RCA RESTRUCTURING FEEDBACK FORM

RCA Restructuring Feedback Form

Thank you for taking the time to provide your perspective on the RCA restructuring. This form is due by February 1, 2025 and it will help us uniformly collect feedback as a next step toward the General Synod vote in June 2025. The Mid-Atlantics Regional Synod Restructuring Committee will read and prayerfully consider your feedback as we work to establish consensus for one or more middle assemblies for our region. The executive teams for each of our classes will receive a summary of responses for their classis. Thank you!
The Mid-Atlantics Restructuring Committee: James Hart Brumm, Chair; Cheryl Daniel, Licensed Candidate – Passaic Valley Classis; Michael Ehrenfried, Stated Clerk – City Classis; Chris Heitkamp, Stated Clerk – Delaware-Raritan Classis; Tom Henion, Jr., Executive Committee – Synod of the Mid-Atlantics; Sun Ju, Korean Coordinator – Greater Palisades Classis; Stephanie Kaper-Dale, Pastor – New Brunswick Classis; Robert Miller, Pastor – Greater Palisades Classis; Claudette Reid, Commissioned Pastor – Passaic Valley Classis; David Ruisard, Pastor – Delaware-Raritan Classis; Ancela Fransisca Rumokoy, President – New Brunswick Classis; Danielle Tullier, Vice President – City Classis; Jodie Wu, Executive Committee – Synod of the Mid-Atlantics
This form is being submitted on behalf of

An individualA group
If this form is being submitted on behalf of a group (ie Reformed Church of Tinton Falls, City Classis, etc...) please list the group name
Please indicate the classis or region that indicates your location

City ClassisClassis of Delaware-RaritanClassis of Greater PalisadesClassis of New BrunswickClassis of Passaic ValleyRegional Synod of the Mid-AtlanticsOther
If this form is being submitted on behalf of an individual, please list your name
Please indicate your role in your church and/or classis (ie Specialized Minister, elder, retired minister, classis clerk, member, etc...)
1. MISSION AND VISION
The RCA Restructuring Team recommends beginning by focusing on the Mission and Vision. The restructuring is intended to more effectively support all our leaders and ministries to be “Making disciples who participate in God's reign everywhere.”
1. What are some key foundational values for a Middle Assembly that you'd like to be a part of? What visioning aspects would draw you to a Middle Assembly?
2. In what one or two ways do you feel like Christ has called your church/ministry into mission in this next season?
3. Is there anything else you would like to share around this topic?
2. LOSSES AND GAINS
Our experiences of the RCA – and the experiences of our congregations – are unique. We each bring different concerns, fears, dreams, and expectations to this task. Plus, we don’t have clear guidelines or expectations for developing a Middle Assembly (or Assemblies). Please use the following space to record what is on your mind and heart as we begin to move forward towards a new assembly structure. We’ve suggested some questions to help guide your responses but our priority is to simply listen, so please don’t feel you need to answer all – or any – of these specific questions.
1. What do you hope you or your congregation/ministry gains as we move towards developing a Middle Assembly? How could a Middle Assembly best serve your congregation/ministry?
2. What are you afraid of losing from our previous structure (Classis and Regional Synod)? What do you want to make sure that you do not lose?
3. What overall concerns do you have for your congregation's, your ministry's, or your classis' future? (For example: if your ministry represents a specific ethnic group, do you have any special concerns?)
4. Is there anything else you would like to share around this topic?
3. SCALE AND SCOPE
For centuries, our classes and regional synods have operated with clear responsibilities within relatively fixed boundaries. The design of a Middle Assembly is a major opportunity and new challenge for all of us.

Because we are working with a blank page, new questions need to be addressed: What do we want a Middle Assembly to do? How much are we willing to pay in assessments? Who will be our ministry partners? These questions of scale and scope are foundational.

The RCA Restructuring Team that presented to the 2024 General Synod has suggested that middle assemblies consider staffing the following positions/roles: Middle assembly leader/executive, Stated clerk, Finance/treasurer, Other mission and vision-related staff. However, they also encouraged creativity. Some of these staff roles may be filled through partnerships with other middle assemblies (ex: sharing a stated clerk, finance/treasurer/CPA, etc.). Note: You can access the Restructuring Team’s guidelines using the QR code. or at this link.
1. What excites you about thie possibility of expanding and experimenting with our partnerships across the region?
2. What concerns do you have about the size (geography, number of ministries, staffing, etc...) of a Middle Assembly?
3. What kinds of regional opportunities (for example: youth ministry, leadership development, spiritual growth, worship, mission) would your leadership and congregations find inviting and be willing to invest in?
4. Is there anything else you would like to share around this topic?
5. Understanding that none of us will get our ideal middle assembly, if wewere to design a middle assembly, help us imagine what it would look like.How strongly do you feel about that?
THANK YOU FOR COMPLETING THIS SURVEY. IT WILL BE OF GREAT HELP TO OUR RESTRUCTURING COMMITTEE IN THEIR WORK. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HOLD US AND ALL OF OUR CONGREGATIONS IN PRAYER AS WE SEEK GOD'S WISDOM.
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RCA Restructuring Feedback Form