Over the last few months, General Synod Council (GSC) staff within the RCA’s Center for Church Ministry and Multiplication have been adapting in order to best serve and resource RCA classes, churches, and members—and adjusting after a number of staffing transitions. As announced last fall, this center brings together the work of Transformed & Transforming, Church Multiplication, and Race Relations and Advocacy into a unified team with one shared vision. Staff to the RCA’s racial and ethnic councils have also been enfolded in the center.
The focus of the center
The scope of the center is broad, yet unified in vision and collaborative in spirit. The focus is on equipping every church to be healthy and missional.
“The center is eager to help faith communities embrace biblical, equitable hospitality and welcome in both friends and strangers in respectful, barrier-free ways so they can truly belong, live into their God-given gifts and callings, and contribute in unique, strengthening ways,” says Rev. Liz Testa, director for women’s transformation and leadership. “Our ministry resources [and those we recommend] equip leaders and congregations with tools that adapt readily to different contexts, with a particular focus on next gen and intergenerational relationships, race relations, women, and people with disabilities.”
The center staff primarily connects with regional synod and classis leaders, who have a better pulse on the needs of the churches and ministers in their purview. After listening to these leaders, center staff are better able to offer the most beneficial training, equipping, and resourcing for the churches in these contexts.
“The classis is the closest entity that can get us in the congregation most effectively, to help transform the lives of congregations and thus congregants,” says Rev. Phil Assink, interim director of the center. “If a church in a classis calls us, we’ll ask how we can make it a larger partnership and…
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