General Synod Council Moves to Relocate the RCA’s Michigan Office

At its March meeting, the General Synod Council (GSC), the Reformed Church in America’s governing board, voted to approve the listing and sale of the Michigan Regional Center (MRC), located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“We are deeply grateful for the MRC and for every ministry that has been supported within its walls,” says Joshua Scheid, moderator of the GSC. “We are greatly encouraged by our shared commitment to steward the physical resources of the denomination to invest more sustainably in supporting congregations in the communities they serve. 

“This is a hope-filled moment for the RCA,” he says. “We are not retreating; we are repositioning for a new generation of ministry. A right-sized facility will help our staff maintain a right-sized focus for collaborative partnership with our churches as Christ continues to build his church.” 

The proposal was brought to the board by general secretary Eddy Alemán after careful financial analysis and strategic review, including an appraisal of the building.

“This proposal aligns stewardship, sustainability, and long-term mission impact,” he says. “This will free up more resources for ministry and mission, instead of maintaining a building that’s too big for us. It will also allow us to have greater financial stability long-term and move into a smaller space that better meets our needs.”

Dedicated in May 1993, the MRC is 32,000 square feet, including the DeWitt Ministry Center, which was added in 2017-2018. The building is co-owned by the General Synod Council of the RCA and the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes. However, the facility now “far exceeds the staffing footprint and needs,” states the proposal. Rental income from a few nonprofit organizations in recent years has provided additional income and some flexibility but does not fill or justify the excess space nor does it build equity.

“When the GSC was presented with the idea to sell the Michigan Regional Center building, we did not take the proposal lightly,” Scheid says. “In fact, initially we tabled the decision in order to discern better what God is leading us into.” The idea was first discussed at the GSC’s fall meeting, but more information was requested before a decisive vote could happen. The revised proposal was then brought before GSC in March and approved.

A portion of the funds from the sale of the MRC building will be used to purchase a right-sized facility, which has not yet been identified but will be in the West Michigan area. Purchasing office space preserves equity and avoids perpetual rent escalation, while significantly lowering annual operating costs compared to the current facility. There is a possibility of needing to temporarily lease office space depending on the timing of the sale of the MRC and the purchase of a new building. A recommendation for the use of remaining funds will be brought to GSC after the sale of the building is finalized; the proposal suggested placing them in an endowed fund to generate sustainable, long-term ministry support.

“By right-sizing our physical footprint, staff can focus more deeply on serving and equipping the middle assemblies, providing the level of support needed during this critical season of transition,” says Alemán.

“In addition, converting building assets into endowment and reserves reduces the pressure to raise additional revenue through covenant shares, helping ensure that churches are not burdened by annual increases,” he adds. “Taken together, this decision aligns with the RCA’s broader commitment to sustainability, stewardship, and strengthening our collective witness for years to come.”

The GSC owns approximately 90 percent of the MRC, while the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes owns the other portion. The regional synod, which will be dissolving under the RCA’s restructuring, has decided to sell their share and is partnering with the GSC in the sale of the building to maximize the overall return on this investment.

Following the GSC’s decision to approve the listing and sale of the MRC, the RCA’s advancement team directly connected with the donors whose generosity made the space possible.

“We had the opportunity to personally connect with the donors and to share this decision with them,” says Daniel DeCook, the RCA’s chief communication and advancement officer. “Their gifts blessed the RCA while staff worked in this building, and their original gifts continue to have impact now, allowing us to embrace right-sized stewardship, ownership with stability, and immediate and long-term financial strength.”

A broker’s open house took place in late April to begin to garner exposure and prepare the building to be listed in early May. The timing of the sale of the building and the purchase of a new one will depend on market conditions.

In addition to the MRC, the RCA currently has office space in Orange City, Iowa; New York, New York; and New Brunswick, New Jersey. Office spaces in New York and New Jersey have also been right-sized in the past, and GSC staff in California now work remotely instead of renting office space as a way to be fiduciary stewards of ministry resources. 

GSC invites others to join them in prayer

“When GSC met on Wednesday, we agreed to commit to a season of daily prayer for the ministry center transition,” Scheid says. He invited others to join the GSC in this season of prayer, and shared this prayer, written by two GSC members: 

O Lord, our faithful Provider and Protector, you alone are our dwelling place. 

We thank you for your faithful guiding presence throughout the history of the Reformed Church in America. In this season of seeking, Savior, like a shepherd, lead us and keep us steady when the ground feels uncertain. We entrust the sale of our Michigan Regional Center to your hands. Teach us to trust you rather than ourselves. 

By your Spirit, lead us into your provision with calm confidence. You are the God who leads us into green pastures for your name’s sake; so, make our hearts quick to follow and our steps sure. Grant us the right buyer in your time and prepare the right new space for the work of your mission. 

With thanksgiving, we pray your blessing on those whose generosity made our current ministry center a reality. Lead us from this place to the one you have already prepared, we pray, until our new mission outpost becomes a place of encounter and equipping that the world might know your saving love; in and through Christ Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.