both the New Brunswick and St. John’s campuses will host the courses.

RCA Standards and RCA Worship will be offered as usual in Holland, Michigan in June. The dates for those classes are June 3 - 14, 2013. The online course, Basic Hebrew Tools also commences January 14^th.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MFCA candidate and Princeton student, Liz Niehof will have heart surgery on January 2^nd. Please keep Liz in your prayers. Liz hopes to be strong and healthy by January 20^th when classes resume for her.

TRAVEL

Cor’s travel schedule…

January 10 – 12                     Chicago, IL

January 18 – 19                     Chicago, IL

January 23-24                        Orlando, FL

March 13 – 15                        San Francisco, CA           

Merry Christmas

The MFCA Staff - Kelly, Cor & Amy

The Mayan calendar suggests that the world will end today… Well, I am going to risk that this will not be true and recommend to candidates that they act today and register for the online courses that will commence in a few weeks. Courses will be opened to students during the first week of January and sessions will be active starting January 14^th. A couple of the courses will have orientation sessions by way of webinar on Monday the 14^th… times will be announced soon.

There are also some special developments with the online Basic Hebrew Tools course this year. There is a Spanish-speaking student wanting to take the course and with our policy to assist people in their mother tongue, we have agreed to allow this individual to take the course in Spanish. Although this is an experiment with which Dr. Chad Pierce is willing to cooperate and not something we will necessarily continue, we did want others to know about this option for the winter of 2013. If others have a desire to take the Basic Hebrew Tools in Spanish, please let us know and register for it before January 4^th.

Online Courses Commencing January 14, 2013:

RCA History & Missions DL

RCA Polity DL

Basic Hebrew Tools

Please register for these courses ASAP… ktalsma@rca.org

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Nic Pope was ordained earlier this month at Oak Hills Church (the church his father planted) in Fresno, CA. For Nic this was special because his dad gave the charge and Rev. Roger Peterson preached the sermon. The service included communion and the singing of Nic’s favorite Christmas hymn, "Come thou long expected Jesus." Members of Sequoia Church’s worship team led worship. 

Rev. Dr. Alfred Correa was ordained and installed on Sunday, December 16 @ 3 pm. at the Reformed Church of Huguenot Park in Staten Island. Rev. Correa earned the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry this fall and has been serving the Huguenot Church for several years.

Linda Miles reports that she finished chemotherapy December 20^th, that it went very well and it did a good job shrinking the tumor.  On January 2 she will have surgery that will hopefully get rid of all the cancer cells.  She would appreciate your prayers for a successful and uneventful surgery.

OPPORTUNITIES

Fonda Reformed Church, Fonda, NY., is seeking a pastor with gifts for preaching, discipleship, and intergenerational ministry.  A copy of the church profile is available from the MFCA Office.  Any recently-graduated or soon-to-graduate candidates who may be a good match to this church, are encouraged to review the profile and contact the search committee.  www.fondareformedchurch.com

As it has developed its polity, the RCA tradition has placed emphasis on the gathered assemblies of office holders. Those in leadership, who are eligible to be participating members in consistories, classes, and synods, must be the “bearer of an office.” The office holders are to be “ordained” to an office such as Elder, Deacon, Minister of Word and sacrament or General Synod Professor. The MFCA process prepares people so they will be eligible to be ordained by a classis as a Minister of Word and sacrament.

“Ordination,” is difficult to define in the context of missional ministry in the twenty-first century, where every Christian appears to have a defined ministry purpose, hence the popularity of Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. Eugene Heideman suggests that ordination does not so much have a precise definition as it has a “field of reference.”[i] Craig Van Gelder, an insightful observer of the church in mission, says the following about the context in which we are trying to establish a definition for ordination.

“At the beginning of the twenty-first century, we are encountering significant changes both in our world view and in the biblical and theological frameworks we use to understand God’s work in the world. With regard to world view, we now live in a globalized context of many religious faiths where Christianity is just one more religion that competes for adherents. Gone in most places is any privileged place for the church in the social and political order.”[ii]

One must ask, “In a world where we have lost the opportunity to have a “privileged place,” is there a compelling reason to “ordain” individuals to an office in order to serve in ministry?” Or, has ordination become a mere tax deduction with the IRS in order to claim housing allowance? Candidates in the MFCA process are often leery and skeptical about the need for ordination and consider a willing and passionate desire to be in ministry adequate. After all, if you love Jesus and possess some gifts for ministry, isn’t that enough?

My answer would be that there remains a need for ordination. Eugene Heideman, in his 1970 book, Reformed Bishops and Catholic Elders, provides nine theses concerning ordination that continue to serve us in our missional context. They are as follows[iii]:

1)   Ordination must be understood in relation to calling.

2)   The essential elements of ordination cannot be determined  once-for-all, but normally include laying on of hands with prayer.

3)   Ordination is an act of God.

4)   Ordination to the ministry is also an act of the church.

5)   The boundaries of ordination vary according to office.

6)   Ordination is to an office and function, and confers a relatively indelible character.

7)   Ordination, though not a sacrament, may loosely be called a sacrament.

8)   Baptism alone should not be considered the ‘ordination’ of the laity.

9)   Services of mutual commissioning are not to be confused with ordination.

In the missional context we are also obligated to situate the office of Minister of Word and sacrament within, and along side of, the congregation in mission. Heideman provides guidance in regard to this with seven conclusions he arrives at[iv]:

1)   The charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit include both the ordained ministry and the special gifts in the congregation.

2)   The offices and gifts are not fixed once for all.

3)   To the church and the ecclesiastical assemblies is given the responsibility of discerning and electing those whom the Holy Spirit calls and the offices to which they are called.

4)   The offices stand in a triangular relationship to Christ and the congregation.

5)   The offices stand in the church as representing its catholic ministry.

6)   The ordained ministries stand in the congregation as representing the prophetic reforming ministry.

7)   The offices stand in the congregation as the governing ministry.

The ministry of those ordained to the office of Minister of Word and sacrament involves the Holy Spirit, a call, a role of servanthood, and a place of authority. The ordained individual does not stand alone, but rather serves with other office holders and a community of faith. The individual is “set apart” to function with authority, “not based on [his or her] own human wisdom, position, or status in society,”[v] but as the Holy Spirit and conversation with others lead. The ordination to “office,” and how that is to be understood, remains relevant; it empowers individuals for service in a globalized world.

Picture by: Cornelis Kors

Copy, Paste and Click for a Thanksgiving message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyYpKqgZCCM (Thanks to folks at ERC, includes MFCA candidate Cody Miller.

The idea that a pastor is as a shepherd of a flock of sheep has always been an intriguing analogy for me as I have attempted to understand the various roles of ministry. The biblical illustrations of shepherds such as David protecting his sheep from bears and lions, and, the parable of the one lost sheep have left lasting and rich images for me to ponder. But how does that translate in 2012 where we socialize through Facebook and communicate through automated mass phone blitzes? How does the shepherd analogy assist us in forming our vocational identity today and is more expected?

In the classic book, The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter, it speaks of the “oversight of the flock” as one of the main responsibilities of the pastor. Baxter writes:

“The nature of our office requireth us to ‘take heed to the flock.’ What else are we overseers for? ‘Bishop” is a title which intimates more of labour than of honour,’ says Polydon Virgil. To be a bishop, or pastor, is not to be set up as an idol for the people to bow to, or as idle ‘slow bellies,’ to live to our fleshly delight and ease; but it is to be the guide of sinners to heaven.” (Pg. 124 – 125).   

As guides, ambassadors and shepherds, Baxter concludes that we are to be the “instruments of men’s [humankind’s] conversion” (pg. 127) and to be “stewards of his [Christ’s] mysteries.” (Pg. 128) He says we must feed the flock. Our role as shepherd is profound and significant. It is far reaching with multiple roles of responsibility and layers of influence. As pastors, we are charged to be humble and to touch people’s lives in ways that have eternal impact.

And yet, today it becomes even more complicated than it was for Baxter in 1656. With a foundation laid by Baxter for Reformed pastors, it also becomes incumbent on us in this day and age to become highly efficient. To begin with, we no longer have the understanding of “shepherd” that was held in an agrarian society. Therefore, we not only have a confused understanding of the role of pastor, we also don’t grasp the true meaning of what it means to “shepherd.”

Alan Roxborough in his book Missional Map-Making believes that we are best not to universalize roles and that we need to make room for the Holy Spirit to recreate and redefine what it means to be a pastor:

“I am not saying that church leadership is simply about shepherding a flock – that is, just performing the traditional roles of pastoral care, marrying and burying people, administering the sacraments, and preaching the Word. As important as these skills may be, I don’t believe that mission-shaped leadership is simply about caring for the people without concern for cultivating environments and imaginations of mission-shaped life. The leadership required in local churches today calls for the kind of creative thinking that moves beyond these traditional duties.” (Pg. 77)

The idea of shepherding remains a good starting point for those serving the local congregation. Shepherds are needed. But, as was the case with David in the Old Testament, there may well be reasons, as leaders, to leave the traditional roles and go to the battlefront and lead creatively and courageously in new ways. Whereas the Holy Spirit provided David with the creativity and courage to pick up some stones and his slingshot, the same Spirit can direct us to create and act beyond our role as shepherd.

Cor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Brian Blummer who was recently married to Stefanie Bruinsma… Brian is a graduate of Mid America Reformed Seminary and Stefanie and he live in the Chicago area. Brian is completing his candidacy with the URC.

Katie Baker started as Minister for Young Adults at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids, MI. on October 1^st. Katie is presently planning her ordination service… She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary.

One of my favorite leadership gurus is Patrick Lencione. He has written a number of books, none of which compare to his latest, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. This book takes most of his other books, collects all the wisdom contained in them, and presents the information in themes that are simple to understand and easily available for application.

For those of us in the church, The Advantage lends itself to leadership in our circles. The transition to the life in the church takes very little imagination and it is an effortless exercise to translate things said for the business world to that of the church. By emphasizing the critical nature of “trust” and knowing the “values” of the organization, Lencione brings us into the shared priorities of the Christian life. This is especially true when it involves leadership teams -- in the RCA, the most obvious leadership teams are the consistory or the classis.

This latest Lencione book has also provided me with insights for the MFCA. Lencione calls for clarity in organizations, and explains how important it is for those organizations to ask critical questions in developing that clarity. Questions should include:

• Why do we exist?
• How do we behave?
• What do we do?
• How will we succeed?
• What is most important?

When one asks and answers these questions it brings clarity to the organization. As I attempted to answer these questions for our agency, I realized that I might be able to answer most of the questions with one answer. I would suggest, “The MFCA forms and credentials fully functioning, educated, healthy, and faithful ministers for service in RCA ministry.”

Cor

It would be interesting to compare the 2008 document defining our values, approved by the MFCA Board of Trustees, to the statement above…

The Core Values of the MFCA as stated below constitute the operating principles of the agency and provide the building blocks upon which these governing policies are formulated and carried out:

We value being proactive in contributing to the success of our candidates; therefore we

- help candidates discern and respond to their call to ministry with integrity

- offer equal and fair access to those who are called to ministry

- recognize that barriers exist (language, disabilities) but we do not allow them to deter the candidate from responding to the call to ministry

- demonstrate love and respect for every candidate

We value the integrity of a certification process that balances care for candidates and the church’s traditions; therefore we uphold

- rigorous but not rigid application of the standards on preparation

- being instinctively and intentionally relational as we approach our work

- the distinctive roles of all parties in the process

- honest, direct communication with the candidate

We value the distinctive role the MFCA plays in strengthening the ministry of the RCA; therefore we commit to

- providing an educated clergy from all regions of the church

- working with diverse candidates from non-traditional backgrounds

- remaining culturally relevant

- a diversity of voices around the table

- good stewardship of the resources given to us

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MFCA instructor Rev. Dr. Wayne Brouwer and his wife Brenda are in British Columbia at the bedside of their daughter Kimberly. This past weekend Kimberly gave birth to a baby girl, Abigail. Shortly after giving birth Kimberly started to hemorrhage and has been in critical condition ever since. Many surgeries have occurred and it appears more will be needed. Please pray for Kimberly, the Brouwer family, and particularly Kimberly’s husband Dan.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

December 4&5      Pella, IA

December 5          Eastern IA

December 8 – 9    Seattle, WA

January 10 – 12   Chicago, IL

COURSE SCHEDULE

RCA History & Missions DL                  Begins: January 14, 2013

RCA Polity DL                                    Begins: January 14, 2013

Basic Hebrew Tools                            Begins: January 14, 2013

The MFCA Board of Trustees met for its fall gathering at the offices of the MFCA in Paramount, California on November 2 – 3. The board members received numerous monitoring reports from the director and the Relationship and Review Committee presented its work after completing performance evaluations of the Executive Director.

 As per the mandate of Policy Governance, the Board spent some of its time looking to the future and attempted to identify a new vision for the agency. With intentionality, the members recalled historical objectives, first identified for the Theological Education Agency (TEA) and attempted to cast a vision for the MFCA. A statement from 1984 stating: “The TEA will be both parallel with and different from the present theological education agencies of Western and New Brunswick,” was at the heart of part of the discussion as the group discerned how much MFCA was like a seminary and how much it was merely an agent of the denomination.

The MFCA sponsors graduate courses and awards Certificates of Fitness for Ministry (CFM). It has major roots in Southern California and was originally tied to Fuller Theological Seminary (FTS). Today, less than 7% of its candidates are in California and at most, there are three fulltime students at FTS. The MFCA attempted to offer graduate courses in Southern California and has purchased equipment that will allow for multi-site synchronous learning. The agency also continues to be committed to Latino candidates and has offered parts of its program in Spanish.

The MFCA Board of Trustees hopes to continue many of these important discussions when it meets again in the spring of 2013.

The Board also awarded three Certificates of Fitness for Ministry (CFM). The three candidates are:

Luke Baehr        Classis of Minnesota   Princeton Theological Seminary

Alfred Correa      Classis of New York    New York Theological Seminary

Elizabeth Testa   Classis of New York     Drew Theological Seminary

Picture Above: New Board member, Felix Theonugraha, shares a lighter moment with MFCA Moderator Dwight Bailey. Both are MFCA graduates.

WINTER COURSE REGISTRATION OPENS

The registration material for RCA History DL, RCA Polity DL and Basic Hebrew Tools was sent out electronically this past week. The email will provide candidates and potential students with all the necessary information for completing registration in the courses.

The MFCA is alerting individuals at this point because a number of the emails were kicked back to the MFCA registrar. Most of the ones returned were from individuals who reside in the areas hardest struck by Hurricane Sandy. If you were expecting the material, or if you recently decided to take the courses and have not alerted the registrar, please contact Kelly Talsma (ktalsma@rca.org) now.

The courses will commence January 14, 2013 and they will again be taught by the regular faculty – RCA History & Missions DL will be taught by Dr. Dennis Voskuil, RCA Polity DL will be taught by Dr. Cornelis Kors, and Basic Hebrew Tools will be taught by Dr. Chad Pierce. Enrollment will be limited to twenty-two students per course and students will be given priority on a first-come basis.

As I travel throughout the denomination I have the sense that people are anxious about our future. Individuals wonder about the “Discovery” process in which we are discerning God’s plan for the RCA for the next decade and beyond. Folks think back to the General Synod in Palos Heights, Illinois with its many difficult discussions. The classis debates around the conscience clauses have created anxiety amongst those for and those against, and, many are watching closely how the classes are voting on their potential elimination from the Book of Church Order (BCO).

Given this context and being a fan of Peter L. Steinke’s work caused me to pick up his book “Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times.” In reading the book, I could not help but think that Steinke’s points directed toward congregations also apply to a denomination such as ours. I recommend the book for both audiences – congregations and denominational judicatories.

Steinke clearly promotes the idea that we should “not allow [our] anxiety to affect our thinking, actions, and decisions.” (Pg. xii) Steinke encourages us to recognize our anxiety, control it, and to step back from the emotions attached to it. In doing so, one can think more clearly through the issues and make objective decisions. He suggests that this will not only allow us to avoid the destructive forces of anxiety, but it can also stimulate the imagination and allow us to creatively consider and deliberate over the questions at hand. Perhaps, individuals are able to listen more clearly to the prompting and direction of the Holy Spirit when one becomes aware of and controls the anxiety raised by conflict and change.

