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Interim Turnings

Kim Clayton • February 16, 2023

February Message

Next week, we turn to the season of Lent—a time of introspection, repentance, and taking account of our lives and our life together before God. Lent, then, is an especially fitting time for our Congregational Survey. The survey is a tool for introspection and taking account of the state of the church and our own commitment to it as we prepare for our future. Beginning on Monday, Feb. 27th, members of the church will receive a link to the survey via email. The link will remain open for a month. Your responses are sent directly to Holy Cow Consulting, the company compiling our results. The report that results from the survey will give us insight into our energy, health, and priorities as expressed by the members at this time. You’ll be hearing more about this effort over the next few weeks. If you are a member but do not receive an email link for the survey, please call the church office and one will be sent to you.

 

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and one of the readings is from the Book of Joel: “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart…Return to the Lord, your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

 

In the deepest sense, every one of us is in need of “returning to the Lord,” day after day, year after year, for there in so many ways, big and small, we turn away from God and the demands of discipleship. The Session recently studied the Book of Order (G-1.0301-1.0304) on The Meaning of Membership and The Ministry of Members. It is the Session’s responsibility to review the rolls of the church and to keep them updated and accurate. It has been many years since this has been undertaken. The Session, with the help of a small group, will be focused on this important task during the interim time to update our membership records. We will be reaching out to members with whom we have lost touch or whom we have not seen in some time to determine if they wish to remain in active membership and, if not, to encourage them to return or to seek a new church home where they may worship God and serve alongside others in the body of Christ.

 

Because we should all undertake regular times of introspection and reflection regarding our membership and ministry, I offer several excerpts from our PCUSA Book of Order for your own prayerful reflection. As you consider your own commitment and participation in the life of this congregation, take note of the bold language employed here—signaling the serious claims of our baptismal promises. While none of us fully meets these high standards, we benefit from taking stock of our spiritual health and our communal commitments within the Church, the body of Christ in and for the world.

 

On “The Meaning of Membership”: In Jesus Christ, God calls people to faith and to membership in the Church, the body of Christ. The Triune God, incarnate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, gives to the Church not only its mission but also its understanding of membership.

 

On “Welcome and Openness”: A congregation shall welcome all persons who trust in God’s grace in Jesus Christ and desire to become part of the fellowship and ministry of his Church. No person shall be denied membership for any reason not related to profession of faith. The Gospel leads members to extend the fellowship of Christ to all persons. Failure to do so constitutes a rejection of Christ himself and causes a scandal to the Gospel.

 

On “The Ministry of Members”: (Take a deep breath before you read this list…)

 

Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is a joy and a privilege. It is also a commitment to participate in Christ’s mission. A faithful member bears witness to God’s love and grace and promises to be involved responsibly in the ministry of Christ’s Church. Such involvement includes:

 

·   proclaiming the good news in word and deed,

·   taking part in the common life and worship of a congregation,

·   lifting one another up in prayer, mutual concern, and active support,

·   studying Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life,

·   supporting the ministry of the church through the giving of money, time, and talents,

·   demonstrating a new quality of life within and through the church,

·   responding to God’s activity in the world through service to others,

·   living responsibly in the personal, family, vocational, political, cultural, and social relationships of life,

·   working in the world for peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment,

·   caring for God’s creation,

·   reviewing and evaluating regularly the integrity of one’s membership, and considering ways in which one’s participation in the worship and service of the church may be increased and made more meaningful.

 

May this Lenten season be a time of reflection, renewal, and recommitment,

 

Kim

 

Interim Navigations

By Kim Clayton • January 18, 2023
One of the many wonderful things about Fredericksburg is the Rappahannock River that runs through the area. I never tire of seeing its ebbs and flows, the sand bars and the mighty rocks and tree debris, the waterfowl and the people who walk and jog beside it and, in warmer days, wade, raft, and paddleboard in it. It is the longest free-flowing river in the eastern United States, running approximately 184 miles. One website offers this advice: “Although the river is very beautiful and seems calm and serene in most places, it can be very dangerous for those who enter it unprepared and without a life jacket. Educate yourself on river safety and you and those who join you will be able to enjoy it safely for a lifetime.” Maybe I should issue such a warning to churches navigating interim waters! There are things that remain serene and flowing as usual in a congregation’s life and ministry, and there are obstacles and impediments and yes, hidden blessings, too—sending us in unexpected directions! The interim time is for educating ourselves about the current conditions and looking ahead, too, scouting out what needs our attention to navigate forward strategically and well. Our life jackets for this journey include prayer, good will, patience, hope, faith, love, and a sense of humor. Every month around the 15 th you will receive an Interim Pastor Message updating you on interim work that is underway. You may also visit a new tab on our Church Website and click on Pastoral Transition Updates. Visit it to read: · the priorities the Session outlined for me in my contract, · a description of this interim process from the Presbytery of the James, and · to view a couple of examples of timeline graphics for interim work. Though it may seem like the interim waters have been still, they have in fact been flowing: 1. Getting to Know You: My first Sunday with you was October 9, 2022. The intense work of the first 2-3 months of any interim involves getting to know you and letting you get to know me. Regular worship and preaching, pastoral care visits, staff meetings, Session and Deacon and committee work, conversations at the gate, by the back door, and after meetings—these are the ways we come to know each other and discern areas that need attention and work. In these first few months, a relationship of trust builds for deeper work to come. Thanks to all of you who have given me a chance to be your pastor. 2. Finances and Stewardship: An early priority was to work quickly and intentionally with the Finance and Stewardship Committees on a Stewardship Pledge effort. While a letter asking for pledges went out in 2020, there had been no formal campaign in 2021. We needed to get back on track. Since November/December, we have begun a “deep dive” to analyze our giving patterns and financial capacity. More work is needed for a full analysis, so expect to hear more in this critical area of our life together. 3. Membership Rolls: The Ministry Information Form that was used to call me as your Interim Pastor stated that you have a membership of 984. Within a couple of weeks on board, I could see that this number was not accurate. The membership rolls have not undergone a major review in many years. In December, I began work with a small group to review the church rolls. Bruce Harvey, Tom Theado, and Sharon Humes have taken on this huge task to help the Session reach out to many people. 4. A Congregational Survey: A team of seven members has begun work to present a Congregational Survey in February/March. We want all members of the church to take this survey. Watch for news updates in the coming few weeks! Members assisting with this effort are: Jim Toler, Heather Eland, Robert Fidler, Betsy Lewis, Tom Wimberly, Rachel Statler, and Barb LeRoy. This effective survey, administered by Holy Cow Consulting, will give you a chance to offer candid and constructive input as we discern congregational priorities and commitments. For many of you, the big question is “When will we elect a Pastor Nominating Committee and begin searching for our next pastor?” May seems like a good target date for that, some of the basic congregational assessment described above is essential to complete. Thank you for supporting the church as we navigate these interim waters together. Grace and peace, Kim

Thank you from Micah Ministries

By Eric Snader • March 12, 2019
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