“There’s a ‘u,’” a chorus of voices rang out from the back of the room, wanting to be clear on the Canadian spelling as notes were jotted down from reporters sharing wisdom and challenges from their particular focus area to the gathering of Canadian Christian Reformed Church in North America members
In this first episode of The Banner Synod Recap, host Lora Copley talks with guest Nate Van Denend about the officers chosen for the Christian Reformed Church’s Synod 2026, what the officers’ roles are, and what to look forward to at this year’s annual gathering.Van Denend was Synod 2025’s president
The Evangelical Press Association and the Associated Church Press, two professional organizations for Christian publishing, had their annual conventions in May, distributing awards for work produced in 2025. This year the ACP hosted its convention jointly, in Toronto, Ont., with the Canadian Christi
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Fiona Murphy, was published April 27, 2026 on religionnews.com. It has been edited for length and Banner style. The Banner added the last three paragraphs to provide context for the Christian Reformed Churc
Three experienced officers and one new clerk will serve Synod 2026 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America as the assembly comes together in June in Grand Rapids, Mich.Delegates to Synod 2026 convened by Zoom video conferencing May 27 to elect the officers, test out the meeting tech, and p
Mount Hope (Ont.) Community Christian Reformed Church celebrated 150 years of gospel proclamation in its location at the end of May, even though only eight of those years were as Mount Hope Community CRC.The congregation, formed in 1952, used to be known as Mount Hamilton Christian Reformed Church a
Seven volunteer fabricators from Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa, are helping to increase production of Hope Haven International’s tiltable wheelchair, a tool developed in 2020 by engineering students at Dordt University.“Each wheelchair is carefully selected and tailored to m
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Tonny Onyulo, was published May 5, 2026 on religionnews.com. It has been lightly edited for Banner style.GOMA, Congo (RNS) — As gunfire and explosions echo across eastern Congo’s hills amid the ongoing viol
Gerard “Jerry” Lee Dykstra, a retired minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church of North America who served the denomination as executive director from 2006 to 2011, died April 27. He was 76.Before becoming executive director, Dykstra served one year (2005-2006) as director of denominati
The Christian Reformed congregations in Pembroke and in Renfrew, Ont., both born in the flux of Netherlandic emigration after World War II, have diminished in numbers to the point that neither congregation employs a full-time pastor nor has plans to call one. Yet both congregations continue to worsh
As the Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church met May 6 to 8 in Grand Rapids, Mich., the 60-member ecclesiastical board processed several items for the denomination’s upcoming synod (annual general assembly), heard about new pledges towards ministry shares, met and approved three cand
“Synod 2025 said we cannot stay where we are,” Resonate Global Mission director of church planting Rev. Tim Sheridan reminded the Council of Delegates as he presented the 10-year Strategic Plan for Church Planting for the Council’s endorsement at its May meeting. Synod asked for a plan, within a yea
The Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church, the 60-member ecclesiastical board that works on behalf of synod in between meetings of synod, approved Lee Carter, a member of Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Lansing, Ill., as the next director of the congregational support ministry Th
The Christian Reformed churches in southern California gathered for a joint service of worship and thanksgiving Sunday, April 19, marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the CRCNA’s oldest institution, Calvin Theological Seminary.Inspired by plans to celebrate the sesquicentennial in wester
Former pastor at Madison Square Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., and campus minister at Grand Valley State University in, Allendale, Mich., Rev. Darrell Delaney has been appointed new director of the Christian Reformed Church’s media outreach, ReFrame Ministries.Delaney will start work May 11, as part
The Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church in North America approved Rev. Lora Copley as its candidate to present to Synod 2026 for the long-term editor-in-chief appointment.Copley is currently The Banner’s interim editor, serving since December 2025. The Banner’s most recent editor-i
ThereforeGo Ministries recently appointed Amanda Roozeboom as executive director of the organization that has long been the main resource partner for youth ministry in the Christian Reformed Church.Roozeboom comes to the position after 10 years serving other roles at ThereforeGo, most recently as di
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Fredrick Nzwili, was published April 15, 2026 on religionnews.com. It has been lightly edited for Banner style.As the war in Sudan entered its fourth year in mid-April, the bombed Episcopal Church of Our Sa
After 107 years, the original sanctuary of New Holland (S.D.) Christian Reformed Church, has seen its last service. On April 26 congregants celebrated the final service in the building before it will be torn down to make room for a new, larger construction to begin in June. A fellowship hall, connec
Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley, Iowa, celebrated its 75th anniversary April 26. The congregation began as the Second CRC in Rock Valley and was named Calvin CRC in May 1951.The building the congregation currently uses is the church's second building, constructed between 1974 and 197