The 25th Synod of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia will be held, DV, in the Langwarrin CRC, Victoria, Monday, 7-11 May 2018.
Synod will be preceded by a Prayer Service during the Sunday evening worship service at Casey Christian Reformed Church on Sunday 6th May @ 5:00 pm.
Rev. John de Boer of the Riverbank Christian Church of Launceston, Tasmania, has been elected as the chair of Synod 2018. As we think of those who lead Synod, those who will serve as delegates, and the host church of Langwarrin CRC, may we commit ourselves to uphold this gathering already now in fervent prayer.
Christian speaker and author, Jolene DeHeer, reflects on the gathering of Synod. She writes: "It is a high and holy calling to be a delegate to Synod where one is asked to represent one’s Classis, to deliberate important issues concerning the church, and then make decisions that will affect thousands of people. As delegates read through the “Agenda for Synod,” and try to understand the issues, reports, and overtures that will be presented, they may feel overwhelmed in two areas: the scope of the task before them and an awareness of their inability to carry out that task. Even though the task is daunting and our natural talents and abilities are wanting, there is one assurance the delegates can rely on, if they submit and surrender to God and the power of the Holy Spirit within them, they will have all they need to complete the work in a way that honors God and blesses the church. So in addition to being overwhelmed with the scope of the task and their inabilities, may each delegate also be overwhelmed with God’s gifts of grace and His promises to work through them.
"We can prayerfully support those who are serving at Synod by claiming these promises. May all delegates be able to rest in the fact that God longs to lavishly bestow upon them all they need so they will be able to accomplish more than they can ask or imagine because His power that is at work in them. May they never forget God is able to make all grace abound so they will have all they need at all times so they can abound in every good work. May they call out to God to fill them with all wisdom and discernment so they may be able to discern what is best. May each delegate experience God’s unrestrained love for them so that they will be able to love each other as He loves them. May they sincerely seek to live into the prayer of Jesus who said, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23) May their decisions be based on the truth of scripture enfolded by an attitude of grace.
Note: Jolene DeHeer's reflections come from the Prayer Devotional prepared for the gathering of the CRCNA Synod 2016