Steinke suggests that “With the thinking brain in charge, we can be intentional rather than instinctive, responsive rather than reflexive, adaptive rather than defensive, proactive instead of reactive.” (Pg. 56) What makes this so important is not the fact that we have differing perspectives and opinions, but that anxiety blurs our vision and actually impedes our ability to faithfully walk with our Lord and understand what His Word teaches. Steinke provides some insights that we can learn from… What follows are ideas I gleaned from his book, pages 113 - 114:

• Most people are first-most interested in relieving their own anxiety rather than managing the crisis or planning for a clear direction.
• Under certain conditions, anxiety is neutral. As much as possible, effective leaders normalize anxiety.
• If anxiety is high, people lose their capacity to be self-reflective.
• Peace is often preferred over justice… high anxiety has the capability of forcing individuals to act out of fear and avoid doing what is just. This might mean ignoring the natural instinct to decrease the anxiety and face conflict by doing the hard work of debate, compromise and resolution for the common good.
• High anxiety is like a virus, it is capable of causing avoidable disease and illness in interactive systems (relationships).
• We gravitate toward information that coincides with our viewpoints and promises to contribute to our survival. Individuals tend to be selective in what they expose themselves to in order to protect the position they have become attached to and so they will not have to reconsider their views. (Pg. 113 – 114)

Steinke offers more wisdom and insight within the pages of this book, so readers are encouraged to get it.  I believe that no matter where one stands on some of the controversial issues facing our denomination, we are better able to discern, pray, and make inspired decisions if we recognize the impact of our anxiety. Does not scripture suggest that we need to be clear minded and self controlled so we can pray?  I Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is near.  Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” I believe that being aware of, and controlling our levels of anxiety, will enhance our ability to discern and pray. It will also bring health to our relationships and enhance positive interactive systems in the life of the faith communities in which we reside.

Cor

DIRECTOR'S TRAVEL SCHEDULE:

November 6 – 8      New York City, NY

November 2 – 3 MFCA Board of Trustees meet in Paramount, CA

November 12 – 14   Chicago, IL

December 4&5        Pella, IA

December 5            Eastern IA

December 8 – 9       Seattle, WA

January 10 – 12       Chicago, IL

The fees and tuition for the 2012 – 2013 session will remain virtually unchanged from the previous year. Enrollment fees will continue at $300.00 for regular M.Div. candidates (RCSC) and $1,000.00 for those in the Approved Alternate Route (AAR). The non-credit tuition for all courses will remain at $250.00 per course. Financial assistance toward travel will remain at $100.00 per 500-mile segment as the crow flies.

The credit tuition costs will equal those of Western Theological Seminary (WTS). Tuition for residential courses such as the summer intensives will be $383.00 per credit. Distance and online courses will cost $415.00 per credit.

The Teaching Ministry Scholarships remain available to all those who are at an RCA church which is willing to be in a supervisory role of the candidate. These can range from $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 annually. The candidate is required to submit an application to the MFCA Office.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The RCSC Certification Committee met at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) in New Jersey this past weekend and admitted five new candidates to the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) process. The following individuals were admitted:

Navin Bhandari from the Classis of the City and attending International School of Theology in El Monte, California. Mr. Bhandari is planting a Nepalese congregation in the Los Angeles area.

Josh DeKok from the Classis of Dakota and serving the Reformed Church in Bismarck, ND. Mr. DeKok is attending Sioux Falls Seminary (SFS).

Andrew Klumpp from the Classis of East Sioux. Mr. Klumpp attends Duke Divinity in Durham, North Carolina and served an internship at First Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa this past summer.

Klarc Korver from the Classis of the City and attending Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology. Mr. Korver serves at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, California.

Cody Miller from the Classis of the City and transferring from Fuller Theological Seminary to Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology. Mr. Miller serves at Emmanual Reformed Church in Paramount, California.

Rev. Andrea Godwin – Stremler has been hospitalized in San Antonio, Texas the last thirteen days. Husband Ted reports she will be coming home today (Thursday) but will have to continue as an outpatient.

Amy White in the MFCA Office added another grandchild to her family – she now is the grandmother of four beautiful grandchildren. The latest is a boy, Oliver Alexander, and he entered the world weighing 9 lbs. 10 oz.

Reports from Mitchell, South Dakota say that Rev. Kevin Karhoff has been declared as being cancer free! We praise God for this good news…

Rev. Bill White has resigned as Associate Pastor at Emmanuel Reformed Church (ERC) in Paramount. Rev. White and colleague Jason Brown will be planting a church in Long Beach, California. Both men are on staff at ERC

To the best of my knowledge and the information available to me, the number of candidates preparing for ministry in the RCA is close to being at an all time high. Despite the MFCA enrollment statistics showing a low for the decade, the total number of candidates preparing as Minister of Word and sacrament appears to be close to all time high. The number of RCA candidates seeking an M.Div. degree, or enrolled in the Approved Alternate Route (AAR), is at least 225; and is possibly as high as 235.

Most RCA candidates attend Western Theological Seminary (WTS). The residential program, the Distance Program (DL), and the Newbigin House of Studies (NHS) Cohort show a combined enrollment of 132 candidates. The MFCA numbers reported last week are in large part due to the success of the WTS DL and NHS programs, which is something to be celebrated.  WTS initiatives have made seminary education accessible and affordable for those who would otherwise not be able to complete their theological education at an RCA institution.

When one adds the number of individuals enrolled in Commissioned Pastor (CP) programs that are offered at the classis level, it can be concluded that there is definitely a surge of leaders being prepared for the RCA of the future. The question to be answered for the RCA is now one more of placement of these newly prepared leaders.

The RCA Church Multiplication movement is definitely a positive source for future placements, as new church plants will hopefully provide positions for numerous new leaders even though the skill set and call to be a church planter appears to be quite specific and limited only to certain personality types and leadership styles. If current ministers retire, as statistics would suggest with baby-boomers becoming sixty-five years of age, there should also be opportunities in established churches. Of course the economy and diminished pension funds have caused many pastors to delay their retirement and continue to serve well beyond the age of sixty-five. Numerous pastors continue to remain in their roles on an annual contractual basis once they have hit the mandatory retirement age of seventy.

Although most of the MFCA candidates are finding placement, WTS has reported that some of their candidates are finding it difficult to find ministry opportunities. More and more candidates are accepting part-time opportunities and find themselves forced into bi-vocational ministries, if not exclusively public sector positions. The ebb and flow of enrollments and ministry opportunities continue to be unpredictable as the economy and various new church and societal trends establish themselves. The good news is that the RCA is preparing a significant number of gifted and talented leaders for the future and more people are being called to serve in this broken world so loved by God.

Credo Cluster “B” Begins This Month

The second session of the 2012 – 2013 credo online course, Summary of Christian Doctrine, commences at the end of October. Those interested in taking Cluster “B” should contact MFCA registrar, Kelly Talsma, soon at ktalsma@rca.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Brad Vander Waal was installed as Pastor for Family Ministries at Midland Reformed Church in Michigan. Vander Waal attended Denver Seminary and graduated from Bethel Seminary in Minnesota.

Rev. Cathleen Jaworski – Wolff gave birth to Sophia Grace on October 10, 2012. Sophia was 8 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 inches tall. The Wolffs live in Yuma, AZ where mom is a hospital chaplain.

DIRECTOR'S TRAVEL SCHEDULE:

October 11 – 13             New Brunswick, NJ

October 20 – 21             Seattle, WA

October 23                     Grand Rapids, MI

October 24                     Detroit, MI

October 25                     Cambridge, ON

October 26                     Grand Rapids, MI

November 6 – 8              New York City, NY

November 12 – 14           Chicago, IL

December 8 – 9               Seattle, WA

January 10 – 12              Chicago, IL

MFCA Board of Trustees November 2 – 3 Paramount, CA

This is the time of year when statistical reports will be produced. It is a time for us to take stock of our program and measure enrolments and demographics. The total number of candidates enrolled at the end of September was “seventy-one,” the lowest enrolment in more than a decade.

The statistics are as follows:

AAR Candidates                              13

RCSC Candidates                            58

TOTAL MFCA ENROLMENT            71

AAR Applicants                                 4

RCSC Applicants                             21

TOTAL APPLICANTS                        25

Females                                         17            24%

Males                                             54            76%

Ethnic / Racial Candidates                14            19.7%

East Coast Candidates                      22           31.0%

West Coast Candidates                      6            8.5%

Some trends that explain some of these statistics include:

• The Western Theological Seminary (WTS) distance program, especially the Newbigin Cohort, has attracted a large number of students who would normally attend a non-RCA seminary in their region.
• Commissioned Pastor programs continue to attract individuals who do not have the time or finances to pursue an M.Div. degree or complete the Approved Alternate Route (AAR).
• A number of candidates have withdrawn from the MFCA because they have decided the RCA is not a good fit for them. Most of these individuals tend to be more conservative, label themselves as complementarian, and, are dismayed by the debates they have observed at General Synod and the recommendation to eliminate the conscience clause from the BCO. A lesser number of individuals have withdrawn because the RCA has not favored open and affirming positions on LGBT matters.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Karen Jackson has accepted a position as the Minister for Social Justice at Project Hospitality, an interfaith ministry to the homeless on Staten Island! Jackson recently graduated from Princeton Seminary.

Justin Wallick was ordained on September 16^th at Riverside Church in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Wallick is a recent graduate of Bethel Seminary in the Minneapolis.

If you have had difficulty reaching the MFCA Office this past week it is because the internet / phone service has ceased to function. Despite numerous efforts to create “a fix” for our service, none have been successful.

Therefore, if you are not receiving the usual prompt replies to emails and inquiries, do not be alarmed. The staff is doing its utmost to stay on top of things through sporadic iPad connections through Emmanuel Reformed Church and their Wi-Fi service (Our office building).

Messages to Cor may be the best at this time since he appears to have good internet access while on the road. Cor has recently been to two East Coast seminaries where he has had some of the best internet access ever – Duke Divinity and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Duke Divinity Chapel, North Carolina

Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Julia Turner has accepted and started the position of Associate Pastor at Old First Reformed Church in Brooklyn. Turner is a recent graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York.

Erin and Jonah Barnes proudly announce the birth of Judah Michael Barnes; he was born September 25^th in Grand Rapids, MI. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz… he was 20.5 inches tall.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

September 25 – 27                       Boston, MA

October 3-4                                  San Francisco Bay Area

October 11 – 13                            New Brunswick, NJ

October 23                                   Grand Rapids, MI

October 24                                   Detroit, MI

October 25                                   Cambridge, ONT

October 26                                   Grand Rapids, MI

November 12 – 14                        Chicago, IL

MFCA Board of Trustees     November 2 – 3    Paramount, CA

MFCA candidates are encouraged to participate in the denomination’s Discovery events. These events will allow everyone, especially the future leaders of the RCA – namely MFCA candidates, to provide input in the creation of the next ten-year goal of the denomination. Discovery events are part of our ongoing discernment process to discover God’s call for the RCA after the conclusion of Our Call next year, 2013. Discovery is a chance for RCA members to share where they hear God calling the RCA; it lasts a few hours and includes worship, prayer, dialogue, discernment, and sharing. 

Everyone is encouraged to attend and to participate – have your voice heard!

There are 22 events to choose from: 

• September 22: Lynden, WA, and Yonkers, NY 

• September 27: Morrison, IL

• September 29: Sheboygan, WI

• September 30: Ripon, CA

• October 16: Phoenix, AZ

• October 19: Paramount, CA

• October 20: Glenwood, IL

• October 27: Somerville, NJ

• November 3: Edmonton, AB

• November 10: Byron Center, MI

• November 17: Scotia, NY, and Littleton, CO

• December 8: Hamilton, ON

• January 3: Aplington, IA

• January 5: Eagan, MN

• January 7: Altoona, IA

• January 8: Sioux Falls, SD

• January 10: Sheldon, IA

• January 12: Lincoln, NE

• January 19: Long Beach, CA 

• February 2: Fairview Park, OH

Event registration is now open at www.rca.org/discoveryregistration.

MFCA Staff in Michigan

The MFCA staff travelled to Muskegon, Michigan this week in order to participate in the RCA staff training days. While most of the time was spent at Maranatha Bible and Conference Center, all the RCA staff took Wednesday afternoon to participate in a service project.

The staff members served at Angel Community Church in Muskegon. Angel Community Church is a ministry of the CRC and RCA and is housed in the old facility of First Reformed Church, built in 1952. The 60 year-old building was showing its age and the staff cleaned, painted and filled two large dumpsters with items that had collected in various areas of the church. The day ended with a worship service and communion. Although this was very different from normal duties, this experience showed itself to be rewarding…

Last year's seminar group at Geneva Shores (2011)

The MFCA Office is in the final stages of negotiating a contract with a person to teach and oversee the Seminar for Pastoral Formation (SPF) in the spring of 2013. With Dr. Jaco Hamman not available this year it was feared that the seminar would not happen this coming year.

With the assistance of Dr. Hamman and Western Theological Seminary it appears that together we are able to offer a full section starting in early March as an online course, ending with a one week residential component on May 20 – 24, 2013 at Camp Geneva in Holland, MI.

The SPF is offered as an alternative to a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and is available as credit or non-credit. Permission to replace CPE with the SPF is required and those interested should contact Cornelis Kors (ckors@rca.org). Since this is a late addition to our course offerings, the MFCA Office needs to know who will be taking the course; normally, an enrollment of eight students is required for the course to be viable. If you are interested in taking the seminar, please contact the MFCA staff…

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The MFCA staff will be in Muskegon, Michigan this week for RCA Staff training days. There will be no one in the office and if there is an emergency, please call or email Cor… Phone is 562-522-4189 and email is ckors@rca.org.

Rev. Kurt Kruger was installed this Sunday, September 9^th as pastor at Peace Reformed Church in Frankfort, Illinois. This is Kruger’s second pastorate in Illinois; he is a graduate of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts.

Bobby Van Otterloo will be ordained and installed on September 16^th at Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley, Iowa by the Classis of West Sioux. Van Otterloo is a graduate of Sioux Falls Seminary in South Dakota and has been on staff at Trinity Church as an associate pastor. The Rev. Mark Beernink, also an MFCA graduate will be preaching the sermon.  

Today’s article in the Huff Post (August 28, 2012), Seminary Debt Rising: Clergy Postpone Starting Families, Face Bankruptcy, raises a growing concern for those called into ministry. It appears that high debt levels are not only crippling those graduating from seminary, they are also causing many individuals to have second thoughts about even entering seminary.  Many potential candidates seek alternatives. Included among the alternatives are 1) Not entering ministry and seeking a different vocation; 2) Pursuing part-time studies and keeping a secular job, making the completion of a degree a ten year journey; and 3) Choosing a less expensive and time consuming route to enter ministry such as Commissioned Pastor.

Under the circumstances, it would seem that opting for those alternatives is not unreasonable. Who wants to incur $80,000 of debt to enter a field where the median annual salary is $44,140? (U.S. Labor Department, 2011). In a survey conducted six years ago by MFCA, it was discovered that the average candidate had student loan debt well above $18,000. Today that amount is likely to average over $25,000, if not more. There were those who reported student loan debt as high as $120,000.

The Huff Post article stated some of the following:

• National data from the “The Center for the Study of Theological Education” at Auburn Theological Seminary indicates both the number of students entering seminary with debt and the amounts they have to pay back upon entering the workforce are increasing substantially.
• As long as the money from federal loans rolls in, many seminarians find it hard to think ahead to how they are going to pay back their huge chunks of a national student debt tab that has reached $1 trillion.
• Seven-in-10 religious institutes turned away at least one person because of their educational debt, according to the study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
• It is not enough that growing numbers of clergy with burdensome loans report having to put off for years the ability to get married and start a family or buy a house. Or, in an increasing number of cases, face bankruptcy.

• With churches cutting back and older pastors staying on longer to ride through the recession, some seminary graduates are forced to take part-time positions.

Given this data, it has become more of a priority for MFCA to lessen the financial burden on its candidates. A generous three-year gift from General Synod has allowed for a significant reduction in fees and tuition. The cost for a candidate, over and beyond seminary costs, has been reduced from $4,500 - $6,500 to a more reasonable $1,550 - $2,750.

Although the gift will end in 2013, it is our hope that new funding sources will be identified starting in 2014. If that does not occur the MFCA Board of Trustees must consider an increase in fees. Therefore, let’s plan now for the financial needs of the MFCA and the seminaries. Individuals, churches and classes are asked to step up and increase their support of theological education. Those of us serving in theological education are asking our own agency/institutions to be creative in their approach to finances. The denomination will hopefully increase its support of theological education.

Equally important is the future leadership of the RCA. It is our desire to equip the brightest and the best with a solid education, and that these individuals are well trained as competent leaders. It is also important that we have positions waiting for the newly trained women and men who are called to ministry. Recognizably, as the Huff Post article states, older pastors are not retiring and making room for the newly trained individuals because the economy is not allowing them to do so. This places a burden on the church multiplication movement. New ministries need to be started, not only to employ a new generation of ministers, but also to satisfy the challenge of the Great Commission… Go and make disciples.

