This past Monday evening Central’s Session examined the incoming Deacons, Elders and Trustees and approved them as ‘ready to be ordained’. The Book of Order requires this examination as the next-to-last step in the New Officer process.
It all started last fall when the Nominating Committee began to meet and consider and pray about those whom God might be calling into leadership at Central. Sixteen people responded to the call of God and the call of the Nominating Committee — 6 Deacons-to-be, 5 Elders-to-be and 5 Trustees-to-be (normally there are only four, but we were one short!). At the Annual Meeting of the congregation in early March, these 16 people were elected to the respective offices. In the months since then they participated in a seven-week training program, have now been examined, and will be ordained and installed during our worship services on Sunday, June 28. Becoming and being a Presbyterian leader takes some work!
Most of Session’s examination of the officers-to-be is in the form of a small-group conversation. But when all the conversation is ended, each incoming officer shares her/his own personal statment of faith. The sharing of these statements is one of my favorite church moments of the entire year!
Each person is asked to offer a brief, present-day snapshot of his/her faith; reflecting on questions like: Where is God at work in your life? Who is Jesus Christ for you? What does the church mean to you? How do you experience the Holy Spirit? The incoming officers pray about these statements, and agonize over them, and pour their hearts into them. And what they produce is simply amazing!!
Most of the statements are offered with some degree of emotion, as the officers-to-be reflect on the joyous and painful and sacred moments of life that have shaped the faith they express. Those of us who are privileged to hear these statements, usually do so with moist eyes…and find that our eyes get moistened again and again and again. It is a holy time.
I think that stating what we believe, voicing our faith, from time to time is a good thing, and want to encourage us all to do this. For just like my body and my mind, my faith is forever changing and growing. What I understood about God a few years ago has been challenged and stretched by the Holy Spirit. My experience of love and community here at Central has changed how I talk about the church. My attempt to be a disciple of Jesus has been transformed as I witness others following him with greater passion and clarity of purpose. Voicing our faith gives us the opportunity to recognize how and where our faith has evolved, and gives us the words to express what our faith in Jesus means to us.
If we never give voice to our faith, pretty soon all we can tell someone else about what we believe is “it’s personal”! And, my friends, that’s not enough. Jesus doesn’t expect us to beat people up with our faith…but I believe he does expect us to be able to describe what God has done and is doing in our life, and be able to share the abundance of God’s love with others.
A personal statment of faith doesn’t have to be long. It may be prefaced with a story, but a good paragraph can capture one’s faith very well. Start with: “I believe that…….” I hope you’ll share your statement of faith with me, and perhaps even with all of us by commenting through the blog.
Now, please remember that this Sunday, June 21, we are worshipping on 7th Street, in a single service at 10:00 a.m. The service will be a blend of our Traditional and Celebration Worship, and this year will include communion. Bring lawn chairs, wear hats and sunglasses, be generous with the sunscreen, wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing for being outside on a warm summer day. Following worship the Fellowship Committee will be serving barbeque, and we are all to bring a side dish or dessert to share. It should be a grand morning.
I can’t think of a better day for sharing Central with a friend or neighbor or co-worker. Who will you invite? Go call them right now!!
See you on 7th Street for worship this Sunday!
As a teenager I embraced science and math and found dependability and trustworthiness there. Later in life I had a 15 year experience of psychotherapeutic activity and reading. That helped me sort out the benevolent and malevolent aspects of human experience. Then I joined Cen Pres for Bible study opportunities and learned to become more aware of the divine spark within me and to see, appreceiate, and relate to the divine spark in others. So I have sequentially learned to love God with mind, heart, and soul in my path to learning to love my neighbor. It feels like a good start.
Yes, as one of the session members in attendance Monday I was moved by these Statements of Faith. Heck I’m almost breaking up thinking about them and the similar Statements of Faith shared by the most recent Confirmation Class.
The power, the awe, and the love of our Lord was so apparent, both evenings.
(Kudos to the Nominating Committee!)