Plan Ahead for Inspire 2019 in Windsor

As you continue to make progress on your 2018 New Year’s resolutions, the Christian Reformed Church in North America invites you to consider making one for 2019 as well.

“Mark August 1-3 on your 2019 calendar and plan to join me in Windsor, Ontario, for Inspire 2019,” said Steven Timmermans, executive director of the CRCNA.

Inspire 2019 will be the second such binational gathering held by the denomination. Rich with prayer and song, Inspire 2017 drew more than 800 people to the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, Mich., for speakers, presentations, and times of being together to share ministry stories.

“Because of the positive feedback we received from people who said that Inspire 2017 refreshed, reinvigorated, and enhanced their ministries,” said Timmermans, “the Council of Delegates urged us to make it a more regular occurrence and to hold the next one in 2019.”

The Council of Delegates is the governing board that serves the Christian Reformed Church in North America in the interim between each annual synod. Made up of 52 members who represent every regional grouping of Christian Reformed congregations, this body met in October 2017 and enthusiastically endorsed the idea of holding another Inspire event.

Now, with a few months of planning complete, enough details about Inspire 2019 are in place to make it public.

Just as with Inspire 2017, said Timmermans, the 2019 event will offer participants “three days in which they can discover resources to help them in their ministry, connect with other ministry leaders for fellowship and support, and reimagine together what the future of ministry looks like in each of our congregations and in our denomination as a whole.”

What’s more, said Timmermans, Inspire 2019 will allow Americans to “head south of the border” and explore what Windsor, Ont., has to offer.

Windsor is in the southernmost tip of Canada and is located on the southern shore of the Detroit River, directly across from Detroit, Mich. Similar to Detroit, Windsor has a strong history in the manufacturing and automotive industries. Also, like Detroit, it suffered during the recent recession but is now beginning to revitalize.

Windsor is also within a three-hour drive of many Christian Reformed churches, which should make the event easily accessible to numerous CRC members.

“Inspire 2019 will take place at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts in Windsor,” said Timmermans, noting that this conference center is beautifully set up to host events of this kind. Some Inspire 2019 workshops might even be held in the Art Gallery of Windsor next door.

“As the details for Inspire 2019 come together, we’re excited to think about the way God might use this event to inspire us all in our ministry,” said Timmermans. “If you are involved in ministry of any kind in your congregation, please plan to attend. And if you live in the States, don’t forget to renew your passport or your enhanced driver’s license so that you can cross the border.”

To stay up to date as more details become available, sign up for CRC News or mark yourself as “interested” on the Facebook page for this event.