Hopefully, student loan debt and availability of appropriate ministry positions will not deter individuals from seminary training. Hopefully, the RCA will be able to creatively address the hurdles that stand in the way of those sincerely called by God and Church to make ministry their vocation. We pray that the Lord will continue to look with favor upon the RCA and its upcoming leaders, that they will not be shackled with debt and uncertainty.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

September 5                                  Denver, CO

September 5 – 7                            Sioux Falls, SD

September 10 – 13                        Grand Rapids, MI

September 18 – 20                        Raleigh-Durham, NC

September 25 – 27                        Boston, MA

October 11 – 13                            New Brunswick, NJ

November 12 – 14                        Chicago, IL

This week the fall semester online courses begin. Two sections of the Credo Course begin as well as two biblical language tools courses – Basic Greek Tools and Basic Hebrew Tools. If you had intended to take any of these courses it is not too late to register. Please contact Kelly Talsma at ktalsma@rca.org or 562-408-2520.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Greg TenBrink has accepted a full-time position at Beechwood Church in Holland, MI as Pastor of Congregational Care and Outreach that was effective July 1st.  Also, his father, Eugene TenBrink passed away August 1st in Kalamazoo and the service celebrating his life was August 6th.  We give thanks to God that his last chapter of life was truly the best and he finished well!  Romans 8:28-39 was the Scripture and the message was - "Great Finish'

Joy Poot was married this past weekend to David Ayala in Drayton, Ontario, Canada. Joy and David will be living in Ontario and Joy is transferring to Tyndale Seminary from Western Theological Seminary to continue her M.Div. studies.

Rev. Vicky Eastland has received a call from Brookville Reformed Church, NY. Brookville is on Long Island. Vicky has been serving Catskill Reformed Church in New York and earned her M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.

There will be several changes to the MFCA program during the next year that could impact the plans and schedules of our candidates. It appears that the Seminar for Pastoral Formation will not be offered during the spring of 2013. Dr. Jaco Hamman has informed the MFCA that his new position with Vanderbilt University will not allow him to be the instructor of the seminar. With no one else to lead it, the MFCA has no choice other than to cancel the program for this year, 2012 – 2013. Future offerings are also uncertain.

The Seminar for Pastoral Formation has served as an alternative to the MFCA requirement of one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). With no alternative in place, candidates are strongly encouraged to begin early searches for CPE programs and to begin applying soon if they plan to complete the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) in 2013. A directory of programs can be found at www.acpe.edu.

For budget reasons, there is also thought being given to the possibility of offering RCA History & Missions and RCA Polity as online / distance courses only. The two courses have had extremely low enrolment when offered in June as a summer intensive in Holland, Michigan. The courses are offered annually as “online” courses in the winter of each year. Enrolment has grown in the online courses and it appears that it would be best to limit them to once a year. For those in New Jersey and Michigan there is the option to take similar courses at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Western Theological Seminary (WTS). The MFCA accepts NBTS and WTS courses.

The decision regarding RCA History & Missions DL and RCA Polity DL has not been finalized but candidates would be wise in thinking about taking the DL courses starting January 2013. Both courses are program requirements for the CFM.

The change to a new Learning Management System (LMS) has also taken place this month. The MFCA has followed the WTS lead and changed from the ANGEL LMS to the CANVAS LMS. Two sections of the Credo Course have started and they are now utilizing CANVAS. Although CANVAS appears to be a better program, it is very different from ANGEL and candidates are encouraged to spend some time completing the Orientation and Training modules before commencing a course. Those who are interested in learning the new LMS and completing the training modules should contact the MFCA Office to sign up for “Canvas 101 – MFCA.” (Contact ktalsma@rca.org or awhite@rca.org or call 562-408-2520). Candidates will be provided with a user name and password so that they can complete the training course. CANVAS can be accessed at https://westernsem.instructure.com.

The non-credit biblical tools courses, Basic Greek Tools and Basic Hebrew Tools will be commencing soon as well. Both courses have been moved into the CANVAS system.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Candidate Linda Miles has had a reoccurrence of cancer and will be undergoing surgery and treatments. We covet prayers for Linda during this difficult time and hope for complete healing. Linda lives in New York State and has completed M.Div. studies at Alliance Theological Seminary and New Brunswick Theological Seminary.

Grant Mulder has accepted the Youth Pastor position at Gibbsville Reformed Church in Sheboygan Falls, WI. Grant is a recent graduate of Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL.

Susan Hetrick has taken a step in faith and has started a venture where she and her husband, David, are leading a retreat center for clergy and pastoral leaders… Oasis Renewal Center in Tucson, AZ… look it up on Facebook or contact Susan at Susan@OasisRenew.com

Lincoln Avenue Reformed Church in Pomona, CA is seeking a new staff member to assist in youth ministry and other areas. The position will be suited to the gifts and interests of the candidate.  Those interested are encouraged to contact Rev. Rick DeBruyne at rdebruyne@msn.com.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

August 10                                    Langley, BC

August 12                                    Nanaimo, BC

August 21 – 23                             New Brunswick, New Jersey

September 10 – 14                       Grand Rapids, MI

September 18 – 20                       Raleigh-Durham, NC

October 11 – 13                           New Brunswick, NJ

Participants at General Synod Seminarian Seminar (GS3) - MFCA candidate Karen Jackson is in the forefront and Tim Bowyer is in the background.

The General Synod, at its meeting last month at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL elected three new members to the MFCA Board of Trustees. The General Synod Council representative will be Rev. Kent Frens from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Rev. Frens is the pastor of Hope Reformed Church in Kalamazoo. Frens brings a deep love for theology and worship to the board; he is a graduate of Western Theological Seminary.

The new at-large member is Rev. Felix Theonugraha, Dean of Students of the Graduate Programs at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Theonugraha is a graduate of the MFCA programs and brings a keen interest in the formation of pastors and church leaders to this position.

The General Synod Professor member will be Rev. Dr. Dennis Voskuil from Western Theological Seminary (WTS). Voskuil is former president of WTS and presently serves as Professor of Church History. He also teaches on a regular basis for the MFCA.

Rev. Eddy Alleman of Paramount, California was also elected for a second term. The Board executive committee for this coming year will be Rev. Dwight Bailey as moderator, Rev. Miriam Barnes as vice-moderator, and Mr. Barton Strong as Clerk. The newly adopted bylaws (GS 2012) also declare RCA Treasurer Barb Boers as  treasurer of the MFCA. The Board of Trustees meets twice per year and now operates according to Policy Governance.

Registration Opens for Fall Courses

MFCA Registrar, Ms. Kelly Talsma has opened registration for a number of courses being offered this fall. The credo course, which begins in August, is the first that should require the response from those who plan to take it. Estimates suggest that there will be a large enrollment for Cluster “A” of the credo course, and arrangements have been made to have two sections, each with their own instructor. Dr. Paul Fries will continue to serve as one of the instructors and Dr. Wayne Brouwer will be the second. Brouwer is adjunct faculty at Western Theological Seminary (WTS) and has taught the credo there.

Dr. Chad Pierce has agreed to offer both biblical tools courses in the fall. Basic Hebrew Tools and Basic Greek Tools, both online and non-credit, will be offered this fall. Candidates are encouraged to contact Kelly Talsma at ktalsma@rca.org for more information and registration material. Inquiries regarding the biblical language tools courses from Commissioned Pastor candidates and general interest will also be welcomed. Phone 562-408-2520.

The annual MFCA Dinner is scheduled for Monday, June 25th at General Synod that is being held at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. The dinner will be at 5:15 PM and will be held near the cafeteria, we ask participants to go through the normal line and come to the room designated for our dinner.

Dr. Bradley Lewis is the special speaker at our dinner. Lewis is completing his second term as the moderator of the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency (MFCA) Board of Trustees. He has also been the president of General Synod. His daytime job is as Professor of Economics at Union College in Schenectady, NY.

Please RSVP before coming to the dinner - all are invited.

Pictures above: top - Luis Ruiz of Holland, MI observes General Synod; lower - various MFCA candidates participating in the General Synod Seminarian Seminar.

Group picture from week two in Holland, MI

This past week saw the Certification Committees meet in Holland, Michigan. The committees conducted interviews and made numerous decisions. The recommendations to award the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) were forwarded to the MFCA Board of Trustees. The Board awarded fifteen certificates during a special conference call meeting on Wednesday, June 20^th. Below are the names of those about who decisions were rendered.

The following ten individuals were admitted to the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry process (six RCSC and four AAR):

Shawn Abbas                                        Classis of Dakota

Daniel Brunz                                         Classis of Dakota

José Camilo                        AAR            Classis of Central California

John Chisum                       AAR            Classis of South Grand Rapids

Brent Eliason                                        Classis of Dakota

Andrew Fields                     AAR            Classis of the City

Paul Heidebrecht                 AAR             Classis of Canadian Prairies

Neil Quinn                                             Classis of South Grand Rapids

Daniel Turis                                          Classis of Lake Erie

Paul Van Kempen                                  Classis of New Brunswick

The following fifteen individuals are being the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (twelve RCSC and three AAR):

Katie Baker                                            Classis of New Brunswick

Chet Carlson                                          Classis of Minnesota

John Compton                                        Classis of the City

Casey Cox                                             Classis of California

Blaine Crawford                                      Classis of East Sioux

Howard Dalton                    AAR             Classis of Orange

Shirley Folkerts                                      Classis of East Sioux

Karen Jackson                                       Classis of North Grand Rapids

Adriana Ostapenko                                 Classis of Ontario

Nicholas Pope                                        Classis of Central California

Addison Quale                                    Classis of Rockland-Westchester

Cathy Stambaugh                AAR            Classis of Central California

Bobby Van Otterloo                               Classis of West Sioux

Justin Wallick                                        Classis of Minnesota

Christopher Westerbeek       AAR            Classis of North Grand Rapids

Week two of the MFCA summer intensives started today with thirty students participating. Dr. Al Janssen of New Brunswick Theological Seminary is teaching RCA Polity and there are eight students in the class. Dr. Tim Brown of Western Theological Seminary and Dr. Gregg Mast of New Brunswick Theological Seminary are co-teaching RCA Worship. The Worship class has twenty-two students.

This year, for only the second time in the history of MFCA, the RCA Worship class will include a facilitator in Spanish. Rev. Janelle Lopez-Koolhaas is serving as a Teaching Assistant for students who have Spanish as their dominant language. It is the hope of the MFCA to expand such possibilities as we live into a multicultural future free of racism.

Rev. Janelle Lopez-Koolhaas and Bethany Bousema

All the courses are being offered for three semester credit hours this summer for the first time. The adjustment to three credits allows students who are at different seminaries across the North American continent to better transfer the credits into their programs.

This past weekend the AAR Certification Committee met in Holland, Michigan for AAR examinations and interviews. The committee is recommending three candidates for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) and numerous individuals were admitted to the AAR program. On Saturday, June 16^th the RCSC Certification Committee will begin its meetings in Holland, MI as well. The RCSC committee will meet through Wednesday, June 20 and will spend most of its time conducting mid-certification interviews.

AAR Certification Committee member - Norma Coleman-James and Susan Vincent-Cox

ANNOUNCEMENTS

It was a happy and blessed occasion the 26th May, when the Classis of Ontario in agreement with the Faculté Théologie Évangélique commissioned Rev. Dr. Meine Veldman to be Professor of Systematic Theology in the Reformed Tradition at the Faculté. The Faculté had already established this chair in Systematic Theology, in collaboration with a mission organization in the Netherlands, as a Faculty of the University of Acadia, Nova Scotia. The dean of the divinity college of Acadia did the address and several pastors were present from the classis Ontario.

Grant Mulder earned his M.Div. degree from Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL on Saturday, June 2, 2012. Mulder is originally from Wisconsin and is under the care of the Classis of Chicago.

Terry Dwyer earned his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Menlo Park, CA this past weekend, June 9^th. Dwyer is serving at City Church in Oakland and is a member of the Classis of the City.

The Rev. Shannon Parrish was ordained and installed at Newton Zion Reformed Church in Erie, Illinois by the Classis of Illinois on Sunday, June 10, 2012. Parrish is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.

The summer intensives have started in Holland, Michigan. Rev. Dr. Scot Sherman, President of Newbigin House of Studies, is teaching the RCA Standards. This is the first time Sherman is teaching the course. Rev. Dr. John Coakley of New Brunswick Theological Seminary is teaching RCA History & Missions. Coakley has been teaching this course over the past fourteen years.

The opening chapel service was held in the newly designed Western Theological Seminary – a beautiful and inspirational space.

Cheryl Daniel and Jared Ayers assist in worship.

Scot Sherman teaching RCA Standards.

The seminar participants include Paul Heidebrecht, Zach Garris, Clint Richardson, Dr. Jaco Hamman, Adriana Ostapenko, Justin Wallick, Liz Testa, Chet Carlson and Chris Reinertson

This week has a group of eight MFCA candidates gathered at Camp Geneva for the residential week of the Seminar for Pastoral Formation. The seminar has been meeting online since early March and the week on the shores of Lake Michigan will complete the program that serves as an alternative to a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).

The facilitator of the seminar is Dr. Jaco Hamman, professor of pastoral care at Western Theological Seminary (WTS). Hamman has been leading the seminar since its inception five years ago.

This past week Dr. Hamman announced that he will be leaving WTS for a new position with Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. It is the hope of MFCA that he will remain available to facilitate the seminar in years to come.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. John DeGroff was recently ordained and installed at Calvary Reformed Church in Monroe, South Dakota. John completed his Certificate of Fitness for Ministry through the Approved Alternate Route (AAR).

Rev. Felix Theonugraha has been appointed as the Dean of Students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). Theonugraha, who is also completing his PhD this summer, had been serving as interim Dean of Students. This position leaves him responsible for all student life programs for graduate programs at Trinity International University.

Dr. Paul Heidebrecht has accepted a promise of a call to be the pastor at Calgary Community Church in Calgary, Alberta. He comes to the RCA from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the Chicago area. Heidebrecht will be seeking ordination in the RCA through the AAR process. In the past he has served as teacher, theological educator and administrative pastor. Paul and Priscilla plan to move to Calgary in July after completing numerous MFCA requirements in May and June.

The MFCA will again be hosting a dinner at General Synod. On Monday, June 25^th, around 5:00 PM the annual celebration dinner will be occurring at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL. All candidates, alumni of TEA and MFCA and those interested in finding out more about MFCA are invited. If you have not registered for the dinner as a delegate at General Synod and would like to attend, please contact Amy White in the MFCA Office at 562-408-2520 or awhite@rca.org.

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The following courses remain available… at this time late registration fees may apply…

RCA Standards – Rev. Dr. Scott Sherman                        

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA History & Missions – Rev. Dr. John Coakley

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA Polity – Rev. Dr. Al Janssen

June 11 – 15, 2012

RCA Worship – Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

June 11 - 15

Things are gearing up at the MFCA office as June approaches. Summer intensive courses and committee meetings create much work for the MFCA staff. Many candidates wait until the end of their seminary semester before thinking about registering for MFCA courses in June. At the moment, many candidates are registering and the phone continues to ring as people have questions. There is also much more mail than usual with candidates providing documentation in preparation for interviews.

The agenda and schedules for the certification committees are in place and those being interviewed should have received the information regarding their interview. If you expect to be interviewed and have not received a meeting date and time, please contact the MFCA Office immediately. The AAR Certification Committee meets June 8 and 9; the RCSC Certification Committee meets June 16 – 20, 2012. All the courses and interviews are held at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. The MFCA Board of Trustees plans to meet by conference call on the evening of June 20^th for the purpose of awarding the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM).

The RCA Standards and RCA Worship classes are almost filled to capacity at the time of writing this news feed. The RCA History & Missions and RCA Polity classes are undersubscribed. The decision has been made to cap courses at twenty-four students and to go ahead and offer the undersubscribed courses even though they are under the previously announced minimum. This is the first year that the courses will all be offered at 3.0 semester credits. For those signing up for credit there will be an extra four weeks of online work expected in order to meet the hour and work requirements.

The following is the course listing:

RCA Standards – Rev. Dr. Scott Sherman                        

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA History & Missions – Rev. Dr. John Coakley

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA Polity – Rev. Dr. Al Janssen

June 11 – 15, 2012

RCA Worship – Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

June 11 - 15

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Emily and Clint Richardson on the adoption of Asher Robert Richardson. Asher was born March 18, 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama. Clint is a graduate of Sioux Falls Seminary and serves as an Associate Pastor at Calvary Reformed Church in Monroe, South Dakota.

Blaine Crawford has accepted an informal Promise of a Call from Lakeview Community Church in Rochester, New York. Blaine is completing his M.Div. from at Denver Seminary in Colorado and has been under care of the Classis of East Sioux. If all works as planned, Britnee and Blaine hope to move to New York in August…

James H. Eastland will be ordained to the office of Minister of Word and sacrament on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at First Reformed Church in Hudson, NY. Congratulations go out to Jim and Rev. Vicky Eastland (also an MFCA graduate).

Missing from the last News Feed list of candidates who are graduating with the M.Div. degree this spring was Doug Meyerink of Platte, South Dakota. Meyerink will be graduating from Sioux Falls Seminary – our apologies Doug! Doug’s son Brandon will also be graduating this spring. He is graduating from High School… it should be noted that Brandon was in a skiing accident in January and broke his back. The Meyerink family is grateful that Brandon is healing well.

