General Synod is taking place June 9-14, 2022, at Central College in Pella, Iowa.
From June 9-14, delegates from around the U.S. and Canada will come together in Pella, Iowa, for General Synod. They will worship together, fellowship, and deliberate and vote on many things related to the RCA’s ministry. Daily General Synod news roundups will be posted each evening at www.rca.org/synod.
General Synod plenary sessions will be videostreamed with a 30-minute delay. Starting June 9, the videostream and a schedule of plenary sessions will be posted on the synod homepage.
Social media coverage will offer a behind-the-scenes view of General Synod. Follow the RCA on Instagram for a visual taste of synod.
What is General Synod?
General Synod is both an event and a body of people. The event is a once-a-year gathering that shapes the direction of the denomination. The body of people who gather for the annual event make up one of the four assemblies of the Reformed Church in America.
Assemblies are the four levels of RCA government: consistory, classis, regional synod, General Synod. The Book of Church Order calls the General Synod the RCA’s “highest assembly and judicatory,” but “highest” doesn’t mean most important or that it’s the final authority; each assembly has authority over different things. General Synod’s authority is broadest, while the classis is the assembly with the greatest number of responsibilities.
Following the example of the early church, the RCA believes that decisions should be made by gathering people together to discern the will of God. Because the whole church cannot meet together at one time and place to make decisions, governing bodies made of those who hold an office within the church carry out the work of the church at various levels.
The RCA has a presbyterian government. Those who hold an ordained church office serve on governing bodies that oversee different levels of ministry within the denomination. But unlike in a political democracy, those in church office do not represent the will of the people; they represent the will of Christ.
The General Synod is primarily made up of elders and ministers, sent from classes and regions as voting delegates. It also includes corresponding delegates—who can speak to issues on the floor but can’t vote, make motions, or hold office—who represent boards, commissions, and others within the RCA.
At synod, these delegates work, worship, pray, and fellowship together for the better part of a week. The rest of the year, the General Synod functions through the General Synod Council, commissions, and agencies of the RCA.
Anticipated business
Western Theological Seminary is proposing a change to its bylaws that would give it “affiliated” status with the RCA. The proposed change would allow for greater self-governance while maintaining ties with the denomination; this recommendation came before General Synod 2021 and was referred to the General Synod Council for further consideration; adjusted bylaws changes are coming back to synod this year.
The Pastoral Formation Oversight Board (PFOB) is recommending a change in the ordination process for ministers of Word and sacrament. Currently, that process requires a Certificate of Fitness for Ministry from an RCA seminary or from the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency, as well as examination by the candidate’s classis. PFOB proposes renaming the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry, calling it instead a Certificate of Readiness for Examination, and making additional changes to the current process outlined in the Book of Church Order to place the responsibility for determining fitness for ministry with the classes, rather than the seminaries. PFOB considered a variety of proposals before bringing this recommendation, and has previously reported on its progress in 2019 and 2021.
Synod will also consider recommendations from its commissions, boards, and agencies. For the full agenda of General Synod, see the General Synod Workbook.
COVID precautions
Precautions will be in place to ensure the safest possible meeting in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the advice of medical professionals, General Synod officers set an expectation that everyone coming to synod be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted. Physical distancing will be observed throughout the meeting, and masking is encouraged. Delegates will also have single-occupancy lodging.
Observers can watch the videostream of plenary sessions but cannot be physically present in the plenary hall. With physical distancing of delegates, there’s not room for an observer seating area, and this also mitigates health risks by limiting the number of people present. The videostream will operate on a 30-minute delay and will be available at www.rca.org/synod.
All safety protocols were decided in consultation with medical professionals who are part of the RCA. Similar protocols were followed at the October 2021 General Synod in Tucson, Arizona.
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