From the Minister's Desk
January 2012

The New Year Begins:
It is time to start praying and thinking hard. 
We need to be praying about who to nominate to stand for election at the AGM.  Particularly, who is God calling to be Elders in our church?

The Elders, meeting together, are called to help us understand God’s leading for our church, the directions God would have us take, and how we are called to fulfil those directions.

They are called to be responsible for the good order and conduct of our church, to make sure worship is provided appropriately, that pastoral care is as it should be, that our people are nurtured in their faith, at whatever stage of the journey they are living through, and to make sure that we as a church, fulfil all of our mission.

In our church, a person is Ordained to the role of Elder for life. It is a serious commitment. An Elder may take a break from the role, and is then a non-serving Elder, but still an Elder, and may be called on in a time of special need. Serving Elders are those who are chosen by church meeting to serve for a 3 year term, whereupon they must be nominated to serve again if they are to continue being active.

What should we look for?
1.  It must be must be a person who is already faithful in the promises they make as members, that is:
they are faithful in their attendance in worship
they are faithful in their responsibility to regularly attend church meetings
they are wholeheartedly committed to this particular community of faith.

2.  An Elder needs to be a person whom you perceive as prayerful.  You cannot lead God’s church unless you are a person practiced in listening to God.

3. An Elder needs to be a person who is mature in their faith; you know they’ve thought about it deeply and they are reliable and constant. They’ve proven that they will run the distance and can stick it when things are tough.

4. An Elder needs to be a person who lives God’s graciousness; they help heal wounds

5.  An Elder needs to be a person who works hard at Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 (4Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things)

6. An Elder should be a person who you can see striving to live out Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit in Galations 5 (22The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control.)

An Elder does not have to be perfect.  No one is. Probably, a good nominee will feel unworthy of the calling. God uses flawed and imperfect people to do his perfect will.
But to accept nomination, there does need to be a sense of “God has called me to this service!”  Eldership is only valid if it is God’s calling – a sacred thing. 
Our faith commits us to this: 
I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for You or laid aside for You,
exalted for You or brought low for You.
(Methodist Covenant Prayer)

The Process: Every member’s responsibility!
1. If you believe that God has called a person to be ordained as an Elder, it is asked that you speak first to the Minister, Secretary or one of the Serving Elders about your perception. When the Elders meet, they will consider the matter.   The reason for this is that sometimes there are factors that are not generally known which may be very significant as to a person’s suitability.  The Elders are responsible for the good order and conduct of the church, so it is proper they should consider possible nominations before names become public. This needs to happen before the Elders meet on the 2nd February.

2. If there is no compelling impediment, the nominated person may be approached by the Minister or designated Elder, to prayerfully discuss their nomination.

3. If the person believes they are called to stand, their nomination will come before the church’s Annual General Meeting.  If the church clearly affirms the person’s call to minister amongst us as an Elder (our church requires a clear affirmation by asking for 70% of those present to be in agreement), the nominee takes their place as a serving Elder.

If a person is elected, we have an Ordination and/or Induction Service. If it is a non-serving Elder or an Elder who has completed their term and is now elected to extend their term, they are inducted to the role for three years.

If they are a member who has never been ordained, then they are ordained and then inducted to the role for three years.

As part of the Ordination and Induction, the whole church makes a commitment together to accept and support the elected Elder’s ministry.

Elders whose 3 year term has been completed.
There are six Elders whose term of 3 years has been completed and if they are to remain as serving Elders, will need to be re-nominated.

Jenny Karpuk, Mary Simuyandi, Sue Nunn, Yvonne Sparrow, Chris Sales and Hazel Felton.
Jenny has said she would like to take a break in the coming year.

Valerie Kerr, Sue Sisk, Adrian Moxon and Maggie Jones are continuing as serving Elders.

Bruce