Alan Salwei has accepted a Promise of a Call to be the Associate Pastor at First Reformed Church of Sanford. He will be in charge of outreach and discipleship. He is also graduating from Sioux Falls Seminary with an M.Div. degree this month.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

The following is Cor’s travel schedule…

May 15 – 17                                   Chicago, IL

May 20 – 22                                   Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                                    Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                                  Palos Heights, IL

The MFCA is at a disadvantage to seminaries when it comes to impacting its candidates in the realm of spiritual formation. And yet, from the start of its inception in 1984 the agency has declared that it offers guidance for the spiritual formation of its candidates. The other four areas are academic preparation, ministry competence, personal wholeness and denominational identity.

Despite the challenge, the MFCA is making efforts to become more intentional about the spiritual formation of its candidates. It is our sense that with the help of the Holy Spirit, candidates can be directed toward spiritual growth as they meet in their own communities, serve in internship churches, and study at seminary. The MFCA is also giving consideration to intentional growth experiences during times when the MFCA candidates gather, such as intensive courses.

With that in mind we hold to the following outcomes of spiritual formation for our candidates and request the assistance of the Certification Committees, supervising pastors and mentors, and the MFCA teaching faculty in determining that such formation is nurtured.

By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, candidates will*:

1. Recognize and develop the narrative of their spiritual journey by engaging their own cultural context and heritage and deepening personal awareness of identity and vocation in Christ through intimacy with God. (Identity)

2. Be exposed to the practices and disciplines that shape faith and character specific to their callings. In particular, candidates will learn to draw upon the resources of Christ’s church and the MFCA community so as to root their lives in Scripture, worship, corporate and personal prayer, ministries of service, and other Christian practices. (Practice)

3. Develop a capacity to integrate their academic training, and their vocational formation with their life in the Spirit, growing in wisdom, skill, faith, hope, and love. (Integration)

4. Articulate a passionate and active participation in Christ’s mission in the world, refined in community and informed by tradition, global realities, and opportunities as well as their own gifts and skills. (Missional)

 *These four categories and their descriptions have been borrowed from Fuller Theological Seminary

 (FTS Faculty - April 2012).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Esther and Rev. Dr. Meine Veldman announce the birth of a new daughter Élise… the Veldman’s serve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dr. Veldman serves on the faculty of the Evangelical Theological Faculty of Acadia University.

Congratulations to Sarah and Ryan Potter with the birth of William David Potter, born April 11th at 2:27pm.  He was 9 lbs and 21 inches. The Potters live in South Hamilton, Massachusetts where Ryan attends Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Congratulations to Rev. Bethany and Rev. Corstian Devos with the adoption of twin sons – Christian and Luis Devos. The Devos family lives in Churchville, PA where mom and dad co-pastor North and Southampton Reformed Church.

At this time of year many candidates are completing degrees… If you are among those graduating please be sure to let us know about your graduation… Some we are currently aware of include the following:

John Arthur                    McMaster, Divinity College, Hamilton Ontario

Blaine Crawford               Denver Seminary, Denver, CO

John Compton                 Denver Seminary, Denver, CO

Terry Dwyer                    Fuller Theological Seminary, Menlo Park, CA

Shirley Folkerts               Bethel Seminary, Minneapolis, MN

Karen Jackson                 Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ

Jeff Knol                         Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ

Adriana Ostapenko          Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, Ontario

Alan Salwei                     Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, SD

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

The following is Cor’s travel schedule…

May 1 – 3                                    Sioux Falls, SD

May 8 – 10                                  Cleveland, OH

May 15 – 17                                 Chicago, IL

May 20 – 22                                 Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                                  Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                                Palos Heights, IL

After being commissioned in February by the "Call, Care and Standards Collaborative" (CCSC) Group, the new Candidate Care website is now a reality and available for all those who are involved in candidate care -- especially the classis committees and candidates themselves.

It was decided by the CCSC Group that a website would serve the church better than an annual gathering where only a select number of individuals are able to attend. Travel costs, accommodations and meeting facilities all have their cost and it was the conclusion of the Group that it was not good stewardship to continue this model. Recognizing that candidate care committees seldom have consistent membership and that some classes design their committee to have a new chairperson or convener annually, the Group desired a resource that would be accessible when a need was identified. By turning to the Internet, the new committee member can now access much of the material and resources they need to serve on candidate care committees.

The project to create a website has been funded by four partners: General Synod Council (GSC), the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency (MFCA), New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Western Theological Seminary (WTS). Each of the partners is committed to collegial cooperation with each classis, as together they prepare candidates for ministry.

The Group commissioned Mr. Bart Strong to create the website. Strong is an elder at Westdale Reformed Church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He has recently retired as the Executive Director for Learning Technology at McMaster University, and brings amazing skill and expertise to this project. He serves on the MFCA Board of Trustees and on the RCSC Certification Committee. Strong has served WTS as a consultant for the Distance Learning program and the technology required for future pursuits.

Although the website has been designed for candidate care committees and those serving at the classis level, candidates enrolled in the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) will also discover the site to be helpful. It will assist candidates in navigating the CFM process and provide access to most of the resources that are available to assist them.

Please check out the new site: www.candidate-care.org

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The following courses are offered in Holland, Michigan. These are MFCA courses, and students must register with the registrar Kelly Talsma (ktalsma@rca.org). The MFCA utilizes the facilities of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary. The daily schedule is 8:25 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday. Friday's class ends at 12:00 noon.

Courses are offered on a credit and non-credit basis. The distinction between credit and non-credit is cost and workload. All students, credit and non-credit alike, are expected to complete the coursework and a grade will be assigned. To meet ordination requirements, a grade of "B" or higher is necessary.

RCA Standards - Rev. Dr. Scott Sherman                        

June 4 - 8, 2012

RCA History & Missions - Rev. Dr. John Coakley

June 4 - 8, 2012

RCA Polity - Rev. Dr. Al Janssen

June 11 - 15, 2012

RCA Worship - Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

June 11 - 15, 2012

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

The following is Cor's travel schedule...

April 24 - 27                                Hamilton, Ontario

May 1 - 3                                    Sioux Falls, SD

May 8 - 10                                  Cleveland, OH

May 15 - 17                                 Chicago, IL

May 20 - 22                                 Holland, MI

June 2 - 20                                  Holland, MI

June 21 - 26                                Palos Heights, IL

It has become common practice for leaders to be evaluated according to their emotional quotient (EQ) or emotional intelligence (EI)… the better leaders possessing high emotional intelligence. In some circles, EQ is considered more important than a high intelligence quotient (IQ). This has been evidenced in the business world more than anywhere else, and, I suggest that it is important in church leadership as well.

Emotional Quotient or Emotional Intelligence (EI) “refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic.” (About.com-Psychology – March 30, 2012)

Although there are some tools available to assess EQ, it has been my experience that it is readily observed as people interact, especially in high stress and conflict situations. High EQ demonstrates itself through a calm demeanor and the ability to assess personal emotions and control reactions in an objective yet caring manner. The expression: “To keep one’s wits about them while everyone around them is loosing theirs” expresses well, at least one of the traits of those with high EQ.

I would suggest that high EQ is a combination of one’s personality, socialization and learned behavior. For me personally, I discovered my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) experiences to be the most valuable in identifying emotional self-awareness and how to express and manage emotions. CPE gave me the opportunity to receive external and objective feedback regarding my emotional self. I discovered that my strong “NF” score as assessed by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), along with certain passions, would often determine the quality of my relationships, both with peers and those to whom I was ministering.

I have experienced those with high EQ to be confident and differentiated as individuals. They are less likely to become triangulated, and as the commercial suggests – “they are comfortable in their own skin.” These individuals tend to trust their “inner voice” and for those in ministry, they have a spiritual sensitivity that is often founded in a sense that the inner voice they trust is the Holy Spirit.

Relationships are important to the person with high EQ. Appropriate interaction and emotional connection occur for those with high EQ, and boundaries are maintained and respected. A good biblical illustration of a developed high EQ is profiled through the life of David as he  expresses himself in the Psalms. David is by no means perfect, but I believe he illustrates the elevated Emotional Quotient through his self-awareness, his relationship with others and his relationship with God. I would suggest that Psalm 26 portrays an individual who possesses and continues to grow toward a high EQ…

“Vindicate me, O LORD,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the LORD

without wavering.

Prove me, O LORD, and try me;

Test my heart and mind.

For your steadfast love is before

My eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to you.

I do not sit with the worthless,

Nor do I consort with hypocrites;

I hate the company of evildoers,

And will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence,

And go around your alter, O LORD,

Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 26:1-7 (NRSV)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We wish to express our condolences to Amy White in the death of her mother, Frances Faber. Mrs. Faber passed away peacefully last week after multiple strokes. Amy is the administrative assistant with the MFCA. The memorial service was held this Tuesday, April 3rd at Bethany Christian Reformed Church.

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The following courses are offered in Holland, Michigan. These are MFCA courses, and students must register with the registrar Kelly Talsma (ktalsma@rca.org). The MFCA utilizes the facilities of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary. The daily schedule is 8:25 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday. Friday’s class ends at 12:00 noon.

Courses are offered on a credit and non-credit basis. The distinction between credit and non-credit is cost and workload. All students, credit and non-credit alike, are expected to complete the coursework and a grade will be assigned. To meet ordination requirements, a grade of “B” or higher is necessary.

RCA Standards – Rev. Dr. Scott Sherman                        

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA History & Missions – Rev. Dr. John Coakley

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA Polity – Rev. Dr. Al Janssen

June 11 – 15, 2012

RCA Worship – Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

June 11 - 15

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

The following is Cor’s travel schedule…

April 3 – 5                                    Newark, NJ

April 8 -16                                    Family Vacation (Hawaii)

April 19                                        San Jose, CA

April 24 – 27                                Hamilton, Ontario

May 1 – 3                                    Sioux Falls, SD

May 8 – 10                                  Cleveland, OH

May 15 – 17                                 Chicago, IL

May 20 – 22                                 Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                                  Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                                Palos Heights, IL

The RCA group that oversees theological education recently asked me to oversee the creation of a website that could serve as a resource and training site for those charged with the responsibility of candidate care. The group is called the “Call, Care and Standards Collaboration” (CCSC) Group, and a small budget was approved to kick start the effort at its meeting in Phoenix in January.

For the past two months the assignment has been one of the extra projects on my “to do” list.  With the hard work and expertise of Bart Strong of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and only a little effort on my part, the website is close to being launched. Bart has done a phenomenal job to make the website a reality in a very short time.

My work on the website did include creating a resource that would anticipate questions which candidates and classis committees overseeing the candidates, might ask.  In this week’s newsfeed I would like to share a sampling of some of those questions with the answers best meeting the needs anticipated. They are as follows:  

What are the initial steps for an individual who believes they are called into ministry?

Those who believe they are called to fulltime, ordained ministry should begin the process with their home church consistory. Once the consistory is convinced the individual is appropriately called and gifted, they refer the individual to the classis of which the church is a member. The classis normally has a committee which interviews the candidate; and once the committee is able to affirm the call identified by the consistory, the committee recommends the individual to be “taken under care” of the classis. The classis then takes action at a stated meeting of classis to officially take the person under care. The classis is then required to submit the completed and signed Form V or Form 5A to the “agent” of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America (RCA).

There are various forms available to individuals, consistories and classis to assist in navigating these steps.

How does one discern if they are “called?”

Different persons experience call in different ways. In Reformed circles there is usually an emphasis on the “Internal Call” and the “External Call.” Some have been quoted as saying that “One knows they are called if they possess a deep love for God, others and self.” There are numerous resources available on the website under the tab labeled “Care Information.”

What role does the classis play?

The classis is considered the “bishop” in RCA polity. The Book of Church Order (BCO) describes the exact role it plays in satisfying itself that the individual is competent and sound as a ministerial candidate. The classis is required to determine whether or not the person’s character, faith and orthodoxy qualifies them to be a Minister of Word and sacrament.

Who are the agents overseeing the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM)?

The “agents” of the General Synod consist of the two RCA seminaries (New Brunswick Theological Seminary and Western Theological Seminary) and the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency (MFCA). A classis refers a candidate to the appropriate “agent,” and once the agent determines that the candidate is adequately fit and prepared, the agent’s board of trustees awards the CFM. The CFM is the permission, or ticket, for the classis to conduct the examinations for Licensure and ordination.

What “tracks” exist that lead to the CFM and ordination?

There are two basic tracks toward ordination in the RCA: 1) the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree; and 2) the Approved Alternate Route (AAR).

The M.Div. degree can be earned at either RCA seminary: New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Western Theological Seminary (WTS), or, at an ATS accredited seminary implying that the MFCA would oversee the CFM process.

The AAR process would be overseen by the MFCA and exists for those who are not able to earn the M.Div. degree and yet have the capability of meeting the standards of the CFM. The AAR process should not be confused with the Commissioned Pastor (CP) process that requires less preparation and is restricted in scope. The CP process is exclusively the domain of the classis.

What does it mean to be “under care” as well as enrolled in the CFM?

The RCA expects candidates to be in a dual process as they prepare for ordination. The dual process has two distinct procedures running in parallel as the classis cares for the candidate and the agents guide the candidate through their theological education and ministerial formation. If all goes as it is designed, the classis and the agent communicate regularly so that everyone is informed regarding progress, and all are aware of problems and concerns when they arise.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Dr. Mitch Kinsinger was ordained on Sunday February 19^th at American Reformed Church in Orange City, IA. Mitch is on the faculty of Northwestern College and is a graduate of Western Theological Seminary.

Rev. Jason Wiersma was ordained on Sunday, March 18^th as a specialized minister, and commissioned to pastor the brand new "Living Stone Prison Church" (joint effort between Dakota and West-Sioux Classis) within the walls of the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield, SD. Jason is a graduate of Sioux Falls Seminary (SFS).

Rev. Greg Ten Brink was ordained on Sunday, March 25^th and installed at Beechwood Reformed Church In Holland, MI. His son-in-law, Rev. Jeremy Visser, also an MFCA graduate, preached the sermon. Greg completed his ordination requirements as an AAR candidate and did most of his coursework at Western Theological Seminary.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor's travel schedule...

March 28 – 30                        Holland, MI

April 3 – 5                              Newark, NJ

April 8 -16                              Family Vacation (Hawaii)

April 24 – 27                           Hamilton, Ontario

May 1 – 3                                Sioux Falls, SD

May 20 – 22                            Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                             Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                           Palos Heights, IL

On occasion, as I teach the RCA Polity DL course, a student submits an assignment that is not only stimulating for me as the instructor, but also begs to be shared with a larger audience. The remainder of this newsfeed is the work of Andrew Fields, a soon to be RCA missionary who presently resides in Chicago. Fields is a graduate of Wheaton College.

What challenges face congregational leadership today?

In no particular order, I would argue that the following challenges loom over congregational leadership in North America.  Leading a congregation in a cultural time governed by fast paced technological advance, the ruling cult of celebrity, and the omnipresent entertainment industry, presents some unique challenges to leading congregations in communal growth as disciples of Christ.  How can a consistory compete for attention and focus amid the constant clamor of text messages, the next blockbuster movie, or the emotive expressiveness of Saturday night’s concert?  How does a board of elders and deacons communicate a unified vision for the mission of a church amidst the various appeals and rants that come to people through social media?

Related to this issue is how the teaching, worship and life of the church appeals to the whole person: intellectually, emotionally, and physically.  Congregational leaders would do well to examine whether they are unable to preach to those outside their church because their worship is too intellectual, or their ministries do not appeal to our embodied natures.  Does their worship appeal to the heart or invite the indwelling of the Spirit? Do their mercy ministries dispense food without attending to the emotional and social damages that may perpetuate poverty?

Another difficulty for church leaders yesterday, today, and tomorrow is navigating ethical disputes such as sexual conduct, materialism, creation care, or the issue of the day.  Since the early church, congregations have struggled to balance proclaiming God’s love for all people, prophetically denouncing those aspects that are unjust or ungodly, and maintaining integrity across a wide range of ethical concerns.  As the world becomes more linked and the connections between local and global political, economic, and ethical concerns grows ever more close and more public, it is difficult for congregations to faithfully proclaim the Word of God as it addresses the concerns of our day.  To look at a pertinent North American example, what does it look like for a local church hold out the promise of redemption to the homosexual community while also wrestling with prohibitions on the homosexual lifestyle in Scripture?  This is definitely a challenging question!

Another issue that combines the above two concerns is how a consistory is supposed to practice church discipline in a consumerist culture.  Discipline, as outlined in the BCO, seems almost meaningless when the person disciplined can just walk down the street to another church and consume the worship and preaching.  Unless congregational leaders work to develop church communities, not just religious commodities of “worship” and “teaching,” that are in constant engagement with Christian communities of differing traditions, the third mark of the Church will remain somewhat erased.

In addition, the increasing number of revelations coming from both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches of sexual abuse should remind church leaders that congregations have not always been places of peace and healing.  For all those who have been harmed by sexual abuse in churches, there are myriads more that have been maimed by unbalanced teachings, unkind politicking, burnout, and careless words in our churches.  It is a tremendous task for leaders in our church to navigate these issues with love and seek to invite these wounded people back into peaceful and healing church communities. 

