The Presbyterian Church is such a wonderful denomination; a branch of Christianity governed by the people through elected representatives called ruling elders. These elders, along with teaching elders (aka Ministers of Word and Sacrament), in prayerful discernment, lead and guide their individual churches and the larger denomination to faithful life and ministry in Christ. We are a denomination founded on shared leadership rather than hierarchy rooted theologically in what the Apostle Peter referred to as the royal priesthood (1 Peter). What was once the responsibility of individual priests became a shared responsibility among the people of God.
While this is nothing new to most of us, it has reminded me time and again that it is the whole community of faith working with Jesus that builds up the church, shares good news, and brings hope to the world. It’s not some rock star pastor, or some missionary serving in Africa, or even some famous music leader that builds the kingdom of God; rather, it is all of us working together.
We are each gifted in grace. Grace is God’s gift that has already been given to us. It is God’s love poured out for each and every one of us through the life and death of Jesus Christ. And we have also been given gifts – talents, abilities, resources, and wealth – which grace moves us to use in particular ways, ways that reflect the life and ministry of Jesus.
Each of us using our unique lives (gifts and all) in response to grace is what best shares good news and gives grace a living, breathing heartbeat in the world. It is Jesus at work through us.
We need each other to be the Church.
We need each other to grow in discipleship.
We need each other to support, encourage, and lift one another up. We need each other to learn and hone our gifts.
We need each other to build up the Church.
We need each other to answer the call for our community of faith.
This program year we are:
- Moving to two worship services on Sunday mornings beginning October 15th: a 9:30 a.m. contemporary service and an 11 a.m. traditional service.
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Creating a fellowship hour for coffee, guest speakers, and intentional community building and fun from 10:20 to 11 a.m. on Sundays beginning October 15th.
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Adopting a new leadership model in which elders will no longer be committee chairs. Elders will provide direction as stewards of PCN’s mission and vision, while new leaders will be recruited to lead committees.
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Refreshing the campus. We will be working to make our public spaces beautiful, welcoming places. These include the bottom floor of our CE building (Trevitt Hall, Christensen, the offices, the kitchen, etc.), the patio space and overhang, the landscaping around the church, etc.
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Explore the creation of an alternative worship opportunity accessible to young families.
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Putting together a PCN Family Camp for the summer of 2024 for fun, fellowship, community building, and service.
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We are going to increase our collaboration between teams, committees, and leaders to bolster our investment in ministry initiatives so that we can best focus our resources on our ministry goals and do so with excellence.
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And we are going to evangelize, inviting people to join our church community as we seek to follow Jesus together. We have a goal to welcome 15 new members this year.
And how are we going to do it all?
Well, the work has already begun. Staff have been hired including a senior director of community engagement (Sally Carbonaro) and a communications director (Sydney Fletcher). The new leadership model has been prayerfully discerned, discussed, voted on and approved by Session. A property refresh team is due to present proposals to Session in the next month. A team is already beginning work on Family Camp 2024. Musicians and worship leaders are making preparations to adjust to two worship services.
So what else do we need?
You. Each of us makes up the rest of the puzzle. Each of us, as we participate, lead, and help with activities, events, service, prayer, stewardship, and worship makes the PCN vision happen. As Presbyterians, we don’t elect and choose leaders to do ministry for us, we elect leaders to guide and equip us so that we can do ministry together.
This is why, in October, we are encouraging everyone at PCN – members, regular participants, and even those who come once in a while to complete a Time & Talents inventory. This inventory is a list of many of the PCN ministries including opportunities to serve in the life of the church. We hope that each and every one of you will take the time to prayerfully go through this Time & Talents inventory and put a check mark next to EVERYTHING that you might feel called to help with. Put a check mark next to anything you might even feel called to explore or learn about. Put a check mark next to things you might only consider once in a blue moon. You see, check-marking something in this inventory does not mean you are signing up for anything, only that you might be contacted if an opportunity arises. This list is meant to give our elected officers and team leaders an informed way to help each of us be a part of church life and ministry together.
The Time & Talents Inventory does not include everything, so if there are areas of ministry you would like to help but don’t see them listed, write them in. If there are gifts you would like to share in the life of the church but don’t see opportunities that match them, write your gifts in. Any information you want to give that might help us match where you feel God is calling you to serve with church life and ministry, we encourage you to write that in.
We encourage you to complete the Time & Talents Inventory online but hard copies can be found in the church office and the narthex of the sanctuary. If you are completing a hard copy of the inventory, please fill it out and turn it into the church office. If you are completing the inventory online, please be sure to list at least one form of contact (email or phone number).
The Time & Talents Inventory link is: https://pcnovato.e360chms.com/external/form/e805cd7d-013e-4846-88e4-b95312f4e903
The link will be up on our website in October.
Thank you, my friends, for your partnership in ministry. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in 2023-2024!
With care,
Pastor Adam
