Pella, Iowa — A governing body that makes decisions for many churches in northwest Iowa has wrapped up their annual meeting.
The Reformed Church in America’s (RCA’s) General Synod met this week in Pella. Among their decisions, they decided to –
Make changes to Western Theological Seminary’s bylaws making it an “officially related” institution of the denomination rather than a directly RCA seminary. Western leaders pointed to a need for greater sustainability for the seminary, wanting to attract a wider pool of incoming students, and hoping to raise support from a broader group of donors. The change means that Western will now be solely governed by its board, with a few specified limitations.
Deepen its commitment to antiracism and move toward a multicultural and multiracial future freed from racism.
(and) Take steps to call for the Russian Orthodox Church’s suspension from the World Council of Churches (WCC) because of its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The denomination’s General Synod also heard from four members of the Restructuring Team, whose formation was approved at General Synod 2021. They provided an introduction and update to their work: considering sustainable restructuring options for the denomination moving forward. The team was formed last fall after long discussions about whether to allow gay clergy and about opposing views on gay marriage. The restructuring team has only met twice and is to give a final report to General Synod 2024.