A final challenge facing congregational leaders is an unhelpful sense of professionalism.  While high standards and a focus on best practices are quite helpful, I notice a large number of church leaders treating their positions more as a job than a calling.  When this happens, a congregation becomes a business that has to be efficiently run and is judged on quantitative growth of programs, converts, buildings, members, budget, or number of weekly services.  To maintain this growth the church must constantly be marketing its brand, the pastor must maintain a carefully manicured persona, and members are pigeon holed into market segments that are carefully designed to meet their “needs.”  It is easy to slip into this plan for success, but it is not easy to reflect on whether this is the healthiest way for a church to be a sign of the Kingdom of God.  I would argue that when church leadership begins down this path of thinking, they inherently neglect vital aspects of what it means to be “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor hopes to be able to travel again starting this week…

March 20 – 23                        Philadelphia, PA

March 28 – 30                        Holland, MI

April 3 – 5                              Newark, NJ

April 8 -16                              Family Vacation (Hawaii)

May 20 – 22                           Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                            Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                          Palos Heights, IL

After twelve years of existence, and ten years of Certificates of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) being awarded, the MFCA Board of Trustees has decided to review the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) process. A committee has been created to take a close look at the process and its effectiveness in what it purposes to accomplish.

Committee members will complete a thorough assessment of the process, and ask crucial questions about all aspects of the program. Some of the proposed questions are listed below. Readers, especially those who have been directly involved in the AAR are invited to assist the committee in this task. If you are willing and have some observations about the AAR process, we ask that you send those to me at ckors@rca.org. 

1. Is the AAR procedure relevant and fair? 

2. Are the eligibility criteria relevant, and do they provide fair accessibility to those who wish to seek ordination in the RCA?

3. Given the fact that we have more than twelve year's experience with the AAR process, what have we learned; what should we add; and what should we eliminate?

4. The Call, Care and Standards Collaboration (CCSC) group is reviewing the eight criteria that serve as the standards for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM)... what might we want to say about those standards from the AAR perspective?

5. Program proposals are extremely important and require input from both the classis and the MFCA... Has this piece been done adequately with equal contribution, and, has it taken the candidate and the standards into full consideration in a fair and objective manner?

6. The Case Study Examination (written and oral) and a final interview have been the final pieces of the process. Have these provided the necessary assessment tools, and do we believe them to be the most effective manner to assess the candidate?

7. Are we able to create new case studies, or the equivalent in order to keep the final assessment fresh and effective?

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Jeff Wenke has accepted a call to be the Associate Pastor at The Bridge in Portage, Michigan (near Kalamazoo).  Wenke has been the pastor of a new church plant, The Journey, in San Jose, California for the past ten years and has also served at Church of the Chimes in San Jose. He is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.

Rev. Scott Bonestroo has accepted a call to be the pastor at Alton Reformed Church in Iowa (Just outside of Orange City, IA). Bonestroo has been serving Spring Valley Reformed Church in Fulton, Illinois.

OPPORTUNITIES

Pastoral Resident for Youth, Discipleship, and Small Groups Niskayuna Reformed Church:

The position was created to offer a seminary graduate the opportunity to apply their gifts for ministry in a congregational setting. Principle responsibilities include developing and directing the youth program, leading and developing discipleship offerings for all ages. Along with the pastor, Rev. Dr. Scott DeBlock, the candidate will develop and coordinate small group ministries, and work with the consistory to implement its rolling five year Vision for Ministry and Mission.

This is a one-year, full-time contract position with potential for permanent placement as the Assistant Pastor. This opportunity is based upon effectiveness in meeting position requirements through a one-year probationary period with quarterly reviews by the pastor.

Remuneration includes a base salary (determined by consistory), plus housing allowance. Also included: payment of seminary-provided health insurance student fee.

SUMMER INTENSIVES

The following courses are offered in Holland, Michigan. These are MFCA courses and students must register with the registrar Kelly Talsma (ktalsma@rca.org). The MFCA utilizes the facilities of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary. The daily schedule is 8:25 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday. Friday’s class ends at 12:00 noon.

Courses are offered on a credit and non-credit basis. The distinction between credit and non-credit is cost and workload. All students, credit and non-credit alike, are expected to complete the coursework and a grade will be assigned. To meet ordination requirements a grade of “B” or higher is necessary.

RCA Standards – Rev. Dr. Scott Sherman                        

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA History & Missions – Rev. Dr. John Coakley

June 4 – 8, 2012

RCA Polity – Rev. Dr. Al Janssen

June 11 – 15, 2012

RCA Worship – Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown & Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast

June 11 - 15

With forced time at home and a schedule that does not require early departures of flights, and back-to-back meetings in cities far from California, my home state, I have had the opportunity to read and reflect more than usual.* Amongst the books in my stack of things to read was the book “A Play-Full Life: Slowing Down and Seeking Peace” by Jaco Hamman. Believing this to be an appropriate subject for someone whose ankle did not allow him much mobility, and to whom had been given the gift of seeking peace and solitude, beyond that which was normal, I read this book by friend and colleague Hamman.

 Dr. Jaco Hamman teaching the seminar.

I enjoyed the book, even though on more than one occasion, it correctly identifies practices in my own life that might not be healthy. Hamman shares some of my interests in that we both love to get out and ride our motorcycles (BMW, not Harley Davidson – which suggests something about the type of riding we prefer), and we both work hard at seeking a healthy pastoral balance for ourselves and the candidates for ministry with whom we work.  He serves on the faculty of Western Theological Seminary (WTS) in Holland, Michigan and teaches the Seminar for Pastoral Formation for the MFCA. A similar course at WTS is called The Pastor as Person.

I found the book extremely helpful in guiding my thoughts about how I relate to God, how I relate to my wife and children, and how I relate to those I serve in my vocation. Hamman forced me think about my ability to live my life in a real and transcendent manner, asking questions about my need for control, my tendency to be a consumer and whether or not I was engaging life creatively?

Prior to beginning the book, my wife Jane came home and shared with me that she had been approached by a college student in a restaurant while having breakfast with a friend, and that this student was conducting a survey. One of the questions in the survey was “If you are a parent, what do you like about having children?” Jane asked me what I would have answered before telling me what she answered. My response was that “I appreciate the relationships it added to my life.” I have loved the opportunity to relate to my children and grandchildren at all stages of our lives. These relationships, and the opportunity to invest in them, have given me immense gratification and meaning to my life.

In reading “A Play-Full Life,” I suspect that Hamman would tell me that I had caught on and discovered at least part of what is important for our lives. Real and authentic relationship with God, others, and self is key to a fulfilled and meaningful existence. This is true for our personal, family, and vocational life.

Hamman has much more to say about this in his book and I highly recommend it to everyone; candidates for ministry as well as those who desire a better understanding of life itself and how to better understand family, our society, creation and ourselves. I encourage candidates to consider taking the Seminar for Pastoral Formation starting next week. As is evidenced in Hamman’s book, and can be experienced in the seminar, there is so much that we can learn about ourselves and the relationships we have, making us healthier individuals who are capable of serving in ministry in healthy and meaningful ways.

Cor

*Explanation – On February 14^th, while doing my regular exercise of cycling to the ocean and back, I was hit by a pickup truck on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). I was catapulted off my bike and my foot was caught in my peddle-cage, severely spraining my ankle; the same one  broken six years ago. The doctor speculates that the main reason it didn’t break this time was the screws, plate and pins holding it together. The healing process is slow and could be at least six weeks.

Jaco Hamman provides a wonderful list of questions for individuals who desire to be real and faithful in their life and ministry. Here are some of the questions:

• Have I been criticizing or consuming too much?
• When am I bored and what can I do to experience vitality?
• What parts of me might others experience as a sharp edge?
• How can I be vulnerable toward others?
• Who would I be if I were more resilient than I now think?
• In what ways am I hurting others and myself?
• What “crazy” or disturbing thoughts do I have that I best need to contain or share only in appropriate relationships?
• Who am I when I lose my temper or my patience?
• How do I shape the world I live in to become a better place for tomorrow’s generation?
• In what parts of culture, including religion, do I partake?
• How does my partner or family experience me when I retreat into isolation?
• What would realness look like for me?
• How do I befriend my own death?

(Pg. 125)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Susan Cox has accepted the call to First Church of Albany as an associate pastor. She has begun her duties at First and will be officially installed on March 18^th. Cox was serving several Methodist churches and was counseling as a therapist before taking on this new role. She also serves the MFCA as a member of the AAR Certification Committee and is a graduate of the AAR process herself.

Greg Ten Brink will be ordained as Minister of Word and sacrament on March 25^th at 4:00 pm at Beechwood Reformed Church in Holland, MI. Greg is a graduate of the AAR process and will continue to serve at Beechwood Reformed Church.

The sister of Jane Kors and Bethany and Corstian Devos, Antonia Devos, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She will have surgery on Friday, March 2^nd in Vancouver, British Columbia. Corstian has been at her bedside this past week and Cor and Jane will be with her this week. Please keep Antonia and family in your prayers.

OPPORTUNITIES

The MFCA is aware of opportunities in a number of RCA ministries… a brief list is offered below. Please contact Cor and the MFCA Office about the status of these positions:

Athabasca, Alberta               Pastor

Calgary, Alberta                   Pastor

Niskayuna, NY                        Pastoral Resident for Youth, Discipleship, and Small Groups

Orland Park, IL                    Pastor

San Jose, CA                       Pastor

Sheboygen, Wisconsin          Pastor

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

February 29 – March 4          Vancouver, BC

March 20 – 23                      Philadelphia, PA

March 28 – 30                      Holland, MI

April 8 -16                            Family Vacation

May 20 – 22                          Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                           Holland, MI

June 21 – 26                         Palos Heights, IL

The popular course, that serves as an alternative for a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), the Seminar for Pastoral Formation, begins in a couple of weeks. The course, taught by Dr. Jaco Hamman of Western Theological Seminary (WTS) commences as an online course and ends with a one-week intensive at Geneva Shores Conference Center on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Those interested in taking the seminar should register ASAP since there will be books to acquire and reading to be accomplished for the start of the first session. If you are thinking of taking this course, please contact MFCA Registrar Kelly Talsma at ktalsma@rca.org.

 The 2011 Seminar for Pastoral Formation group with Dr. Jaco Hamman on the right.

Course Description

This seminar explores the ways in which a minister’s life history, spiritual growth, and vocation intersect and shape his/her personal and professional identity. Students will reflect in-depth on their own psychological and spiritual development. Through message board conversation, weekly summaries, case studies, autobiography, and critical reflection on selected readings, students will identify the self they bring to their ministry. Personal and ministerial challenges that can trigger personal and systemic reactivity or responsiveness are identified. Paths of personal growth will be identified. Focusing on mindful, spiritual, and ethical leadership, students will critically engage their autobiography as persons called by God into pastoral leadership.

The MFCA Board of Trustees met in Orlando, Florida this past week prior to the denominational “Conversations” event. The meeting was the first attempt by the Board to operate according to Policy Governance. This includes policy-generating discussions such as what the Board needs to consider in determining the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) and monitoring reports by the Director. What it excludes is involvement in the day-to-day operations of the Agency.

The spring meeting is also when the Board elects its officers for the year. This time it voted in a complete new slate of individuals. Those chosen were Rev. Dwight Bailey as moderator, Rev. Miriam Ippel-Barnes as vice-moderator, and Mr. Bart Strong as secretary. These individuals will begin their terms on July 1^st.  Dr. Bradley Lewis, current moderator, is completing his second term.

Lewis is an elder at First Reformed Church in Schenectady, NY. Bailey is pastor of Church of the Chimes in San Jose, California and Ippel-Barnes is pastor of Canajoharie Reformed Church in New York. Strong is an elder from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

The MFCA Board of Trustees awarded five Certificates of Fitness for Ministry at its meeting in Orlando, FL this past week, February 9 & 10… three by way of the regular M.Div. program (RCSC) and two by way of the Approved Alternate Route (AAR). The individuals were:

RCSC

Susan Hetrick                         Classis of the Southwest

Mitch Kinsinger                       Classis of East Sioux

Jay Wilson                              Classis of the City

AAR

Greg Ten Brink                        Classis of Holland

Paul Thé                                 Classis of California

All the individuals either have a promise of a call or serve in a ministry in which they plan to continue. The following is the information we have on these individuals…

• Susan Hetrick has the promise of a call to be an Associate Pastor at The Garden (formerly Glass & Garden Community Church) in Phoenix, AZ. She earned her M.Div. at Phoenix Seminary.
• Dr. Mitch Kinsinger is a religion professor at Northwestern College in Iowa. He earned his M.Div. at Western Theological Seminary and his PhD. At the University of Iowa. His ordination service is scheduled for Sunday, February 19^th at 2:00 PM, American Reformed Church, Orange City.
• Jay Wilson will continue to be a therapist at the Counseling Center of the City Church San Francisco. He is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) of Orlando, FL.
• Greg Ten Brink will continue to serve as an Assistant Pastor at Beechwood Reformed Church in Holland, MI. He did his graduate studies through Western Theological Seminary and RTS online of Charlotte, NC.
• Paul Thé is the pastor of The Bridge, a church plant in the Classis of California. He has been serving the church as a Commissioned Pastor.

Ordination and installation services will be announced as we learn of them.

Twenty-fifth Anniversary of First TEA/MFCA Class

These are the individuals who received the CFM in 1987 and who are celebrating their 25^th anniversary…

Steven Allison
Alan Baker
Dale Bovenkamp
Celaine Bouma-Prediger
Steven Bouma-Prediger
David Crump
Andrea Godwin-Stremler
Kevin Harney
Rita Joyce Honcoop
Daniel Kroeze
Kent Landhuis
James Lankheet
Scott Manetsch
Scott Rees
David Van Lant

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule… Cor has had a major ankle injury and may not be able to travel as planned over the next few weeks… please see this schedule as tentative:

February 15 – 16        Chicago, IL (CANCELLED)

March 20 – 23            Philadelphia, PA

March 28 – 30            Holland, MI

April 8 -16                  Family Vacation

May 20 – 22                Holland, MI

June 2 – 20                 Holland, MI

June 21 – 26               Palos Heights, IL

As predicted, the enrolment numbers for the MFCA has declined and the number of candidates, which stood as high as “103” two years ago, is at “84” at this point in time. More candidates are graduating and withdrawing from the program compared to applicants being added. Three candidates were admitted to the regular program at the RCSC Certification Committee this past week whereas the RCSC Committee recommended three candidates for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM), thus, not changing the bottom line. The three candidates admitted by the RCSC Committee all come from the Regional Synod of the Heartland and the Classis of Dakota, Classis of Central Iowa and the Classis of West Sioux.

As well, two RCSC candidates withdrew over the last month and thus the enrollment for the RCSC program again declined.

The AAR Certification Committee recommended two candidates for the CFM earlier in January. Although the AAR Committee considered three applications, not one was deemed eligible at this time. The committee is carefully applying the eligibility criteria and even though the three applicants may be eligible in the future, the committee decided that the respective classes had not provided the rationale and information to the committee for an affirmative decision to be forwarded. The last news feed explains the criteria for eligibility.

In total, between the MFCA, New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS), and Western Theological Seminary (WTS) there are 245 candidates preparing for ordained ministry in the Reformed Church in America. The MFCA, when active applicants are included, represents 42.5% of those candidates.

Western Theological Seminary (WTS) represents over 51% of the candidates. The WTS numbers have been increasing steadily as the “Distance Learning” (DL) program has grown and become established as one of the best in the country. The addition of the Newbigin House of Studies (NHS) has also impacted the WTS numbers since NHS is a new presence for WTS on the West Coast.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Katie and Nic Pope proudly announce the birth of Emmy Louise Pope on Monday January 23 at 8:19 pm.  She weighed 10lb 4oz. Nic has been the pastor of Sequoia Community Church in Fresno, California and is completing his ordination requirements with MFCA. He is a graduate of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

February 1                      Orange City, IA

February 2                      Sioux Falls, SD

February 8 – 12               Orlando, FL

February 15 – 16             Chicago, IL

March 20 – 23                 Philadelphia, PA

March 28 – 30                 Holland, MI

Winter and the AAR Certification Committee both arrived in Schenectady, NY this past week. For the first time, the committee met in this wonderful upstate city at First Reformed Church. The location is the home church of committee member Dr. Bradley Lewis, and having the meeting there allowed him to teach his economics class at Union College on the Friday morning.

This somewhat unique location was also within driving distance for three other committee members and one of the candidates being interviewed. The other two candidates who had to be interviewed flew from California and Michigan.

The Approved Alternate Route (AAR) committee meets a couple of times per year, and has three responsibilities  for the MFCA. The committee determines eligibility for those wishing to pursue the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) process by way of the AAR, agrees on a program that each admitted candidate will be asked to complete, and assesses the candidates fitness for the CFM according to the standards set by the General Synod.

