RCA Places & Faces Weekly(ish)

RCA Places & Faces Weekly(ish): 

I returned from General Synod last month and sat in my “queens chair” (i.e. the reclining chaise in my living room where my dog “Gnocchi” and I do most of our studying) to ponder the question… “What to blog about now”?  Synod was fun and even monumental in ways that we cannot yet even realize, but what do I have to offer up via this blog?  Well, the answer became very clear to me fairly quickly.  I “travel the RCA” more than most and have the direct opportunity to meet really awesome people, really often!  Thus, “RCA Places & Faces Weekly(ish)” is what I am excited to present to you.  I can assure you it has no “bend” to it whatsoever.  I meet really fine people, from all walks and “stations” of our denomination, who think all sorts of really fine things.  Now I will introduce them to you with the hope that we will see God in each other, say a little blessing for the person we have just “met”, and walk away feeling the links of this body becoming forever strengthened.  –Amen?! 

 As my favorite camp director would say "Himdag...Walk in Balance",

Kristin (& Gnocchi)

It really is amazing just how much of a chair one small dog can take up!

We are a Part of a 116 Million Christian Strong Church!

As a member of a small (but mighty) denomination, my chosen title here should strike you odd.  How are we each part of 116 million people when we are really only 100,000 in the RCA?  Well, let me introduce to you Dick Hamm, the Executive Director of Christian Churches Together (CCT) (www.christianchurchestogether.org).  Last night I had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Hamm here at the Ecumenical Dinner gathered at General Synod.  The RCA is a member of this forum among other historic Protestant churches as well as Evangelical Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, & African American churches.  The 36 member churches have a combined membership of 116 million Christians.  That feels truly impactful to me.  What happens when small clusters get together with others and then again with others?  We grow!  We do great things!

CCT seeks to empahsize that which unites us rather than that which divides us.  At present the focus of the group centers on domestic poverty and evangelism.  Much like I love knowing that I am a part of a congregation, which is part of a classis, which is part of a synod, which is part of a denomination... I really love learning that we are a part of an even larger ministry that focuses on unity and togetherness.  I pray that we will all make it our personal mission to understand our role in this group and pray for our work together even though at times it may feel like something "beyond us".  The funny thing is, it is beyond us... God is huge.  Amen?

From Smokey Row to Starbucks

Hi, my name is Kristin Tremper and I am a wannabe pastor :)  I hail from Pella, IA where the corn is nice but the tulips are better.  At present I am a distance learner at Western Theological Seminary, a wife of one whole year to Jason, a mom to two precocious Boston Terriers "Gnocchi & Lenny", a woman who is holding onto being in her twenties for about six more weeks, the RCA Relations Coordinator for Central College, and am blogging to you instead of writing my fourteen page exegetical paper on Genesis 12: 1-3 (The Call of Abraham) that is due in about a minute. 

As the representative of Central this will be my fifth General Synod.  However, it will be my first Synod as a participant and not just a "vendor"/observer.  It will be the first time I have done more than just write the update on Central for the "orange book" but also get to actually study it as a student in the Seminarian Seminar.  I am eager to learn and grow and to be a part of it all, especially during this pivotal and transitional year where we hope to elect our new General Secretary among many other things for us to prayerfully consider. 

Today I am synthesizing a few things.  First that I am exploring "The Call of Abraham".  Second, that I am not a person who was directly asked to blog, but instead responded "yes" to an all-call tweet by the RCA online.  Third, that we are calling a new Secretary.  Fourth, that many of you reading are called to be delegates (with voting power... you've got one up on me there).  And, fifth that those of you not called to Synod are called to care...to be home praying, to be cognisant of what is happening, and to "cheer on" the balancing act of faith and business as we aim to do the will of God.  I would love to hear what any of you out there see and think (& synthesize) as we shape this paragraph of our lives.