Electing Elders & Discovering Eastminster

May 18, 2014

Today the Session of our church has called a Congregational Meeting for the election of Ruling Elders to lead and govern our church.  In Presbyterian governance, our leaders are elected by the active members of the congregation. 

Presbyterians have a Constitution that has two parts. Part I is the Book of Confessions.  It illuminates what we believe, while making clear that the Bible is the chief authority for faith and life.  Part II is The Book of Order. The Book of Order outlines our governance.  This is what it says about ruling elders:

As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people. Accordingly, congregations should elect persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they “lord it over” the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Ruling elders, together with teaching elders (pastors), exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church, including ecumenical relationships. When elected by the congregation, they shall serve faithfully as members of the session.

The Nominating Committee (which is elected by the congregation) will place into nomination five persons to be elected as elders, one for a two year term and four for three year terms. All active members of our congregation will be allowed to discuss and vote to elect elders.  Pray for the Holy Spirit not only in the election, but also in the service of our elders… and all of us(!) as we seek to be a faithful church that pleases God by what it does and says.

Please note that EPC will hold a “Discover Eastminster Day” from 8:45 a.m. until noon on June 8.  This will be a time to meet our elders and to learn more about Presbyterian churches and specifically about the life and ministry of Eastminster.  It is open to all persons— non-members and members.  Non members will have an option of joining Eastminster at the conclusion of Discover Eastminster. You may sign up by tearing off the form in the announcements and placing it in the offering plate or submitting it to the church office.  I hope to see you there!

 

 

A Mother's Perspective

Today’s ‘Tim’s Tidings’ is a humorous but poignant blog by Jennifer Koppelman Hutt.  It gives a Mother’s perspective of parenting, motherhood, and the passing of generations.  Thank you God for good Mothers!

I'm not sure when it happened for the first time, but lately, I'd say two mornings a week and some evenings, too, I announce to my teenage son and preteen daughter, "I quit!"

I'm not referring to my employment... Oh no, I love that! I am referring to being their mother, which I also love. But some days, weeks, nights and months they make me crazy and make me want to run away to ANYWHERE!

And I know I'm not alone in this feeling. In fact, earlier today, my sister called and suggested we run away for Mother's Day (she's got three teenagers)!

We love our babies. A lot. Both my sister and I would shrivel up and die were the unthinkable to happen. Bleh. I'm nauseated just by that last sentence.

But no one can rile us up more than our kids. No one can bring us to the brink of rage and right back to love like our kids.

No one can make us want to pull both our hair out and theirs like our kids.

And isn't this the great omission of mommyhood?! Mixed with that incredible joy, laughter and undying love can also exist intense anger and intolerance. Oh and crippling anxiety over the well-being of the babies. Though they slept through the night at the end of year one, I didn't sleep through the night until my kids were 10 and 12!

And that adage "You’re only as happy as your unhappiest child..." is so true -- but compound that by adding "and you'll be blaming yourself for any discomfort that child is having..."

My sister can suggest we run away for a day. And I can talk her off the ledge while she does the same for me because our mother isn't here anymore. She died almost four years ago, and Mother's Day has an entirely different meaning and feeling for us now.

When we lose our mother, we lose our anchor, our judge, our jury, our best friend, our mentor, our mommy. And certain days, like her birthday and Mother's Day, highlight that absence just a little too much for me to bear.

Still, we will embrace Mother's Day as we should -- for our children. I've let them know in advance I'd like cupcakes and a new iPod with a speaker dock. Oh, and I'd like no fighting, no screaming, early bedtime and no complaints.

At least I'm guaranteed to get an iPod.