New Officers

Long before I was even considering (running away from) the possibility of becoming a minister, I was asked to serve as an Elder for my church. Presbyterians ordain lay leadership, so the decision is one that should take some time and consideration. The Nominating Committee representatives who asked me to serve didn't want a response right away and told me they'd get back with me in a week for my answer. That next week, I opened my mouth to say "No!" and "Yes!" popped out! I was quite surprised, but couldn't figure out how to take it back.

Besides believing there was not a leadership bone in my body, I knew there was no way I was anywhere close to being ready for such responsibility. And, at some level, I was right.

My first meeting, before being ordained and installed in the office, I was asked if I would serve. I recall feeling like a deer in the headlights and, along with two others, automatically answered in the affirmative. The next Sunday, without any training beforehand, we were asked to make some some truly huge promises before God and the witnesses present, officially ordained and installed, and tossed overboard to swim as best we could. It took most of the three years of my term in office before I began to figure out what was going on.

Several years down the road, I ended up as a minister and I vowed that never again would I be involved in putting someone in office who hadn't had at least some training beforehand.

So I love new officer training!

This week we spent two evenings preparing our newly elected officers for their duties. We looked at an overview of the responsibilites of the office, did some spiritual discernment, took some "tests", and, most importantly, examined those nine potential brain-and-soul-buster questions that one commits to when ordained. My goal is what hospitals call "informed consent".

And, to a certain degree, someone becoming an Elder for the first time is somewhat like that hospital patient staring at the consent forms, listening to the nurse, and vaguely nodding their head. The words are hitting the ears, but the information isn't really sinking in any further.

That's why I have those currently serving on the Session to help me with the teaching. Even people who have served as elders before learn something new about the role they've committed to undertake. I just love those moments when someone says, "I didn't realize this before." or something to that effect. There's an AHA! tone in the voice, and those who are being trained actually 'get it' better because it's being presented by a peer and not a pastor. (I personally believe we're all peers, but once you put on the pastor's hat, it's hard for others to not be influenced by some sense of you being totally 'other'.)

We've got a good group of people taking on the role of Active Elder (once ordained, always ordained) tomorrow. I'm looking forward to working with them. And, boy!, new officer training was fun!!