Structure
The basic unit is the local church, which is governed by the local session as elected by the congregation. All sessions within a geographical area (typically on a state-basis) meet every three months as a classis.
Nationally, delegates meet every three years as a Synod. The synod deals only with issues raised by a classis. Therefore, all synodical issues were originally raised by a session, brought to a classis, before coming to the synod. At synod, policies for the church are formulated, directions considered, and new ways forward explored. In between synodical meetings the financial commitments of the member churches are administered by a Synodical Board of Management, while all other matters affecting the church as a whole are looked after by the Synodical Interim Committee.
Permanent committees of synod include:
- World Development & World Relief Relief Work Group (WD&WR): Distributes funds collected for overseas relief work
- Solomons Task Group: Task group supporting the missionary work carried out in the Solomon Islands.
Read more about this topic: Christian Reformed Churches Of Australia
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“A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn.”
—C. Northcote Parkinson (1909–1993)
“Slumism is the pent-up anger of people living on the outside of affluence. Slumism is decay of structure and deterioration of the human spirit. Slumism is a virus which spreads through the body politic. As other “isms,” it breeds disorder and demagoguery and hate.”
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“... the structure of our public morality crashed to earth. Above its grave a tombstone read, “Be tolerant—even of evil.” Logically the next step would be to say to our commonwealth’s criminals, “I disagree that it’s all right to rob and murder, but naturally I respect your opinion.” Tolerance is only complacence when it makes no distinction between right and wrong.”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 2, ch. 2 (1962)