At every Session meeting we have received a report from the Selection Committee. I am impressed with the thoroughness and diligence of their work, encouraged by the progress they are reporting, and confident that when they bring a recommendation to the congregation it will be the result of much prayer and thoughtful research. But the story of their labours is theirs to tell when the time comes.
While they labour away Session and Staff have been giving thought to providing for the continuation uninterrupted and unabated of the life and ministry of the church, and in this update I will speak to the provision that is in place. If you have any questions about the arrangements, or how they might affect you, please ask.
Clinton will have the greatest direct increase in his workload. After I go on LSL prior to my retirement he will chair Session and BOM as well as continue to attend the Deacons’ meetings. He will also chair the weekly staff meetings and be responsible for the support of the staff. He will continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and baptisms, but whereas before we shared this task he will be responsible for them all. This increase in Clinton’s workload will mean that others on Staff and Session will need to take on more of the pastoral load, and they are prepared for this. Andy will also take over meeting regularly with Amir who leads the Persian speaking ministries in the church. Helen’s coming has already allowed the transfer of oversight of the Growth Group ministry from Clinton to Helen and strengthened this core structure on which so much of the day to day care and encouragement of one another depends, and we are expecting it to keep growing over the year. The leadership of the prayer meetings, which are such a vital part of our life, will continue to be shared amongst the elders. The determining of the preaching program and the planning of the church’s calendar is already a collaborative exercise undertaken by the staff in consultation with Session, and this will continue.
These arrangements will allow the life of the church and your own ministries to continue with minimal disruption and allow us all to stay focused on what as a church community we need to stay focused on – the preaching and teaching of the gospel, and our practice of the one another’s – loving, encouraging, serving, admonishing, teaching one another. The ‘one-anothers’ on which the health of the congregation, individually and collectively, depends.
As I communicate these arrangements three observations come to mind.
Firstly, we should be grateful to God for his provision of able and gifted brothers and sisters who are able to take on these extra responsibilities so that our life continues with minimal disruption, and for the stability and continuity Session, Board, and Staff bring. It is a wonderful provision. I am particularly grateful for Clinton’s servant heart. It is always hard to work in a provisional role, having to fully invest to do it well but knowing, humanly speaking, that another may well reap the rewards of that investment, yet Clinton is cheerfully taking on these responsibilities knowing there is a possibility that he may have to relinquish them to another when the Selection Committee has completed its work. We can all be thankful for that godliness.
Secondly, knowing there is more work for some in love all of us should seek to share in the good work of keeping the congregation healthy and focused through this time of change. Whether that is being reliable in serving on your team or in your ministry, thoughtful in your encouragement, practical in your love of others, responsive to requests for help from congregational leaders, disciplined in your use of your tongue so that we are always speaking the truth in love to one another, and above all being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace [Ephesians 4:3]. We should all be seeking to actively share in the good work of keeping the congregation healthy.
Thirdly, as we give thanks to God for His generous provision for us we should pray for further provision. For grace to glorify the Lord Jesus in our weakness, strength in weariness, wisdom when facing perplexing situations, faithfulness in making the gospel of Jesus known, confidence in His generous love and mercy. We should be praying this for ourselves and asking this from the Lord for our brothers and sisters who labour amongst us for our good and are taking on extra responsibilities through this time. And we should continue to pray for the selection committee, that the Lord would bless their work in giving them a common mind on whom they should recommend to the congregation as the new senior minister, and that we should see God’s provision in that.
Our God is faithful and generous, and I look forward to celebrating His faithfulness and generous love to BPC and to us over the years at Jayne and my retirement thanksgiving. We can rely on Him, and know that as we come to Him in Jesus’ name – on His business and pursuing our Lord’s interests and glory – He will hear and grant our requests [John 14:13-14, 16:23-27], and give us many more reasons to give Him praise and thanks for His abundant provision of grace in the years to come.
