Terry Woodnorth

Wendy is willing to present the webinar "Getting Going in Helping without Hurting" if it gets enough votes. See http://network.crcna.org/webinars/ and click on the "Proposed" tab.

I can think of two different approaches to take:

1 - Split article 25a into two articles, keeping the existing article for elders and add the new language for deacons.

2 - Create a new article 25a similar to what has been proposed above, with language that would be applicable to both elders and deacons.

I would prefer the second option. What in the task force's proposed wording should be changed that would allow elder and deacon terms to be addressed in the same way?

The new wording under discussion didn't intend to say (or imply) that elder and deacon terms must be the same, fixed (vs. flexible), nor that they must be longer or shorter than current practice. The intent was to empower councils to define the terms of office for elder and deacon as best fits their local situation. What in the wording makes you think they need to be treated the same? What implies that the flexibility you desire is not present?

We definitely need to include something similar to "as determined by council or consistory" or "as designated by the council" (the original wording) and we'll consider the "flexible" suggestion. Article 25c will need to be a separate discussion topic at a later time; we have plans to rewrite that entire section.

The "retain their titles and calling..." suggestion may be beyond the scope of this task force and our competency to address. I think that gets into an area that requires much more study and discussion that we're not prepared to tackle. In my opinion, I don't think that the Church Order currently prohibits the "assist council" concept.

Melissa's questions about terms for deacons gives the Office of Deacon Task Force the opportunity to preview some of their work.  Read the blog post:  Diakonia Remixed: Terms for Deacons

On the topic of the relationship between a crime and mental health, the following article may be of interest.

The Autism Defense - http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/internet/the-autistic-hacker

Gary McKinnon hacked thousands of government computers. His lawyers say his autism is to blame.

Adam, your response provides very helpful input to the Office of Deacon Task Force. But I'm not sure that I understand your comments regarding a "suggested calendar." Would you please clarify?

A devotional resource appropriate for deacons already exists. Amy Sherman has written "Sharing God's Heart for the Poor" and can be ordered at http://www.cepbookstore.com/p-6188-sharing-gods-heart-for-the-po.aspx. "This inspiring and convicting to action devotional booklet gives 17 short reflections on God's compassion for the poor and His desire to see His body actively love and serve the needy."

Grace, a good next step is to get the book "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself" http://www.chalmers.org/when-helping-hurts/book.php and work through the "When Helping Hurts"

Ministry Training Webinars http://www.chalmers.org/when-helping-hurts/webinar/schedule.php or Self/Group-study Guide http://www.chalmers.org/when-helping-hurts/self-study.php with your fellow deacons.

On the topic of deacon devotionals, I just received the following notice from Diaconal Ministries Canada:

Coming Soon:   Devotions specifically for use in Deacons' Meetings are nearing completion.  Watch the DMC website at www.diaconalministries.com for more.

Diakonia Remixed: The Office of Deacon Task Force welcomes ideas on how we could address the challenge that Mark has given in his last paragraph. Areas to address could include training resources, assessment tools, the job description for deacons (in the ordination form and church order), etc.  Post your comments here or e-mail [email protected].

Mark: Expert guidance (or at least practical experience) may be needed to effectively answer your question "How will this affect people with disabilities?" when assessing poverty alleviation efforts. Do you have any guidance to offer?

Might Faith Alive consider publishing two versions of the new hymnal - one with and one without the creeds and confessions?

There are a number of facts that can be quantified with real data:

- Less than 1% of the federal budget is used to fight poverty and disease in other nations. So making cuts in this area will have minimal impact to the federal budget deficit.

- Many of the international programs funded by the US save lives (e.g., malaria and AIDS treatment; bed nets to prevent malaria).

- Many domestic US programs (e.g., Earned Income Tax Credit, SNAP) are effective in assisting to lift families out of poverty and prevent hunger.

And I would hope that most Christians can agree that God has a special concern for the poor and that the church, individuals, non-government organizations, and the government all have a role to play in addressing this.

But facts aren't all that we need. I encourage everyone to become familiar with "A Call for Intergenerational Justice: A Christian Proposal for the American Debt Crisis" that Karl referenced in his original post ("issued a statement" link) and use that as a starting point for discussion and action.