Resource Browser Page
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| January 7, 2010 |
On Vision: A Brief ReflectionClarifying VisionVision is a way of helping us stay focused on the central mission of the church’s life. Through clarifying vision, decision making has a constant reference point. Through clarifying vision, the church has common language to deepen its sense of community. Through clarifying vision the church gives its various ministries the ability to integrate with and support each other. Typically vision statements respond to three different calls from Christ... |
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| January 9, 2010 |
Do I Have What It Takes?First Time Elder Often I am perplexed by the mystery of the human person. The more I learn and see, the more I wonder: Do I really have what it takes to be a spiritual guide to the people I meet? My experience is not unique.
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| January 9, 2010 |
The Role of an Elder: Responsibilities and LimitationsLeadership To be called as an elder is to take on a new role in your relationship to the congregation. It is important to reflect on your new role and face some of its demands and limitations.
First observe that you already have a number of roles that affect your relationships in the congregation:
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| January 9, 2010 |
Responsibilities of Elder According to the Church OrderOne avenue to discover the responsibilities of eldership is to examine the Church Order. The church order has a number of articles that outline some of aspects of eldership. I have put the basic Articles of the church order in together for your information.
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| January 9, 2010 |
Form of SubscriptionChurch Order Below we have the most recent Form of Subscription, along with some supplemental material found in the church order. For more discussion on the signing of this form read the Form of Subscription Revision Committee Report. While Synod did not approve that report because it seemed to weaken the bonds of faith between us, it does demonstrate the struggles we have had in understanding the value and importance of this form.
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| January 9, 2010 |
Give Them Intimacy, Not AnswersPastoral Care People need intimacy, not answers—that is what we must remember when we are trying to comfort someone who is hurting. Unfortunately the typical response to another’s distress is to try to give answers. Our tongues swing into high speed, and we overflow with glib sayings and spiritual moralisms. Few of our words ...
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| January 9, 2010 |
Getting Started as a First-Time ElderFirst Time Elder I watched my granddaughter come up to the front of the church for the first time. She did not know what to do. Where would she sit? To which children did she belong? What was she supposed to do? Or not do?
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| January 9, 2010 |
The Various Roles of an ElderLeadership The calling of an elder gets us involved in many parts of the church's life. We get involved in different ways. We make visits, attend committee meetings as liaisons, and attend elders meetings and council meetings. In each instance, we take on a particular distinct role in which we can define responsibilities and face limitations.
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| January 11, 2010 |
Spiritual Formation: Becoming Like ChristSpiritual Formation When our first child entered our lives, we wondered about her growth. Was it normal for her to sleep so much? What about her smile? When would she learn to turn over on her own? So we bought a book called The First Twelve Months. It gave us a month-by-month description ...
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| January 15, 2010 |
A resource on visitingPastoral Care Here are some pointers on visiting from Jim Dekker (pastor's network). |
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| January 21, 2010 |
Getting Started On LeadershipLeadership In the last few weeks, I read two articles in the Financial Post on leadership. One article, quoting Dr Rowe, said: “I am not actually sure leadership is something that can be taught in the classroom …” it continued “many of the characteristics seen in good leaders, such as self-awareness, reliability, sensitivity to the strengths and weaknesses of colleagues, are also features of good followers.” |
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| January 22, 2010 |
Characteristics of a Healthy ChurchAdministration We offer the following characteristics of healthy churches that are seen in the biblical history of God’s people. |
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| January 25, 2010 |
Record Keeping: Elder's VisitAdministration We keep records to be accountable and to remember. The question is what needs to be recorded and for what purpose.
Not so long ago, a clerk of council had to go through the records of the church to find out some information about a decision made a long time ago. Along the way, he read many more minutes than anyone would wish...
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| January 28, 2010 |
Elders and Spiritual FormationSpiritual Formation In our tradition, the elders are encouraged (required by article 65 of the church order) to make an annual home visit. The purpose of these visits have varied over time: providing pastoral care, applying the preaching to the life of the members, supervising of the Lord’s Supper, ensuring that the church programs were effective. Each of these had a different slant on the way to conduct the home visit.