The committee welcomed a new member at this meeting; Mrs. Norma Coleman – James, an elder at Six Mile Reformed Church in New Jersey. The committee comprises of seven members, two elders, three ministers of Word and Sacrament, one of which is in specialized ministry, and two General Synod Professors. The General Synod Professors represent both RCA seminaries, New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Western Theological Seminary (WTS).

Determining a candidate’s eligibility for the AAR process in order to seek ordination in the Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a responsibility that must first be visited by the classis. The Book of Church Order states:

“The classis shall determine: (1) the candidate has at least five years’ experience in leadership in the church; (2) the consistory has demonstrated compelling need for the candidate’s ministry; (3) the candidate provides evidence of the call, gifts, and experience for the ministry of Word and sacrament; and (4) the candidate, for compelling practical reasons, cannot complete a master of divinity degree at an accredited seminary.”

When a classis is able to satisfy itself that the four criteria have been met, the classis explains each criterion and submits the application to the AAR Certification Committee. The committee will consider the application and will either admit the candidate or determine that the candidate does not adequately meet the four criteria. It is not unusual for the committee to deny an application and ask a classis to explain their reasons and if the classis desires to re-submit the application, the arguments will have to be more clearly stated. As was the case this past week, the committee can question one or two of the criteria.

If a classis has not documented that at least five years of experience in leadership in the church had been part of the applicant’s past, the committee will request more information if it is available. Often, criterion #4 is questioned, especially when a candidate is young and if they reside close to an accredited seminary. Even when a candidate does not live close to a seminary, the availability of a distance M.Div. program such as offered through WTS and now Newbigin House of Studies, can provide reasonable access. 

Although there continue to be those for whom the AAR process is the only means for attaining ordination in the RCA, there is also a growing trend that more individuals choose to earn an M.Div., or choose to serve as Commissioned Pastors.  The Ministerial Formation Certification Agency (MFCA) being the agent assigned to oversee the AAR process, along with the AAR Certification Committee, remains committed to help candidates meet the RCA requirements for ordination to the office of minister of the Word and sacrament.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We wish to express our condolences to Susan Hetrick in the passing of her mother on December 24^th. Susan wrote:  “My mother Nancy Peck, went home to heaven on Christmas Eve. She was only 71 and had been fighting a long battle against PSP (Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy), a very rare neurological disorder. It finally won after stealing her ability to control her muscles, speak, and swallow – she was down to 72 pounds at her death. My family considers it a gift that she went to heaven on the day we celebrate Jesus’ coming to earth - my dad had been praying for a peaceful end to her struggle for a year. We are all glad that she is at peace now, despite the fact that we’ll miss her dearly.”

Congratulations to our own Amy White on the birth of a new grand daughter on January, 16^th. Stella Marin White was born on Martin Luther King Jr. day and weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz.  Home is Long Beach, California.

Candidate Suzanne Vogel will be starting a new position this coming week. Upon coming back from winter intensives at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS) she will begin her role as a corporate chaplain. She will be serving at Vermeer Manufacturing in Pella, Iowa.

We apologize to those who planned to take RCA History & Missions DL this winter. We had to cap the course at 20 individuals and place a number of you on a waiting list. It appears that everyone in the course will remain, and the waiting list will have to be carried over to our summer intensive course in Holland, Michigan or to next year’s DL course.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s Travel Schedule

January 17 – 19                        Des Moines, IA

January 18                                Dubuque, IA

January 23 – 25                        Phoenix, AZ

January 31 – Feb. 2                   Sioux Falls, SD

February 1                                Orange City, IA

February 8 – 12                        Orlando, FL

March 20 – 23                           Philadelphia, PA

Register Now for Winter Courses!

Time is running out for those who plan to take one of the MFCA courses commencing next week. Our records indicate that many more folks were planning on taking the online courses than are presently listed on our registered rosters. Three courses begin on January 16 and registration needs to occur ASAP. Please email or call the MFCA registrar, Ms. Kelly Talsma, at ktalsma@rca.org or 562-408-2520.

Basic Hebrew Tools                   (Non-credit)                      Rev. Dr. Chad Pierce

RCA History & Missions DL         (3.0 or Non-credit)            Rev. Dr. Dennis Voskuil

RCA Polity DL                           (3.0 or Non-credit)            Rev. Dr. Cornelis Kors

Also, registration for denominational event “Conversations” closes on Wednesday, January 4^th. If you desire to go and hope to have MFCA scholarship money, please register today. https://www.rca.org/2012conversations

Rev. Johannes Bekkering

I learned of the passing of Rev. John Bekkering this week; he was in his 96^th year. Rev. Bekkering was our pastor at First Reformed Church in Hamilton, Ontario when we arrived as immigrants from the Netherlands in June of 1960. I remember well the time that he came to our house with a box of groceries because my dad could not find work during the first few months of our time in Canada… we literally did not know in those days where our next meal was going to come from.

John (Joop) Bekkering was the first person to ever suggest that God might have a special plan for my life and that I might be called into ministry. He was the one to push me out of my comfort zone as a 10 year old, by having me share some words from the pulpit at the closing service of VBS. He was the one, every time I encountered him during my visits back to Ontario, who assured me he was praying for me in my position with the MFCA. He never lost track of me, and I am confident that he was truly praying for me throughout the many stages of my career.

I honor Rev. Bekkering on this page because I believe his life and ministry display what all of us should strive for. In total humility he served the Lord, keeping prayer at the center of his ministry, while time and time again challenging young people to be attentive to God’s plan for their lives. Praise God for the life of John Bekkering!

New Year’s Reflection

“It is better to fix problems than to prevent errors” is a statement made by Peter Sims in his recent book Little Bets. This book was a Christmas gift given to me by my son-in-law (we pick names and he was the one responsible for my gift this year),and I decided to read it before starting the New Year. The book was written for a business audience, and according to the back cover description was sold as a book that “offers a whole new way of thinking about how to break away from the narrow strictures of the methods of analyzing and problem solving we were all taught in school so that we can navigate uncertain situations and unleash our untapped creative powers.”

I also decided to read the book because the upcoming New Year appears to be presenting me with a daunting number of challenges for change and innovation, and thus I was ready to have someone provide me with a map for my journey into 2012. So, with a Bible in one hand, and this business book in the other, I spent the last days of 2011 and the first couple of days of 2012 reflecting on how I might navigate a number of fragile and volatile decisions. Prayerfully, I have attempted to understand the challenges ahead while seeking divine insight and courage.

Sims encourages readers to “fail forward” - to fail quickly - in order to facilitate a quick learning process for perfecting procedures and tasks. He seems to feel that if we find out what doesn’t work through our up front failures during experimentation, we can correct our direction and get things right. He suggests that we identify the problems and get down to fixing them in the shortest time possible. Although this strikes me as counter intuitive, past experience has taught me that one does learn significantly from failure. When I think of Jesus’ disciples, I see them time and again falling short and learning quickly what needed to be learned. After all, Jesus was with them only a short time and Jesus had to equip his disciples for the greatest task ever undertaken in the history of the world. Jesus seemed to model the “fixing of problems” approach as opposed to “creating preventative measures.” He was clear in his instruction “go and sin no more.”

My time of reflection has allowed me to name where I hope not to fail, while at the same time not suffer the paralysis of analysis by my attempts to prevent failure. According to Sims I should be willing to fail at small things as I strive toward perfection. “Healthy perfectionism is internally driven in the sense that it’s motivated by strong personal values for things like quality and excellence.”

So where will my experimentation take me? And, where might failures and retry attempts occur? The following come to mind:

• The development of the Graduate Certificate program that is being developed with Newbigin House of Studies / Western Theological Seminary.
• The inaugural classes that will be offered in Paramount, California with the new Video Conference equipment.
• Program adjustments with a lower enrollment and the major shift of candidates toward the eastern part of the continent. (87% of MFCA candidates reside east of the Rocky Mountains).
• Spanish speaking candidates continue to have difficulty gaining access to seminary training and MFCA needs to better position itself to fill the gap.
• More efforts are being coordinated with the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), and Formula of Agreement partners are adapting to new challenges in theological education in ways that may impact the RCA.

Therefore, I ask for your understanding and cooperation as we make changes in our program. Failures will happen as we attempt to achieve a perfected program to serve the RCA…

Cor

Picture Above: When not reading and reflecting, Cor spent time with his grandchildren... The two Seattle grandchildren were not only thrilled with the weather in Southern California, but also loved going on bicycle rides.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Susan Hetrick has received a promise of a call as Associate Pastor to Glass and Garden Community Church in Scottsdale, AZ. Susan is in her final stages of the CFM process and hopes to be ordained by the Classis of the Southwest this winter.

The installation service for Marijke Strong is scheduled for January 22, 4 p.m. at Fellowship Reformed Church, 300 N 168^th Ave., Holland, Michigan. Anyone who is in the area is welcome to attend.

We received word that Debbie Braaksma's mom, Phyllis Williams, passed away.  She was 91 years old and had been ill for some time now. Deb presently works for the PCUSA in Louisville, KY in their mission office.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s Travel Schedule

January 11 – 13                        Schenectady, NY

January 17 – 19                        Des Moines, IA

January 23 – 25                        Phoenix, AZ

February 8 – 12                        Orlando, FL

The equipment is in my office and installed, and it’s now all about anticipation. The equipment I am referring to is video conferencing equipment that will facilitate “live” interaction for instruction and meetings. The “anticipation” I am referring to is future uses of the equipment, and the possibilities for services for not only the MFCA, but  various others as well.

Much of what the MFCA hopes to accomplish with the equipment remains on the drawing board while other partners are beginning to think of ways to use the system.  Other partners include Emmanuel Reformed Church (ERC), various Christian colleges, Classis of the City, and the Hispanic Training Program that Rev. Eddy Aleman offers in Southern California, Central California and possibly Northern California. MFCA is committed to sharing the equipment with others during times when it is not in use by the MFCA.

ERC has an aggressive church-planting goal and there is a need for quality preparation of dozens of individuals to lead those churches. The MFCA shares facilities with ERC and thus the partnership is a natural development.

The MFCA is negotiating with Western Theological Seminary (WTS) a means for offering a Graduate Certificate in Urban Ministry through Newbigin House of Studies (NHS). The program would involve a combination of online courses and interactive multi-site video-conferencing classes. Starting with online courses presently offered by the MFCA this January, students could possibly be meeting in class in Paramount, California while receiving live instruction from the Eastern time zone…. as soon as this spring. Conversations are under way with Western Theological Seminary (WTS) about the possibility of a New Testament course and New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) about a Church History course in the spring of 2012. A full program would be offered in the late summer of 2012 if the arrangements are finalized. 

The concept of a “Graduate” Certificate is extremely attractive for the Paramount location because it will allow individuals to prepare for various ministries with the possibility of earning graduate credit from an accredited seminary. Prospective candidates for church planting and urban ministry in Southern California, from both the Reformed Church in America (RCA) and the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), would be able to have access to affordable seminary education on location. Those who might later want to earn a graduate degree such as an MA or M.Div. could use the credits earned as part of the certificate program toward such a degree.

Although it will require some changes on the part of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the accrediting agency for seminary programs in North America, there is the hope that the MFCA will be able to host cohort groups of students seeking to earn the MA or M.Div. degree in Southern California. This would be a future possibility and would most likely be a few years away. If ATS does not make the necessary changes, MFCA would have available the option of creating a Graduate Certificate program that would be designed around the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) requirements. The AAR program is designed for those who are called to be a Minister of Word and Sacrament, but for compelling practical reasons are not able to earn an M.Div. degree.

Since these developments are all under discussion it is not possible to provide more specifics at this time. But let us emphasize one thing… with the equipment installed and working; there is plenty of reason to believe that the implementation of the Graduate Certificate program will soon become reality.

 Testing the new interactive equipment in Paramount, CA. @ the Reformed Theological Studies Centre

CHRISTMAS GREETING

The staff at the MFCA Office wishes everyone a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year. May the joy and hope brought into the world by the birth of our Lord Jesus reside in everyone’s heart!

Amy, Kelly and Cor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The congregation of Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, where MFCA alumni Rev. Jon Opgenorth, Rev. Bob DeBoer and candidate Rob Vanderlune serve, has been asked to stay out of their worship space due to an unsafe roof. An engineering firm has deemed the sanctuary space “off limits” and thus the congregation has been forced to move to Northwestern College and use Christ Chapel. This could result in some major changes for the Orange City congregation…

Rev. Jay Carroll will be wed to Cora Watkins on December 16^th at Brunswick Reformed Church in Brunswick, Ohio. Congratulations Cora and Jay!

Devon Kors will be marrying Carizza Sioco on Sunday, December 18^th. Father of the groom, Cornelis Kors will be conducting the ceremony.

Rev. Mike Altena has accepted a call to the American Reformed Church in Luverne, MN. Their last day at Hope Reformed Church in Montevideo, MN will be on Christmas, and then Lord willing; they will join with ARC on January 9.

CREDO CLUSTER “C” REGISTRATION OPENS

Cluster “C” of the online Credo course beginning January 30, 2012 has space available for a few more students. The course will begin with orientation on January 16,  allowing candidates to complete their credo by early June. MFCA candidates who hope to be awarded the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) can complete the credo requirement by successfully completing Cluster “C.” Those interested should contact Kelly Talsma at ktalsma@rca.org.

For the second year in a row the MFCA has not been able to offer an RCA course in Spanish; the reason being that there are only a few eligible candidates to take such courses. Given the mission of the MFCA to prepare and credential candidates as Minister of Word and sacrament at a graduate level, it is outside the agency’s mandate to offer the courses to a larger audience if there are no MFCA candidates who enroll.

   A goup of Spanish speaking students at the Paramount location two years ago.

Despite some setbacks, creative efforts are being spun. Beginning in January, special arrangements are being made for Spanish speaking students who wish to take RCA History & Missions DL and RCA Polity DL. Select students will be able to do written assignments, including discussion blogs, in Spanish. These two courses are exclusively online courses and Rev. Janelle Koolhaas – Lopez will be assisting the instructors with the Spanish-speaking students.

Although the students will have to do much of the reading and listening in English, efforts will be made to provide as many resources as possible in Spanish.

A similar program will be offered as part of two summer intensive courses. RCA Standards and RCA Worship will include a section directed by Rev. Koolhaas – Lopez as the teaching assistant. Students will participate in the English speaking class and have the support of the teaching assistant available. The students who prefer this will complete assignments in Spanish.

If there is a large enough enrollment of Spanish-speaking candidates, consideration is being given to the possibility of having Rev. Koolhaas – Lopez lead a separate RCA Worship class that will be led exclusively in Spanish at the same time as the English class. Dr. Tim Brown and Dr. Gregg Mast will teach the English-speaking class. DR. Scot Sherman will teach the RCA Standards course. In being offered as coinciding experiences, there will be efforts to have overlap, especially in times of community worship and meals.

Both RCA Standards and RCA Worship will be offered in Holland, Michigan in June. Dates are June 4 – 8 and June 11 – 15, 2012. Those interested in these courses should contact the MFCA Office in California at 562-408-2520.

OPPORTUNITIES

First Reformed Church of Waupan, Wisconsin is seeking an Associate Pastor.

The Associate Pastor will partner with Senior Pastor for the spiritual welfare, overall programs, growth and life of the church.  This person will provide spiritual leadership in areas of Seeking God, Nurturing one another, and Reaching others through discipleship.  In cooperation with the Senior Pastor the Associate is responsible for outreach, worship, family ministry, assimilation, personal evangelism, and assist the Senior Pastor as needed.

The MFCA office has a more detailed position description on file. Contact Rev. Bob James for more information @ pastorbobjames@gmail.com 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Aimee Peterson, spouse of candidate Paul Peterson, had back surgery in Minneapolis, MN this past week. She remains in hospital and hopes to go home to North Dakota soon. Please remember the Petersons in your prayers.

Ben Kappers was ordained as Minister of Word and sacrament this past Sunday. Ben is called to and serving at Baileyville Reformed Church in Illinois. He is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

Josh Lickter was ordained to Minister of Word and sacrament this past Sunday in Roseville, California.

Registration is now open for the three courses starting on January 16, 2012. If you have not received the registration material from MFCA registrar, Kelly Talsma, please contact her ASAP and have her email the material to you. The courses are:

Basic Hebrew Tools                        Instructor: Dr. Chad Pierce

RCA History & Missions DL              Instructor: Dr. Dennis Voskuil

RCA Polity DL                                Instructor: Dr. Cornelis Kors

These courses are online courses and do not include a residential component. The Basic Hebrew Tools course is non-credit only. The other two courses have the option of credit or non-credit.

Courses are designed for MFCA candidates. Others, such as Commissioned Pastor candidates are eligible if they provide transcripts of an undergraduate degree and a statement declaring the purpose for taking the course.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kevin Karhoff continues to improve after his surgery and remains as an out-patient in Omaha, NE.

Marijke Strong received approval for her visa this week. Although there is much paper work left to complete, she hopes to move to Holland, Michigan in December to begin fulltime duty at Fellowship Reformed Church.

