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Rev. Tom Draayer, Classis Rocky Mountain, has Parkinson’s Disease. So when he got up to speak, someone else held the microphone for him.

He noted that he wasn’t always this shaky. “Usually after I preach a good sermon, which isn’t very often,” he joked. “I always wanted to be a mover and a shaker in the CRC but I hadn’t planned on it this way.”

Then he turned more serious. “Pastorally, it is always appreciated when someone asks me what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s,” Draayer added. He expressed his thanks for the denomination’s excellent health plan, singling out John Bolt, the denomination’s director of finance.

Draayer’s comments came following a presentation to delegates about the CRC’s specialized ministries, one of which is Disability Services.

Delegates watched a video about the specialized ministries, which also include Safe Church ministry, Race Relations, Social Justice and Hunger Action, and Pastor-Church Relations.

“There was an aura of peace, gentleness, and compassion in that video,” noted synod president William Koopmans. “The people featured have such a compassion, such a heart for the people of the church. We love you for the way you love the church.”

“Thank you for helping us make this a healthier, happier, safer church,” Koopmans told the leaders of the specialized ministries, who came to the podium for a prayer of blessing.

Synod 2013 is meeting at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. from June 7-14. For continuous Banner coverage of Synod 2013, please follow The Banner on or on Twitter. You can find more tweeting by following hashtag . News stories will be posted at several times daily. For CRC Communications releases, webcast, and live blogging, please visit . Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are by Karen Huttenga.