At its root the concern was similar. |
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| February 25, 2010 |
Responsibilities According to the Charge to EldersChurch Order I charge you, elders, to "guard yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). |
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| March 12, 2010 |
Pastoral Care for Those 'Living Together'Pastoral Care Many times in my ministry, the topic of a couple “living together” without a proper wedding is placed on the agenda of elder’s meeting. How do we provide pastoral care? What should we say? What do we think? While most agree that what is best is a deep commitment blessed by their respective families, celebrated in community, blessed by God and firmly established in law, having a couple do less raises questions. In simple terms, we wonder “How do we bring good news”? |
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| March 29, 2010 |
Caring for Someone in a Nursing HomePastoral Care Among the vulnerable in any congregation are people who through loss of health have diminished capabilities. Many times their limitations confine them to home or a nursing home. To care for them requires discerning ears and gentle words. In this article, Karen Mulder and Ginger Jurries share helpful pointers in our journey of care. |
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| April 12, 2010 |
On Process: Finding Ways to Make Progress as a CommunityLeadership Every process has its opportunity and its limitations. Choosing an appropriate process is one of the tasks of leadership. The way we do things is important. So often all of us fall into our default approach without considering alternatives. Yet we can accomplish much more by deliberately considering the way we seek to work ... |
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| April 23, 2010 |
Leadership, Covenant and Holiness: Reflections as I Read Moses PavaLeadership We often look around for material on leadership that might inspire us our imagination. Reading Moses Pava helped me, in part because he used two words hardly ever used at the same time as the word leadership, namely, covenant and holiness. |
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| May 12, 2010 |
When Jesus Guides: ConformingSpiritual Formation Conformity is not a popular word or image. In our imagination, conformity means to be shaped by what is socially and acceptable and expected of the group to which we belong. It is a loss of individuality. Becoming ourselves means finding our own identity and way in the world. So to speak about conformity will never be particularly engaging. Yet the Christian life is an invitation to conform. |
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| January 25, 2011 |
Weight, Health and the ElderSpiritual Formation It started when watching the reality TV series called “Village on a Diet” (CBC- Canada). I had a fleeting thought about “church on a diet.” I know it is the time of the year, but perhaps there is more... |
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| January 31, 2011 |
Stop: Do Not Pass ByLeadership Most of us are busy. We hardly have time to keep up with the relationships around us. That is not surprising. The simple math of relationships – family, friends, coworkers, church attendees and a host of other regular passing acquaintances – are enough. With these we fail to keep up. Most busy people are not looking for more. |
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| February 7, 2011 |
Why be an Elder? In Response to WendyLeadership Why is it that members of the congregation are not clamoring to serve in the office of elder? If everyone said this was a fulfilling and rewarding ministry, would we not have at least a few more people ready to embrace the work? |
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| February 21, 2011 |
Who Delivers Pastoral Care?Pastoral Care Over the years, there have been shifts in the practices of the church. At one time, the answer to the question was unambiguous. Pastors gave pastoral care. But now... |
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| February 28, 2011 |
Leadership and Organizational StructureLeadership Having been part of many conversations on organizational structure, I know that each organization structure is a balancing of a variety of differing objectives and at times conflicting values. The changes that are adopted depend on levels of trust within the community and the levels of anxiety that live within the organization... |
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| March 7, 2011 |
Wounded LoversSpiritual Formation “Don’t worry about the wounds. When I go up there, which is my intention, the big judge will say to me, ‘Where are your wounds?’ And if I say I haven’t any, he will say ‘Was there nothing to fight for?’” |
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| March 14, 2011 |
Giving Each Other CuesLeadership There will be times we are asked to rest, to be silent, to allow another voice to be heard. But if we don’t sing or play the part we have uniquely been given, someone else will miss their cue. |
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| March 21, 2011 |
Why Eldership Matters?Spiritual Formation In speaking about the Japanese struggle with its nuclear reactors, Peter Goodspeed wrote “But the nuclear danger may also be a direct result of human hubris.” ( National Post · Mar. 15, 2011) I suppose at least part of the reason I paid attention to this comment is because of other reading I was doing. The book is named This Time is Different... |
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| April 12, 2011 |
Supervision or FeedbackLeadership Over the years I have noticed that many times the kind of supervisory conversations that take place on a council level, look more like feedback. Supervision requires guidance. Supervision suggests that there are standards to be met for which the supervisors are held accountable. But in council, supervision is often handicapped. |
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| April 26, 2011 |
After Watching OF GODS AND MENSpiritual Formation Recently we watched a marvelous movie, Of Gods and Men. It is a powerful story of a monastic community in Algiers that is caught up in the civil war of the 1990’s. These monks were faced with question: do we stay in the community and continue our service among these people or do we do flee to the safety of France? |
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| May 2, 2011 |
Annual ReviewLeadership As we head into May, we are approaching the end of the church year. Now is a good time to review the work of the past year. We usually like to gloss over this moment. After all, some are coming to the end of their terms of office and are fading out of the job. Others feel a little guilty about what they failed to do. Hopes and ambition |
