See reasons 2-4 for denying overture 2.l Remove Church Herald Assessment from General Synod Budget 4. An amount equal to the assessment for the magazine would enable the denomination to take much more seriously the recruitment, training, and continuing education of those in leadership and pastoral positions. Several of the churches in the Regional Synod of the Far West struggle with the amount expected of them in relationship to the value received. There are a limited number of churches distributing the magazine through 100 percent of their mailing list due to reasons of lack of interest, objection to the assessment, and uneasiness with its content. Continuing the Church Herald contributes to achieving the goals of the RCA's Statement of Mission and Vision, and of Mission 2000.
Print media continue to be an integral part of a comprehensive communication strategy.
See also reasons 2-4 for denying overture 2.l Deadlines for Responses to General Synod 5. The Classis of South Grand Rapids overtures General Synod to adopt a policy which states that when referrals are made to classes or consistories which request a response, the deadline for responses will be no earlier than April 1 of the following calendar year. Each year General Synod or its agencies refer matters to RCA consistories and classes with a deadline for response early in the following year. This is an unrealistic date since copies of the General Synod Minutes are not available until mid-September and many referrals do not reach the classes until after committees have met in preparation for the fall sessions of classis, which are usually held in September or October. Thirteen of the forty-six classes meet in September and don't meet again until the new year.