Woman to head Christian Reformed Church assembly

6/21/2008

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Delegates to the 2008 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America elected a woman for the first time to serve as an executive for the annual assembly.

The Rev. Thea Leunk, pastor of Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, was elected vice president at the conference being held through today at Calvin College.

The Rev. Joel Boot of Jenison, Mich., was elected president of the synod for the second year in a row.

Sisters and brothers, this has been a long time in coming, Mr. Boot said of Ms. Leunk s election. This is an historic occasion. I consider it to be a distinct honor and privilege to be leading you through this.

Last year the synod voted to allow women delegates, which resulted in 26 women among this year s 188 delegates.

The Christian Reformed Church is a Protestant denomination with about 275,000 members in more than 1,000 congregations in the United States and Canada.