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| May 10, 2011 |
Transition PlanningLeadership Over and over again, I hear of elders – especially first time elders – struggling to get acquainted with the tasks before them. Not everything can be overcome through good planning. Some tasks simply have to be done the first time in order to learn the dynamics of the ministry. But there is no question that planning |
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| May 17, 2011 |
An Invitation to TransformationSpiritual Formation In a given week there are probably more Christians listening to the words of Oprah than the words of God. More people probably pay attention to TV makeovers than pay attention to God’s invitation to transformation. Elders – in working for God – have a tough job. |
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| May 30, 2011 |
Good ListeningSpiritual Formation Perhaps one of the hardest activities of all is listening well. Miroslav Volf in his book Allah: A Christian Response writes that in every conversation of two people there are seven present. Me and You. My image of you and your image of me. My image of myself and your image of yourself. The seventh is God. |
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| June 6, 2011 |
Change, People and SystemsFirst Time Elder Redemption is change. Change is hard. Even God thought the cross was the only way. Sometimes it seems to me despite Jesus words that anyone who wishes to follow him needs to take up the cross, we prefer to escape it. We would rather take a pill. |
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| June 27, 2011 |
Fearing RightlyLeadership Fear needs to be rightly trained. Fear needs to be disciplined by the guidance of the triune God and experience of deep love. Much of what we fear displays a mistrust of God’s guidance and direction. Much of what we fear reveals the inadequacy of the love in community. This past synod (June 2011) reveals many conversations we need to have. |
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| August 1, 2011 |
The Praying ElderSpiritual Formation But what good is it to say (paraphrasing James 2:16) “I will pray for you” when we do not provide the support which is within our means. Sometimes we are the answer to the prayer. |
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| August 15, 2011 |
The Elder, Worship and the Church OrderLeadership The question has been raised about the elder’s role in the governance of worship... It is important for council to establish some guidelines in the area of worship if they are delegating responsibly. In my experience, very little of this is written down in a policy manual. The guidance happens through conversation and, at times, complaint. |
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| August 24, 2011 |
The Ministry of Healing and the Work of ElderPastoral Care Confession of sin is part of the healing process. It's important to note that this does not mean that a particular sin was the cause of sickness. It does mean that when we come before the Lord with a request on our lips we also prepare to enter into the presence of God. Coming before the Lord is not a “right,” but a gift of the Lord. |
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| September 5, 2011 |
Leading in LearningLeadership According to David Lyle Jeffrey (Books & Culture - A Critique of All Religions), in the church in China “one may expect to find much higher levels of biblical literacy and theological clarity by three to five years post-conversion than amongst American counterparts after two or three decades in the church.” This got me thinking... |
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| January 9, 2010 |
Guiding the Faith Journey: A Map for Spiritual LeadersSpiritual Formation I've written this book to help church leaders guide others on their spiritual journey. The 19 brief chapters can be used for devotions at council meetings, where participants can examine their own spiritual growth and explore how to discuss topics with others. |
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| January 26, 2010 |
Elder Visitation RecordAdministration Sample form for record keeping of elder's visits to church members. This is designed ot be used as the first page of an elder's visitation log of visits to a church member. For subsequent pages, use the Elder Visitation Record page 2. Use with appropriate caution and discernment regarding confidentiality and privacy laws. |
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| January 26, 2010 |
Elder Visitation Record Page 2Administration Sample form for record keeping of elder's visits to church members. This is designed to be used as subsequent pages after Elder Visitation Record. Use with appropriate caution and discernment regarding confidentiality and privacy laws. |
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| January 26, 2010 |
Member Involvement LetterAdministration This sample letter can be used by an elder to assess the gifts of church members and their willingness for participation and involvement in caring for other members within their district |
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| January 28, 2010 |
Conversations for Listening GroupsSpiritual Formation Listening Groups have one purpose: to listen to God. The people may change, the questions may change, and the circumstances may differ but as we gather together one thing remains the same: we know that the Word and Spirit will guide us to follow Christ and bring glory to God, our Father. |
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| November 2, 2010 |
Introducing Our Church (PowerPoint)Leadership This is the PowerPoint presentation we use in our "Woody Nook 101" class that introduces new people to our church. You can use it as a sample for building your own. |
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| January 9, 2010 |
Elder's Institute (PCC)Leadership The Presbyterian Church of Canada provides their elders with training. THis site gives you a window into their training and provides a number of very useful resources. Take a look. |
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| January 9, 2010 |
Building Church LeadersLeadership Christianity Today has developed this site with many helpful resources. Browse away. |
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| January 9, 2010 |
Alban InstituteLeadership I have often found very helpful articles and books on this site. They have provided leadership as church consultants. |
