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The pastor of Owasco Reformed Church wants to serve alongside the denomination

General Synod delegates have elected EJ de Waard as vice president of General Synod 2019. He is pastor of Owasco Reformed Church in Owasco, New York.

“God willing, in his strength, we will serve together,” de Waard told delegates upon his election on Tuesday, June 12. “We will bring the gospel not only to upstate New York but to North America and beyond.”

De Waard will serve over the coming year alongside incoming synod president James Nakakihara.

De Waard has served Owasco Reformed Church for the last six years. He previously pastored Bethany Christian Reformed Church in Fenwick, Ontario, and Bethel Reformed Church in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He interned at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, California. In the past, he has served on General Synod Council and has been involved in both church planting and revitalization. De Waard earned his M.Div. from Providence Theological Seminary in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

He says he brings to the role of vice president “obedience in the strength of the Holy Spirit” to follow the call to worship God; “pastoral obedience in the strength of the Holy Spirit to disciple”; and “a robust Reformed understanding” of Scripture, church, and life.

He and his wife Sharen have three children and six grandchildren. His daughter, Janelle, is an RCA missionary in Romania.

See full synod coverage at www.rca.org/synod.