About Me
Welcome to the Elder's Network
Being an elder in congregation is a wonderful opportunity to serve Christ and his people. When all goes well, we celebrate the experience. And then there are the other times when the work of eldership can leave us drained. This network is an opportunity to share our experience, build each other up and develop practices of graceful leadership.
I’m Neil de Koning, your guide on the Elder Network. All my life the work of elders has been an integral part of my experience. When a child, my father become an elder of the church. As a pastor, the elders have always had a significant role in my ministry and life. I am deeply interested in their role in church governance, their leadership in the flourishing of the kingdom and their ability to provide spiritual direction. Through articles, blogs and resources, I hope to engage you in the journey of eldership continuing my learning and sharing in this forum.
Presently, I am a Pastor of the Woody Nook CRC in Lacombe Alberta. I authored the book Guiding the Faith Journey. Previously, I have served congregations in Calgary, AB and Sarnia, ON.
My Topics
| Type | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post |
Psalms, Elders and Pastoral Care January 30, 2012 |
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| Blog post |
A Covenant Engagement January 3, 2012 |
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| Blog post |
Elders and Accountability December 6, 2011 |
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| Blog post |
Christmas, Occupy Wall Street, and Christian Formation November 22, 2011 |
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| Blog post |
Who Do You Say That I Am? November 8, 2011 |
My Comments
Back from Vacation so now comes a belated reply. I don't make excuses but I do want to understand and be fair. I hope I accept people as created and loved by God... loved enough so...
Glad to elaborate.
First, let me assume that you agree with the position of Synod ’73. Synod ’73 said that there was a difference between feelings of...
Hi Steve, I noticed this article from the Presbyterian Church of Canada. Not so long ago they adopted a policy that allowed for elders serviingfor a term rather than for life. In this...
Hi Ted, here are some suggestions:
First, if there is dirty laundry to deal with, it is usually a good idea to engage in some process to deal with these matters. Often times a...
Good Question. This is yet another example of how our lifestyle in North America was never contemplated by the framers of the church order. I appreciate that they wish to have...