A report by Rev A.A.L. Aalderink
Yesterday, the session day ended early. After all possible routes to get out of the impasse were voted out, serious embarrassment with the situation that had arisen remained. For both moderates and all delegates. In the evening, the moderation committee wrote that on this last day of session, we would deal with only the most necessary things.
That's first about the work of support centre for local churches. Smaller municipalities may run into issues and questions that make survival vulnerable. For example, a congregation may not have sufficient manpower and finances in the future. But it may also concern the question: how to serve as a congregation in God's mission for this world.
It then turned to the appointment of the consultant on Church Order & Church Law, or rather the renewal of the consultant's contract. After discussion, the proposal was adopted.
We begin the afternoon with appointments of new deputies, among others. This may be a little contradictory, but it is still good if in that area the work of deputies can make some progress.
The rest of the day is dominated by the serious embarrassment in which the synod finds itself. Once again, there are many contributions where delegates let their hearts speak. These take up a lot of time. After a brief response from the moderation committee, four motions are tabled. After long adjournments, a vote is taken. The proposal of Rev Van der Rhee and others is adopted. This means that the synod will be conditionally closed. Only if there appear to be inescapably necessary files, or if "churches in large numbers indicate that they will return within the bed of the synodal decisions taken which are firm and binding, when they have first departed from them", will the moderation reconvene the synod on 3 June 2025.
The synod was closed after prayers by Prof G.C. den Hertog and the singing of Psalm 80 verses 5 and 9.
