General Synod 2025 News Summary

Delegates met for intensive engagement doing the work of the church over a six day period. However, if this meeting “could have been an email,” here’s what it might look like…

Worship at General Synod: one body, one hope

In [1 Corinthians 12:12-13], Paul speaks to us about unity, diversity, and dependence. These are vast differences today, but especially in Pauls’ world. This would have been revolutionary and countercultural in the early church. … While this drew distaste and mistrust from the culture and its leaders, this was exactly the appeal of the church for so many—everyone belonged. Everyone was equal. The church is not merely a human institution; it is brought into being by the spirit, who binds believers together in a living union with the crucified and risen Lord. 

A unity that is uniform is anemic and false; it is a poor representation of the God that we serve. The church should be a place where people gather and get along who have no merely human reason for doing so. But not diversity for its own sake—diversity so that the world will know the character and intention of God, so they will marvel at his goodness and power. … 

We come from different places. We face different challenges. We have different abilities and gifts. We don’t look the same or come from the same country, and praise the Lord for that. Some of us are single, some married, some parents, some not. We are brothers and sisters. We are ministers, elders, chaplains, specialized ministers, people in the marketplace—all of us faithful members of Christ’s church, seeking to see God’s name glorified. We hold different theological beliefs on some secondary issues, we disagree on finer points of theology—and yet it is good for us to be together. 

—Rev. LaCosta Van Dyk, preaching on 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 at closing worship

As the synod worshiped together throughout the week, unity was an unplanned theme, explored by several preachers who attributed the resonance to the Holy Spirit. Watch the recorded worship services from General Synod. 

• Thursday opening worship, with preaching by Rev. Paul Glover, Brooklyn, New York
• Friday morning worship, led by the African American Black Council
• Saturday morning worship, led by the Global Council for Hispanic Ministries, with preaching by Rev. Jael Serrano-Altamirano
• Sunday morning Pentecost worship, led by the Council for Pacific and Asian American Ministries, with preaching by Rev. Narayana Rendla
• Monday morning worship, led by the Native American Indigenous Ministries Council
• Tuesday closing worship, with preaching by Rev. LaCosta Van Dyk

Sarah Palsma and Brad Prince Elected

Delegates elected Rev. Sarah Palsma as the next General Synod president, and Brad Prince as the next vice president. Palsma is co-pastor of New Hope Church in Powell, Ohio. Prince serves as an elder at Christ Memorial Church in Holland, Michigan. They were installed at General Synod closing worship and will serve over the coming year.

Commissions

• The Commission on Christian Action primarily focused on guiding the church’s engagement with current social issues, specifically addressing spiritual abuse within the church and advocating for support and resources for immigrants and refugees.
• The Commission on Christian Discipleship and Education will work to streamline access to existing denominational resources, such as those published on Faithward, by acting as a bridge between local church leaders and the RCA’s wealth of educational and discipleship materials.
• This Commission on Christian Unity highlighted the RCA’s active participation in various ecumenical and interfaith initiatives, including its involvement with the World Council of Churches, Global Christian Forum, and efforts towards peace in Palestine and Ukraine.
• The Commission on Christian Worship primarily focused on reimagining its role to provide relevant worship resources and guidance to RCA congregations, encouraging revitalization, and deeper engagement with worship practices.
• The Commission on Church Order‘s main focus is to support the church by recommending changes to and providing interpretations of the Book of Church Order. Responding to direction from the previous General Synod, CCO brought a number of recommendations related to restructuring. Read more about their work at this synod in the content above.
• The Commission on History‘s report primarily focused on planning for the Reformed Church in America’s 400th anniversary in 2028, both in celebration and also by acknowledging its complex past. The commission focuses on preserving its historical records, while also supporting scholarly research and publications.
• The Commission on Judicial Business report focused on an appeal by a congregation that has petitioned to leave the RCA, and the procedural inconsistencies of its classis. 
• The Commission on Nominations presented a slate of candidates to serve on boards, commissions, and agencies, and advocated for training for commission moderators. 
• The Commission on Race and Ethnicity report focused on advancing the Reformed Church in America’s commitment to becoming a fully multiracial and multiethnic denomination by addressing institutional racism through policy implementation, anti-racism training, and strategic recruitment to increase racial and ethnic representation across its commissions and boards.
• The Commission on Theology primarily focused on providing theological guidance for the RCA’s continued mission. They addressed the importance of this work particularly regarding church planting and fostering unity and understanding amidst societal and ecclesiastical polarization by encouraging engagement with diverse perspectives.
• The Commission for Women‘s report focused on understanding and enhancing the inclusion, participation, and flourishing of women in all aspects of the Reformed Church in America’s life and leadership. They addressed challenges and advocated for systemic support.

General Synod also:

• Celebrated nine churches that officially organized or joined the RCA in the last year; 
• Honored retired ministers and missionaries who have left the mission field;
• Approved a Global Mission Partnership-in-Mission share rate of $7,000;
• Collected offerings for the Missionary Care Fund and the Children’s Mission Book Project; contribute to the General Synod offering;
• Finalized a change to the BCO that will allow gifted elders to supervise churches without an installed minister;
• Called for a task force to examine the implications of racially- or ethnically-based classes or middle assemblies;
• Heard from Global Mission, who honored the 150th anniversary of the Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions, along with past and present mission work;
• Commended governance best practices and resources to the General Synod Council; and
• Engaged in equity-based hospitality training.

Tools and resources for ministry

• Read “Welcoming the Strangers in Our Midst,” a paper by the Commission on Theology, and these resources on refugees provided by RCA Global Mission.
• Access resources for RCA congregations about how to support immigrants and refugees in their communities and beyond.
• Explore resources addressing mental illness: National Alliance on Mental Illness.
• General Synod resolved to make “The Use and Abuse of Power in the Church: A Brief Bibliography” available to all congregations, assemblies, and members of the RCA.
• General Synod commended a paper from the Commission on Theology, “The Manifold Wisdom of God and The Danger of Echo Chambers” to all congregations, assemblies, and members of the RCA.
• To learn more about the RCA’s partnership between World Relief and a cohort training that is forming around being churches of welcome for immigrants and refugees, contact equip@rca.org.