Greg Ten Brink's father continues to struggle with health issues... please remember him in your prayers. Greg is in the final steps of the AAR process.

Scholarships to attend the “Conversations” event in Orlando, FL are available to MFCA candidates. Please contact the MFCA office regarding application.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule:

November 17 – 18                                   San Francisco, CA

Nov. 29 – December 1                             New York, NY

December 5 – 6                                       Minneapolis, MN

December 9 – 11                                     Seattle, WA

December 12 – 13                                   Grand Rapids, MI

January 11 – 13                                      Albany, NY

January 23 – 25                                      Phoenix, AZ

The MFCA Board of Trustees met in Paramount, California on November 3 – 4 and stepped into its life under policy governance.  The board now consists of eleven individuals, two from General Synod Council. New board members include Rev. Miriam Ippel – Barnes and the General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Thomas DeVries. Since Dr. DeVries was in Europe at the time of the meeting his designee, Rev. Dr. Ken Eriks sat in for him.

Rev. Miriam Barnes is a pastor from Canajoharie, New York. She is a Western Theological Seminary (WTS) graduate and is married to MFCA graduate Rev. Eric Barnes. We are thrilled to have Miriam on our board.

At the meeting this past week the Board of Trustees awarded six Certificates of Fitness for Ministry. Congratulations to the following:

Sally Coppersmith – Hovenga               Classis of Holland                   Fuller

John DeGroff                                       Classis of Dakota                   AAR

James Eastland                                   Classis of Columbia Green       Fuller

Jose Garreton                                      Classis of Ontario                  AAR

Ben Kappers                                       Classis of Wisconsin               RTS, Jackson

Julia Turner                                        Classis of New York                Union, NY

CONVERSATIONS

Conversations is an event designed to put a finger on the pulse of the RCA and allow us to share stories, learn from one another, and discern the future direction of the RCA. The event will be held in Orlando, FL and the purpose is to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit together as a denomination.

The MFCA will make six scholarships available to candidates who could not otherwise participate. Those interested in attending can apply directly to the MFCA Office. Applicants must be an active MFCA candidate and should submit a brief statement as to why they wish to participate.

The Details

• Conversations needs leaders from across the denomination--every church, church plant, chaplains, specialized ministers, emerging leaders, seminarians, and retired ministers.
• The event runs from Friday evening, February 10 through Sunday morning, February 12.
• During Conversations, you'll hear from RCA general secretary Tom De Vries, engage in small-group and large-group conversations, and celebrate the work of Our Call.
• On Saturday night we will gather to hear from Efrem Smith, an Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) minister who planted a church called Sanctuary in North Minneapolis in 2003, launched a community development corporation out of the church, and now serves as the superintendent of the Pacific Conference of the ECC.

From CCT (Churches Coming Together)

“We hope to have 30 seminarians join us for Wednesday, February 15^th, at our 2012 Annual Meeting of Christian Churches Together in Memphis, TN. This is an excellent opportunity to help mentor future church leaders from each of our five faith families. On this day, we will be engaged in deep discussion regarding the impact of racism on domestic poverty. The seminarians and young church leaders will no doubt be able to contribute as well as to benefit. It will be an excellent day for seminarians and other young leaders to see CCT at work and to see the Holy Spirit at work within CCT.”

MFCA candidates interested in attending should contact the MFCA Office. There are no scholarships available for this experience and candidates would have to provide their own travel.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Rev. Sarah Naber - Samson on the birth of a son. The baby's name is David John Samson, born 10/12/11, 4:14 a.m., 8 lbs., 6 oz., 20 inches. Sarah is a Fuller Seminary grad and currently serves as a hospital chaplain in Cleveland, Ohio.

Rev. Keith Poppen recently had surgery for the second time on an ankle. Keith is a Christian therapist who resides in Sacramento, CA.

Rev. David Vandervelde has received and accepted a call to Ebenezer Reformed Church in Stoney Creek, ON, Canada. Dave and his family will be saying farewell to Bethel Reformed Church in Abbottsford, BC. He is a graduate of Regent College and serves on the AAR Certification Committee of the MFCA.

Rev. Bart Keefer was officially installed at Maranatha Reformed Church in Wainfleet, ON, Canada. He had been serving as interim at Ebenezer in Stoney Creek, ON.

Marijke Strong continues to wait on a visa to enter the United States. She has been called to Fellowship Reformed Church in Holland, MI and is eager to begin her duties. Pray for the visa to come through and patience for Marijke as she waits.

November has arrived, and with it a new season begins for the MFCA and its candidates. Various things need to happen as new courses appear on the horizon and registrations need to be submitted.

For those who must complete the Bible Content Exam, there is only a little over a month left before having to register for the February session of the PCUSA examination. The link for those who have to register is: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/prep4min/bible-content-exam/

Cluster “B” of the credo course begins writing today, and if someone planned to complete their credo as part of cluster “B” and did not sign up, it remains a possibility to contact our registrar and sign up today… ktalsma@rca.org

Three MFCA online courses begin January 16^th… They include:

Basic Hebrew Tools – an online course designed for the AAR program; Dr. Chad Pierce is the instructor. Only offered on a non-credit basis.

RCA History & Missions DL – The MFCA requirement taught by Dr. Dennis Voskuil. It is exclusively online and has  credit and non-credit options.

RCA Polity DL – The MFCA requirement taught by Dr. Cornelis Kors. It is exclusively online and has credit and non-credit options.

MFCA courses are designed to meet the requirements for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) and thus are offered as credit and non-credit. The intent is that most individuals will take the course as non-credit. The non-credit option requires the same workload, but allows for  minimal tuition costs to participants.  The courses are offered at a graduate level and students must provide transcripts and documentation indicating that they are capable of doing Master’s level work.

Those taking the courses for credit will pay the full tuition and Western Theological Seminary (WTS) will record the credit. All WTS academic regulations apply to the courses. Credit transfer to the student’s seminary will occur by “Letter of Transfer” and the student has the responsibility to request the transfer.

Although still in the “negotiation” stage, the MFCA is making arrangements to begin a cooperative effort with Western Theological Seminary (WTS) and Newbigin House of Studies (NHS), which may begin as early as late January. The new effort will include a smart classroom at the Reformed Church Theological Centre in Paramount, California (Where MFCA Office is located). Classes will be offered synchronously between Holland, Michigan, San Francisco and Paramount, CA. MFCA hopes to sponsor a cohort group in Southern California that will allow candidates to complete courses toward the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) at a significant savings of time and money in an urban context.

More announcements will be forthcoming as arrangements are completed. For now, the MFCA asks that individuals and churches keep this new initiative in their prayers and to consider assisting the MFCA financially. The equipment to make this possible will require a significant investment on the part of the MFCA. Please contact the office at 562-408-2520 if you would like more information or would be interested in helping financially with this new venture.

 The smart classroom at the Reformed Church Theological Centre will be similar to the one pictured here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Regina and Daniel Brunz announce the safe arrival of Samuel Jae William Brunz;  born October 8, 2011 - 7lbs. 3 oz.  - 21 and half inches. Daniel is an applicant to the MFCA process and attends Sioux Falls Seminary in South Dakota.

The Classis of Central California announces the ordination of Joshua Lickter on November 20 at 4:00 PM at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Roseville, CA. Joshua is a licensed candidate from the PCA and has recently completed the MFCA requirements.

Kevin Karhoff continues to reside in Omaha, NE receiving treatments for cancer. Please keep Kevin and his family in Mitchell, SD in your prayers.

OPPORTUNITIES

Associate Pastor: The Crossing, a church plant in Sioux Falls, SD is seeking an associate pastor to lead in the areas of discipleship, small groups and family ministries. Contact information is available at sethsundstrom@gmail.com or the MFCA Office.

Lead Pastor: Emmaus Church in Langley, British Columbia is seeking a lead pastor. The church leadership is hoping to enter into a new season of ministry with extra emphasis on prayer. The contact for this position is Albert Spaa - aspaa@shaw.ca.

TRAVEL AND MEETING SCHEDULE

Cor’s calendar includes the following:

November 3 – 4                      MFCA Board of Trustees

                                               Paramount, CA

November 9 – 10                    Candidate Consultations

                                               Fresno, CA

November 17 – 18                  Newbigin House of Studies Inauguration

                                                San Francisco, CA

December 9 – 11                     Seattle, WA

December 12 – 13                   Grand Rapids, MI

This past week I have been reading N.T. Wright’s book Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today. I am in part trying to stay current with some of the latest scholarship in the Biblical and Theological fields. As well, I am attempting to get better acquainted with the work of N.T. Wright before I experience him in person at the inauguration of the Newbigin House of Studies next month. Wright will be a speaker at the event held in San Francisco on November 17 – 18, 2011.

Wright’s book is a refreshing read and it stimulated much thought for me. The book provides a view of scripture and how the mission of the church needs to be embedded in scripture in order to be effective and relevant. I would recommend the book to all MFCA candidates.

Wright concludes: “the shorthand phrase ‘the authority of scripture,’ when unpacked, offers a picture of God’s sovereign and saving plan for the entire cosmos, dramatically inaugurated by Jesus himself, and now implemented through the Spirit-led life of the church precisely as the scripture-reading community.”  (Pg. 115) He suggests we shape our mission as the church by discovering “what the shape and inner life of the church ought to be.” (Pg. 116) We are challenged by Wright to always place our mission efforts by first looking to “God’s purpose for the entire world” as revealed by God in scripture.

For me, this became more real this Saturday as I was part of our church’s efforts in Compton, California. The Compton Initiative involved a couple of thousand people volunteering their time and energy in restoring the City of Compton. This enormous project is founded in Emmanuel Reformed Church’s (http://erc.la) understanding of scripture and God’s purpose for the world; and in particular the urban centres’ of the world.

The more I discover God’s heart in scripture, especially in how it is portrayed through the story of Jesus when He walked this earth, the more convicted I become about participating in acts of mercy. I am also convinced that the Holy Spirit uses scripture to reveal new and fresh ideas that cannot only invigorate our mission, but also direct mission so as to require us to think in new ways and take risks.

Below are some opportunities that have recently come to our attention... please look them over and pray about whether or not the Lord is directing you to participate in these ventures. MFCA candidates are eligible to apply for $500.00 scholarships to use toward the costs of the opportunities listed as well as the Sankova Experience announced last week...

Pictures:The pictures above are taken at the Compton Work day this past Saturday, October 15, 2011. The visual images, as well as the words on the sign and T-shirt illustrate how God's purpose for the world can drive the mission of the  church...

OPPORTUNITIES

World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) - Global Institute of Theology (GIT) - Yogyakarta, Indonesia - June 2012

Are you a student of theology preparing for the Christian ministry, OR a pastor in your first years of ministry?

Would you like an opportunity to learn and interact with other theology students/pastors from different parts of the world?

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) will hold its third Global Institute of Theology (GIT) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 8 June to 1 July 2012. The Global Institute of Theology gives theological students and faculty from all over the world, an opportunity to learn, teach, and do theology in an inter-contextual and ecumenical way, situating the theological task in local, regional and world contexts.

Here are some things that former GIT students have said about it:

• The GIT is a great opportunity to meet and make friends with Christians around the world. I have really enjoyed the whole experience. I have been encouraged by the thoughtfulness and friendliness of the students and staff. I will remember you all fondly (James Church, United Kingdom).
• GIT 2010! Awesome!! And the students… I have no words to explain!! I have hope for tomorrow with these kinds of people. I am blessed a hundred (Lucy Wambui Waweru, Kenya).
• I am very glad to be able to mention a voice from my heart and my context that makes me clear of my identity and my vision as well. I learned a lot (Lal Hhim Puii, Myanmar).

You could be one of the participants for the GIT 2012, taking part in lectures, seminars, exposures, contextual experiences, the sharing of stories, and life of the churches in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

If you would like to know more about the GIT, visit our website www.wcrc.ch or send an e-mail to wcrc@wcrc.ch. The MFCA Office also has more information.

Fill in the registration form and send your completed application to us before December 1 2011.

WESTERN SEMINARY J-TERM BODERLINKS OPPORTUNITY

The WTS J-term experience at the Mexican border mentioned in last week’s news feed can be accessed at http://www.borderlinks.org/education

Since 1987, BorderLinks has been facilitating delegations in the Arizona-Sonora region and beyond the border to Chiapas, the Copper Canyon, Alamos, Chicago, and Santa Barbara.  These immersion visits offer groups the opportunity to interact with our neighbors in the U.S. and Mexico.  Our delegations visit with individuals and organizations that provide basic assistance to migrants, create community-based alternatives, advocate for just policies, and much more.  You will meet with people that are directly affected by current economic and immigration policies, and you’ll be given tools and resources to work for justice.  

Workshops:  Our Community Workshops provide educational dynamics and activities to groups who are either not able to participate in a delegation, or would like a shorter educational experience for their class, church, or civic group.  Offered on a sliding scale basis, Community Workshops provide interactive learning experiences around issues such as immigration, fair trade, economics, privilege, and intercultural understanding. 

Most years Western Theological Seminary (WTS) has cooperated with the MFCA and made available to the candidates the opportunity to join the J-term cultural immersion experiences. These have proven to be rewarding experiences for our candidates as well as a wonderful means to develop relationships with faculty and students at WTS. At the present time it appears that there remains space in the Mexican border experience and perhaps the Sankofa trip that is co-sponsored with the Reformed Church in America (RCA).

The RCA supports several training programs that help participants understand and combat racism, and engage with people of different cultural backgrounds. This is all part of “Our Call” and a “Multiracial Future Freed from Racism.”

Sankofa is a West African word that means "looking backward to move forward." It implies that as we engage the RCA's multiracial future freed from racism, we must look backward to see the contexts and experiences of our multiracial past punctuated with racism.

Sankofa is a cross-racial/ethnic three-day bus trip that helps Christians move toward righteous responses to racism. This intensive, interactive, cultural awareness training involves exploring historic sites and viewing videos and provides times for processing the experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. In addition to consciousness-raising, the trip invites participants to grow to understand and value each other. Participants move toward healing the wounds and racial divides caused by hundreds of years of racial injustice in the United States. Participants become more equipped to fruitfully address racial righteousness in our church, our nations, and our world.

Here is a link:  https://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=5699

Those MFCA candidates interested in participating with WTS students and other RCA folks are encouraged to contact the MFCA office and register their interest. Please contact AmyWhite at awhite@rca.org.

RCSC Certification Committee Meets in New Jersey

The RCSC Certification Committee met at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey this past week. The committee conducted interviews of seven candidates as well as processing other business. The committee is recommending four individuals for the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) and the MFCA Board of Trustees will decide on the recommendations at its November 3 – 4 meeting in Paramount, California. The committee also admitted eight applicants into the CFM process. Those admitted were the following:

Tim Grade                    Classis of the Rocky Mountains        (Denver)

Jesse Henkle                Classis of Pleasant Prairie                (UDTS, Dubuque)

Jeffrey Knol                  Classis of North Grand Rapids           (Princeton)

Christopher Meester       Classis of Pleasant Prairie               (Luther, St. Paul)

Grant Mulder                 Classis of Chicago                          (Northern Baptist)

Erick Schalk                  Classis of North Grand Rapids           (Grand Rapids)

Tricia Sheffield              Classis of New York                         (Princeton)

Brandon Van Marel        Classis of East Sioux                     (Covenant, St. Louis)

The new group of applicants portrays the trend that has been true for the MFCA in the past few years. Most of our candidates now reside east of the Rocky Mountains. Most of the potential applicants at the moment appear to be from New York with an increasing number attending Alliance Theological Seminary.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

October 12 – 14                      Chicago, IL

October 18 – 20                      Sioux Falls, SD

October 24 – 26                      Chicago, IL

October 27 – 28                      San Francisco, CA

November 3 – 4                      Paramount, CA (MFCA Board)

November 17 – 18                  San Francisco, CA (Newbigin)

December 9 – 11                    Seattle, WA

December 12 – 13                  Grand Rapids, MI

The news feed has not been posted weekly as of late because the staff of MFCA has been extremely busy, in part travelling more than usual. There have also been numerous regularly scheduled events that have consumed our time such as AAR case study examinations, online courses starting, and preparations for committee and board meetings.

The MFCA staff is also immersed in looking to the future and how it can serve the RCA better. The last few weeks the staff ‘s attention has been given to the creation and development of video conferencing for the purpose of having live interaction between folks in Paramount, California and sites across the country. MFCA hopes to have state of the art video conferencing ability by January 2012 so that seminars, courses, and meetings can occur with live interaction between New Brunswick Theological Seminary, Western Theological Seminary and Newbigin House of Studies.

Church planting expert and pastor at Emmanuel Reformed Church, Rev. Eddy Aleman, hopes to be able to maximize his training of pastors by being able to teach classes in Spanish and have full participation of individuals in a room in Paramount, California as well as a group in Modesto, California. Aleman is also a member of the MFCA Board of Trustees.

