Fostering our Presbytery
By bghahn
A topic for discussing how to best foster our presbytery…
This entry was posted on May 27, 2009 at 3:27 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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June 11, 2009 at 3:17 pm |
I’m not entirely positive to where to begin this conversation, nor do I feel that I have all my thoughts in “good and decent order.” At the moment, I think perhaps that is a good thing.
I have grown up in this denomination. I have spent years learning the process and how our system of government works. I have practiced Robert’s Rules and guided others in their usage. I have committed myself, hoping to faithfully follow God’s call, to serve with love, creativity, passion, energy, intelligence, imagination, and to strive to uphold the peace, purity and unity of the church. While there are many ways in which I most likely cannot predict how these commitments will be upheld in my service, I did not, nor do I now, take them lightly.
And yet, I fear that perhaps our representation of Christ’s Church in this world has begun to show signs of serving the institutionalized embodiment, rather than the missional call. I believe that John Long’s comments at our recent meeting are indicative of that institutional movement, that when approached with a need to cut spending in certain areas, we chose to cut largely from the areas that would enable and enhance the living out of Christ’s mission in our communities, rather than sacrifice aspects of our institutional identity.
And I see this not only on the Presbytery level, but on the local church level as well. More so, even as a young(er), new(er) pastor, I recognize that I am a part of it. This truth pains me as much as, if not more than, seeing these truths springing up at the Presbytery level. I have ideas, but no answers at the moment as to how to proceed with my own life, servitude, and following. For me, it is an ongoing process of deep spiritual meaning.
All this is to say that I fear we, as the Presbytery of WNY, as Protestant churches of North America, have become too comfortable with ourselves in our current state of being. Perhaps, as we look at how we might address the budget short-fall we now face, we might also see an opportunity to take a difficult (and necessary?) look at who we are as Christ’s church, who we are as Christ’s representatives in this corner of creation, and ask ourselves: Where do our priorities truly lie? How can we more fully represent Christ – the true Christ, not our institutionalized identity of Christ – to a broken, hurting, hungry and neglected world around us?
I claim no answers, but I look forward to the conversation. Peace, hope and courage be with us all.
-Jason Cashing, Franklinville
June 11, 2009 at 4:28 pm |
Jason,
I’m sorry you missed our “lectionary” group yesterday. We were all pretty burned out, so we talked about the presbytery meeting instead. Now that Thomas B. has taken up Steve Phelps’ Roberts’ Rules mantle, we talked at length about that.
1. Presbyters address the congregation rather than the moderator, hoping for a more sympathetic hearing. We then sometimes judge and vote based on emotional responses rather than on what is best for the presbytery, whatever that word means.
2. We distrust and disallow our own system. Rather than allowing committees to do their work, and believing that they have done their best, we second-guess and add amendments upon amendments.
3. We speak too often and too long, but out of malice and without compassion for one another. One example–the microphones worked perfectly welll–when used properly. Another–accusing the presbytery of wasting money on unnecessary legal actions, when we were taken to court rather than the other way around.
4. We are in DIRE need of time-keeping! Why doesn’t Bronwen have some sort of assistance, as many other presbyteries do, so she can focus on her job?
5. We need to respect the worship, which no matter how late or how tired we are, or how early we need to get up the next morning, or how “bad” the roads are, or whatever–because worship is our FIRST purpose, and not the last. If we need to, move the Worship service. Installing the moderator shouldn’t be an afterthought. Sorry so many of you missed a beautiful worship service with a terrific message. By the way, I absolutely loved hearing Thomas presiding, because I had to really think about what he was saying, since he’s a little hard to understand at times. I was grateful for the reminder that those familiar words shouldn’t come by rote.
I humbly realize I may be in error here, but like Jason I’m new–even if I’m not as young as he.
Blessings, ya’ll.
June 11, 2009 at 8:58 pm |
Jason, Leslie – so much to respond to. What great insights you both have and I appreciate your efforts. For now, let me say this.
1) Is it apostasy for me to admit that “worship” is NOT the highlight of my life? Nevertheless, I would like to request a one sentence summary of the message you received from Presbytery worship.
2) Would it be helpful to have a person stationed at the congregational microphone to continually nudge the speaker to speak into the microphone so that all might hear?
3) Would it be helpful to have a time-keeper to help Bronwen, to help us stay on docket and not ramble? Yes, one of my many frustrations is when people read aloud what we have in print,i.e. the names of nominations.
4) Concerning the HUGE question of whether we are giving CPR to the institutional Church at the expense of furthering the mssion of Christ,
Robert Schuller built a huge Cathedral because he was convinced that would draw more people and more money. In some ways, he was right. But when does an institution slip away from it’s purpose and become only concerned with the self-perpetuation of the institution.
Another of the radical ideas I hope to present in future “forum” articles is that “Church happens more often outside Church than inside” Why? Because most Christians have left the institutional Church to live out their faith in the world. Of course, we think they haven’t been saved yet and they can’t possibly “make it” outside the Church, both concepts being wrong. Carry on
Gary Larson