Here is a portion of the Epistle from last Sunday:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift… The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love. - Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
Isn’t it exciting? We are called and gifted in unique ways for the purpose of ongoing service and growth into Christ, constantly becoming a whole and holy community, built up in love.
In that spirit, the vestry and I have been working to strengthen and further develop our organizational plan. We have adopted a rotation policy that establishes three-year appointments for committee members, limits committee chairs to two years in that role, and ensures that each committee has a vestry liaison. Members of the vestry will not normally chair committees. In the coming year, we will prepare for the rotation of members and leaders. Then, next July 1, we will start the process rolling. We hope this plan will open more doors for new leadership to emerge and prevent the burnout that happens when people do the same thing for too long. And, since the Holy Spirit gives a variety of gifts, we believe it will allow members to serve in a variety of ways.
We have also developed committee charters with succinct descriptions of the work and expectations associated with each committee. These charters have been posted on our parish website and HERE.
Please read them and, if you feel called to serve on one of these committees, contact me so we can talk about it. Committee charters are not chiseled in stone any more than are the needs that prompt our service! As needs and circumstances change, the charters may be modified to reflect God’s call to us at given points in time.
How we organize and manage ourselves for mission and how we stir up and rely on spiritual gifts contributes to fruitfulness in the mission entrusted to us. The rotation plan and charters are necessary to healthy organizational life. But those things would be only about maintenance without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, moving us toward maturity and working through us for the building up of the Church in love and service to God and our neighbors.
The Rev'd Steve Muncie, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York, has something similar to say:
God is inviting – challenging – us to see the world with all of its brokenness through the eyes of divine love and mercy. We are called to a broader vision for the loveless, a deeper look at the plight of the powerless. The danger for the Church is to remain blind to God’s great vision while we busy ourselves with our own limited sight, reducing God’s Mission in the world to our maintenance of the local church. The local church and its ministries are vitally important to building up the people of God. We need to make plans and establish priorities for strengthening congregational ministry. We need structure and accountability. We need to maximize participation in sharing the vision. However, God’s great vision is still waiting to be seen by those who have eyes to see.
Now, read that passage from Ephesians again.
I’ll see you in Church!