This coming Sunday’s Congregational Meeting after the 10:00 a.m. worship service is for the purpose of acting on changes in the Pastors’ Terms of Call and to elect persons to serve in important leadership roles. The Nominating Committee will put before the congregation names of persons who have agreed to serve as Elders, Deacons, Trustees and Members of the Nominating Committee at Large.
On the one hand, this kind of meeting of the congregation seems wholly routine. On the other hand, when viewed through the lens of Reformed theology and Presbyterian governance, the business of this meeting represents the movement of the Holy Spirit among our congregation calling individuals to deepened levels of service through the commitment of their time and talent. It is evidence that we are the Body of Christ working together to usher in the realm of God. It demonstrates our ability to “be the church together” even when we have been apart from one another due to the pandemic.
The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) introduces the election of officers saying:
The Church’s ministry is a gift from Jesus Christ to the whole Church. Christ alone rules, calls, teaches, and uses the Church as he wills, exercising authority by the ministry of women and men for the establishment of God’s new creation. Christ’s ministry is the foundation and standard for all ministry, the pattern of the one who came “not to be served but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). The basic form of ministry is the ministry of the whole people of God, from whose midst some are called to ordered ministries, to fulfill particular functions… Ordered ministries are gifts to the church to order its life so that the ministry of the whole people of God may flourish.
It is for the flourishing of our congregation and for the church of Jesus Christ that we will hold these elections on Sunday, as routine as that may seem!
On Sunday, I invite you to stay after worship and participate in a moment in the life of the church, whether you are attending in person or watching the livestream. Those who are participating through the livestream will not be able to add voice to their vote, but we appreciate you tuning in for the celebration of these elections.
The list of the nominees for each office can be found here, and I hope that you will keep them in your prayers as they assume new roles of leadership for the church.
