Greetings in the Name of the Lord!

We are holding our annual joint gathering of Elders and Deacons. Retreat can mean a whole lot of different things but ultimately this gathering is a retreat, an opportunity to try new practices, engage in some bible study, deepen our sense of community, maybe even learn a new skill or two. It is all these things, and also an opportunity to reflect: looking back at the last year, appreciating where we are and to try and divine where we are headed.  

One of the things I will be asking our elders and deacons to do at the retreat is to review what the Book of Order (BOO) says about their positions in the church. I find that presbyterian churches either rely on the BOO too much, or don't really read it at all.  Neither is ideal. The BOO is an important living document. By living I mean that it shifts and changes every two years after our General Assembly, and the changes are often hard fought and the result of years of work that emerged subtley in Session meetings that will not be remembered as time marches on. The BOO is not a book written by a couple of privileged and powerful men 100 years ago, rather it is a book that has emerged from consistently discussing, challenging, questioning and affirming the structures of our denomination. At its best, the BOO formation process has occurred in a way that has allowed for the Holy Spirit to work, at its worst it ends up conforming to the every shifting winds of the moment. In many ways its inherent imperfection is what makes it a meaningful document, one that we have to keep returning to and testing against the gospel message and the times to make sure that it helps the PC(USA) meet the needs of the hour and exist as the true hands and feet of Christ for the world.  

It means that the BOO is a valuable document, and can really empower the ministry and mission of any PC(USA) congregation, while at the same time acknowledging its limitations and imperfections so that we do not let a human created document supersede scripture as our primary guiding document.  As the elders and the deacons dig into some of the specifics of the BOO, there is a chance that they find some places where we as a congregation stand in contrast with the guidelines offered by the BOO, and it will be their job to discern how to approach those irregularities. Is the way we do something more in line with the Gospel message? Should we adjust the way we do some things? How will it affect our mission and our call to be a reflection of Christ's Church in the world? 

Ultimately your elders are called to a place of discernment.  Often churches think the job of an elder is to manage and administrate, and while that is a part of it, discernment is always the first step, taking prayerful time to find the pathways God is already leading us towards. Discernment is no easy task, and I always believe prayers for congregational leaders are an important part of church life, with this in mind, I know your elders and deacons are up for the task, and I am very excited with being a part of facilitating that process of discernment!

In Peace, 

Mike