General Synod

Annual Meeting

In its annual meeting, the General Synod sets the direction and tone for denominational ministry. It has authority in all matters relating to denominational program and policy. It also has general responsibility over all lower assemblies (regional synods, classes, and consistories).

General Synod 2021 will convene October 14–19 in Tucson, Arizona.

General Synod officers decided that the delayed, regular meeting of General Synod will convene with safety measures in place.

Read more about this decision

General Synod 2021

2021 Commission on Nominations Report

The Commission on Nominations typically presents its report and accompanying recommendations annually to General Synod in June. The June 2021 stated session of the General Synod was adjourned to October 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this report is presented to the General Synod Council (GSC) at its June 22, 2021 meeting. The commission asks that GSC approve the accompanying recommendations ad interim as specified in the Book of Church Order (Chapter 3, Part I, Article 4, Section 3). The commission will ask General Synod to approve all ad interim appointments at its next regular stated session.

View the report
Recorded June 10, 2021

Pro Forma Meeting


The sole purpose of these pro-forma proceedings, held on the day and time that General Synod 2021 was originally scheduled to convene, was to officially adjourn the 2021 meeting of the General Synod to October 14-19, 2021, in Tucson, Arizona.

The General Synod—

The governing body of the RCA

General Synod membership is made up of minister and elder representatives from each classis and regional synod. In its annual meeting, the General Synod sets the direction and tone for denominational ministry. It has authority in all matters relating to denominational program and policy. It also has general responsibility over all lower assemblies (regional synods, classes, and consistories).

Learn about the General Synod

Minutes of General Synod

The acts and proceedings from each year are recorded in the Minutes of General Synod, including reports and recommendations.

View past meeting minutes

General Synod Statements

General Synod papers provide guidance to the members of the church and are a part of the church’s witness in society.

View past synod statements

Reports to General Synod 2020

Although General Synod was postponed and will not take place in 2020 due to travel and gathering concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the reports submitted from ministry areas, councils, agencies, boards, and commissions are still valuable as they represent the work these bodies have done over the past year. Any requested actions of the General Synod contained in these reports will not be able to be acted upon this year, and they may be resubmitted in reports to the next session of the General Synod.

A Guide to Acronyms used in General Synod Reports

2019-2020 Rosters of General Synod Boards, Agencies, and Commissions

General Synod Council reporting as the Executive Committee of the General Synod

Racial and Ethnic Councils

Denominational Ministry Work

Overtures to the 2020 General Synod
– Appendix to Overtures

Agencies

Commissions

Because of the uncertainty surrounding whether or not General Synod 2020 would be able to take place, not all commissions submitted a report to General Synod 2020. Commissions that did not submit a report this year will be able to provide a report on their work in their report to the next session of General Synod.

Theological Education

Colleges