Dreams for the video conferencing equipment include the possibility of providing Masters level courses to a cohort of students who reside near our Paramount, California site; many of them involved in ministry with Emmanuel Reformed Church and the new churches being planted in Compton, CA. Just as Western Theological Seminary is providing M.Div. possibilities to folks in San Francisco (and Newbigin House of Studies), it is our hope that they will be able to do the same in Los Angeles with MFCA.

Speaking of the future and MFCA endeavors to serve the RCA better, I have included in my planning the addition of program possibilities for MFCA candidates. It is a growing concern of the MFCA Board, as well as the denomination and mine, that future leaders in the RCA be adequately trained and made aware of racism, sexual ethics and sensitivity to disabilities. If a candidate’s seminary covers those areas well it is not a pressing concern for MFCA. When they are not covered, it is my belief that the MFCA in its oversight of the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry aught to provide training and awareness for those entering ministry in the RCA.  

I hope that as part of what we offer that we can include anti-racism training, a sexual ethics program (as we did in the 1990’s) and an awareness of disability concerns. How these will flesh out remains to be seen and I invite readers to assist me in this endeavor. For now, I am thinking that we will use the Saturday between our two weeks of intensive courses in June for workshops and seminars. Expanded use of our video conferencing equipment might also be an option.

PICTURES:  The upper picture above is of Greg Ten Brink meeting MFCA staff members Kelly Talsma and Amy White during RCA staff days held at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI

The lower picture was taken by Cor as he visited New Brunswick Theological Seminary - he was able to observe an experiment which allowed President Gregg Mast and Dean Renee House to navigate the NBTS campus in wheelchairs. The conclusion was that the campus was not wheelchair friendly and many obstacles encountered were such that both needed the help of others in order to access parts of the campus.

COR’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE

September 27 – Oct. 1            Toronto, Ontario

October 4 – 7                         New Brunswick, NJ

October 12 – 14                      Chicago, IL

October 18 - 20                      Sioux Falls, SD

October 24 – 26                      Chicago, IL

October 27 – 28                      San Francisco, CA

November 17 – 19                   San Francisco, CA

The MFCA office will be closed for most of this week; Monday through Thursday. The staff will be attending the RCA staff days in Michigan. If there is a crucial matter that needs your attention that cannot wait until Friday, please email Cor at ckors@rca.org or try his cell phone at 562-522-4189.

The special course designed for AAR candidates (but not restricted to them), Greek Basics and Tools, begins this week on September 15, 2011. This is an online, non-credit course taught by Dr. Chad Pierce.

Those interested in taking the course should contact Kelly Talsma this week by email (ktalsma@rca.org) and be prepared to purchase the latest edition of Bibleworks.

OFF THE BOOK SHELF

Cornelis Kors

Most summers I have the opportunity to read at least a dozen books that have been referred to me by colleagues. This summer I only managed four or five books recommended. Family obligations and an extremely busy schedule restrained and minimized my reading time. Included as part of my reading were two of Rob Bell’s books including Love Wins, Wes Granberg-Michaelson’s memoir, Unexpected Destinations, and the one I want to share some quotes from: How I Changed My Mind About Women in Leadership: Compelling Stories from Prominent Evangelicals, edited by Alan F. Johnson, Zondervan Press, 2010.

Convicted of my position, fully in favor of women in leadership, I did not need to be convinced or have my mind changed. That happened years ago and was reinforced as I served on the Commission for Women in the 1980’s. This book served more as an opportunity to read other people’s stories and to connect with individuals who debated the issues in very similar ways to me and who are recognized as solid evangelical Christians…

Cornelius (Neil) Plantinga wrote the following: “But why would God want women to be subordinate? What probable reasons could God have? Yes, Eve was created second, but Scripture tells all kinds of stories in which God elevates the younger over the elder. Yes, Eve sinned first, but why would a gracious God keep reminding good women of this unpleasant fact by subordinating them to men for the rest of human history? It struck me that the big command of God’s Son to do unto others as you would have them do unto you made it tough to subordinate women. I wouldn’t want to be subordinated for no discernable reason. So why would I be willing to subordinate women? And how about the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself? Doesn’t that command lead in the same direction as the Golden rule?

So here is my dilemma. I wanted to be inclusive where women in the church are concerned. I also wanted to be obedient to what seemed the plain teaching of Scripture in I Corinthians 14 and I Timothy 2.” Plantinga admits he finally came to terms with his dilemma when he understood the hermeneutic regarding slavery and Scripture as the same hermeneutic for women in leadership.

Bill Hybels explains how the folks at Willowcreek “concluded that before the fall, men and women related to each other as coregents, both bearing the image of God and called to join together in caring for the world He had created. Both men and women were responsible to fulfill their ministries of service.” Gilbert Bilezikian, professor emeritus of Wheaton College and member at Willowcreek wrote, “The more I advanced in the study of the Word of God, the more baffled I became at the suggestion that God would divide his people right down the middle, half chiefs and half Indians.”

John Armstrong, an ordained minister in the RCA writes: “I am struck by the comments of N.T. Wright when he said that after spending decades of academic study in Romans, he found Romans 16 to be one of the most important chapters in the entire letter. He says this because of the mention of women who were in leadership -  Phoebe, Mary, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis and Junia.

I encourage others to read this excellent book. It represents the predominant RCA position on this matter and even if it doesn’t change one’s mind, it provides wonderful food for thought.

Hurricane Irene has caused amazing amounts of damage along the Eastern seaboard, and included in its wake are numerous RCA churches. The flooding, more so than the wind, appears to be the main culprit. As I write this there remain numerous areas where individuals are stranded and locked in (or out) by water.

I recommend that individuals get the latest on the RCA churches at https://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=7594. Churches where MFCA graduates serve; reporting damage to their sites include Rev. Jeff Kelley in New York, Rev. Vicky and James Eastland in New York, Rev. Sherri and Rev. Mike Meyer–Veen in New York, Rev. David Kahler in New Jersey, and Rev. Bethany and Rev. Corstian Devos in Pennsylvania. There are many more and the information on them is available on the RCA website.

Many have posted pictures of the damage incurred to church buildings on Facebook. Included here is a picture from Jeff Kelley’s Facebook page of Middleburgh Reformed Church in New York. Please keep these congregations in your prayers, and if you are in the vicinity please consider volunteering to clean up and restore. The RCA link also provides ways to donate to relief causes.

 Picture from Rev. Jeff Kelley's Facebook... note the water level on the wall.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Luke Baehr has received a “promise of a call” from Silver Creek Reformed Church in Minnesota. He is prayerfully considering this call. Luke graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary this spring and is in the final stages of the MFCA program.

The Gundlachs proudly announce the birth of Rowan August Gundlach. Rowan was born at 6:45 PM on 8/27, 8 lbs 3 oz. He has a 21 month-old brother, Noah. Rev. Jonathan Gundlach is on staff at City Church San Francisco and also serves as the stated clerk for the Classis of the City.

Board member Rev. Eddy Aleman is a grandpa for the second time… Aiden Caleb was born on August 24^th in Toronto, Ontario, and he weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz.

Susie and Tim Grade celebrate the birth of Russell Potter Grade born on August 25^th in Denver. Both Susie and Tim are MFCA candidates and serve Pathways Church in Denver. A picture slide show is available at this link: http://kateborgelt.myshowit.com/russell_potter_grade_8_2011_slide_show 

Marijke Strong will be ordained as a Minister of Word and sacrament on September 9^th at Forestview Reformed Church in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. Marijke is still waiting on word from the INS regarding her visa to move to the US.

The MFCA office staff is busy with the preparations for the next round of AAR case study examinations. Six individuals are slated to write the case studies this fall. The actual process will not be completed until the end of January 2012 with oral examinations and personal interviews. Location is yet to be determined and effort will be placed into identifying the most central location for both the candidates and committee members.

At the same time, numerous new applications to the AAR process have arrived at the MFCA office. The AAR process is designed for those who for practical reasons are not able to earn the Master of Divinity degree. Once admitted to the process, the candidate, the classis and the MFCA director are asked to complete a customized program proposal.

The creation of the program proposal is a crucial component in the process; at the same time it is something that is often the most challenging for the candidate and the classis. In order to assist this process, the MFCA has posted a sample program proposal on the special blog site it has hosted for a number of years. Those charged with the creation of an AAR program proposal are encouraged to review the sample at: http://mfca4rca.wordpress.com/.

Program proposals are best when they utilize the eight criteria that are established as the standards for preparation process toward ordination; the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM). The sample does a good job of using the criteria, and those creating program proposals are encouraged to imitate the format of the sample posted.

The AAR Certification Committee, at its last meeting, also went on record saying that for assessment purposes, candidates will be asked to provide a complete bibliography identifying the books and resources that have been instrumental in the candidate’s formational and preparation process. Again, the committee would prefer to have the bibliography formatted according to the eight criteria. A sample bibliography is available upon request from ktalsma@rca.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Kevin Karhoff continues his fight with cancer and is dealing with much fatigue and nausea while he undergoes heavy chemo treatments. This new aggressive treatment process is being administered in an attempt to prepare Kevin for a bone marrow transplant. This is a busy time for the Karhoffs as school is starting up and Savanna (oldest daughter) is beginning college this month. Updates on Kevin’s situation can be found at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kevinkarhoff

Marijke Strong shared the following this week as she requests prayer… “Last month I received a call to the position of 'Minister of Congregational Care and Community Life' at Fellowship Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. I am so joyful about this role and excited to see how the Spirit is already at work in the hiring process and in my new relationship with the church. It just feels right.

However, now there's the question of immigration. The lawyers say a visa petition like this one could take anywhere between 15 days and 6 months (!) and they seem to have their eye fixed on the longer term... maybe so that we (the church and I) don't get our hopes up and then get disappointed. No doubt, if this petition takes six months there are a lot of practical living issues to work through, including finances and living arrangements back here in Canada... but I'd like to pray that it only takes a few weeks -- surprise :) Why not? God is full of surprises :)”

Rev. Rob Horstman was ordained and installed by the Classis of West Sioux on August 7th at the First Reformed Church of Inwood, Iowa.  Rob writes about the occasion: “God was glorified and praised and it was a great day for my family, the congregation and myself.” Rob is a recent graduate of Sioux Falls Seminary (SFS).

Rachel Daley has just completed a summer stint of CPE and will be flying to the Ukraine for a yearlong mission placement. She also graduated in May with her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) in New Jersey.

MFCA Board member Rev. Eddy Aleman requests prayer for his daughter Rebecca. She has type 1 diabetes and there have been numerous complications resulting in hospitalization this past week. Rev. Aleman serves at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, CA.

Rev. Andrew Schmidt had back surgery a week after his ordination and installation about four weeks ago. This week is his first week back at Celebrate Community Church in Knoxville, IA. Please remember him in your prayers.

OPPORTUNITIES

Emmaus Christian Fellowship in Langley, BC has established a search team and is seeking a new pastor to lead the congregation.  They are looking to become a praying church, with a praying leadership and therefore seek a praying pastor. Emmaus is a small diverse congregation in a large cosmopolitan area. 
Interested individuals can contact Mr. Albert Spaa at aspaa@shaw.ca or by telephone at 604-533-1340; cell 604-328-8880.

COR’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE

August 19 – 21                        Seattle, WA

August 23 – 25                        Grand Rapids, MI

September 6 – 8                      Grand Rapids, MI

September 12 – 15                   Holland, MI

September 20 – 22                   Newark, NJ

October 4 – 7                           New Brunswick, NJ

October 24 – 26                       Chicago, IL

GENERAL SYNOD APPROVES POLICY GOVERNANCE FOR MFCA

By approving the new bylaws for the MFCA the General Synod of 2011, at it’s meeting at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI., affirmed the move to Policy Governance. The MFCA Board of Trustees has worked diligently to adapt Policy Governance to its procedures. With the leadership of Board Moderator, Dr. Brad Lewis, Ms. Anne Mead and Mr. Bart Strong, the adaptation has worked out marvelously according to MFCA Executive Director, Cornelis Kors.

Policy Governance is driven by the formation of clear goals for the life of the agency. These goals are defined as “Ends Statements.”  The following ends statements will be what will determine the life of the MFCA:

E-l GLOBAL END:

The MFCA is to ensure the integrity of the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry for RCA candidates under its jurisdiction in order to strengthen the ministry of the RCA, as a faithful steward of the resources provided by the General Synod. 

Subends:

E-2   The RCA Standards for Preparation for Ministry are upheld and periodically reviewed

1. The process by which the standards are interpreted and applied is transparent to all
2. The RCA standards are upheld as defined and established by the General Synod

E-3   The Certification Committees will be provided the resources, information and support needed to conduct their work effectively; they will be equipped and held accountable to:

a.    Ensure that the RCA’s Standards for Preparation are adequately covered in the  examination of candidates;

b.    Engage candidates as brothers and sisters in Christ, respecting their privacy, rights and privileges and speaking the truth in love;

1. Deliberate with care and objectivity concerning the fitness of candidates, both for the sake of candidates and the RCA’s ministry.

E-4   Candidates will be provided the information and support needed to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate of Fitness; will receive careful, clear and timely feedback on their progress as candidates for ministry in the RCA; will be engaged as brothers and sisters in Christ, with respect for their privacy, rights, privileges and hopes; will be spared undue hardship in fulfilling the requirements for the Certificate of Fitness.

E-5   Congregations and classes are provided with resources and counsel to aid them in the care and nurture of MFCA candidates.

E-6   The ministry of MFCA graduates will demonstrate the dispositions, knowledge and practices set forth in the standards for preparation for ministry.

E-7   The ministry of MFCA graduates will show increasing competence, depth and integrity.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Classis of Cascades convened in special session at noon on Sunday, August 7th, 2011 for the purpose of ordaining Ho Byong Lee as a Minister of Word & Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America. The service of ordination and installation occurred at Lighthouse Korean Reformed Church in Kent, Washington. Rev. Lee will serve as the Associate Pastor and in charge of English Ministries.

Brittnee and Blaine Crawford were married on July 29th at Willow Ridge Manor in Morrison, Colorado. Reverend Harlan VanOort, chaplain at Northwestern College officiated the ceremony. Brittnee is a Resident Service Coordinator for Denver Housing Authority. Blaine is entering his final year at Denver Seminary. Congratulations!

Wednesday, August 3^rd, at Faith Church in Dyer, Indiana, Jason DeVries was ordained as a Minister of Word and sacrament.  A highlight for Jason was the fact that his grandfather, Elmer VanDrunen gave the charge to the pastor. Jason will continue to serve overseeing Faith's Valparaiso Indiana campus and is a recent graduate of Bethel Seminary’s “In Ministry” program.

Marijke Strong has accepted a call from Fellowship Community Church in Holland, Michigan to be an associate pastor. Marijke is a recent graduate of McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ordination information will be forthcoming…

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Cor’s travel schedule…

September 6 – 8                        Grand Rapids, MI

September 12 – 15                     Holland, MI

October 4 – 7                             New Brunswick, NJ

October 24 – 26                         Chicago, IL

Dr. Paul Fries has been serving the MFCA since 1993… 18 years. He has been an instructor of the RCA Standards course on a regular basis and he has been the only person to ever teach the credo online course.

As a General Synod Professor Emeritus who taught and was academic dean at New Brunswick Theological Seminary, Fries has been able to continue to utilize his wide array of gifts by serving the MFCA. Having come from a somewhat secular Lutheran background, he studied for years to acquire a broad and deep understanding of the Dutch Reformed tradition. Over the years he has established himself in the theological community and has made many valuable contributions to the Reformed Church in America and the Commission on Theology.

In August, Fries will again be leading candidates through the credo writing process. Cluster “A” has the largest enrollment on record and Dr. Fries will be busy this fall as he assists individuals in this important step of the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) process. He has been kind enough to accept ten (10) persons in Cluster “A.”

LAST CALL ON CREDO

MFCA Registrar, Kelly Talsma sent out all the credo information to those candidates indicating interest in taking the cluster “A” of the credo course. The cluster has a waiting list and as mentioned above, we will accommodate ten individuals who must take the credo course this fall to meet other program deadlines.

If you did not receive the email announcing the cluster, which starts in August, and need to take it, please contact the MFCA office immediately. Amy White will record your interest and a decision can then be made regarding a second section. Call at 800-435-5136 or email at ktalsma@rca.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Nathan Weller was ordained as a Minister of Word and sacrament in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, July 20^th. Nathan is a graduate of Ashland Seminary.

ANGEL CLEAN UP

The Learning Management System (LMS), Angel, was upgraded to version 7.4 on July 20, 2011. In order to fit the new structure of managing the users and courses/groups and reduce the administration overhead the Western Theological Seminary LMS staff have deleted inactive user accounts. Once an account is deleted, everything associated with the user will be permanently gone.

The MFCA office staff have reviewed the accounts that were earmarked for deletion and requested that we retain the one’s that needed to stay active in the future. We suspect we may not have caught all the accounts that need to be kept and if you have discovered that your account was deleted and would like to have it activated, please email the MFCA and inform the staff of your desire to remain active on Angel. ktalsma@rca.org or awhite@rca.org