Elder Minutes

November 2007 postings

· The elders are working to develop a process to communicate a short term (3-5) year plan for our church. Many of the ideas have been discussed informally for a few years. The process is being developed from this year’s Willow Creek Leadership Training Summit. Bill Hybels’ initial presentation was “ A Vision to Die For.” In that talk he outlined a process that resonated with Christ Church leaders. The Elders met on November 3, to discuss how we could adopt a similar process.

In Bill Hybels presentation, he said there are at least two models for developing a vision. One is the Moses model, where the Senior Pastor goes to a quiet place for three days and develops a full and extensive vision for the church. Another model is a team approach. Hybels mentioned that after 40 years in ministry he has come to realize that the team concept is more effective. The team approach is one in which a small group of people gather to create a framework, and various staff, ministry leaders and congregational members contribute to the development. of the “vision.”

· This winter, you will have the opportunity to participate in a church-wide survey entitled Reveal. This anonymous survey, developed by Willow Creek, focuses on spiritual growth and development. It will offer us better understanding of “where we are” spiritually, at Christ Church, and it will help us develop better ways to promote spiritual growth at all levels of maturity.
· The Elders are conducting staff reviews at this time. We have begun with Lyle, Rob and Andrew. These reviews are considered 360* degree reviews since they accumulate information from a number of people that interact with the particular staff person.

· The condo construction project is moving ahead. The team assures me we will be able to occupy the space in February ‘08.

· The church continues to be the hands and heart of Jesus not only to those within Christ Church but well beyond. The Deacons and Elders are visiting those who are sick or hospitalized. Meals are prepared and delivered to family members of those who are hospitalized.

· I would like to invite those of you who have not been to a Tuesday Evening Service to come. Truly, a healing presence fills the Tuesday Evening Service. There are a variety of musical expressions from our regular musicians, Gary Blier, Sarah and Pat Tallarico, Karl Sauerbrey, and John Polce. Lyle, Robert, Ken Bell, and Mike Galdonik offer meditations. Mike Denci, Scott Thurber and Mike Bell also participate.

· Christ Church continues to use space outside the church for ministry. At this time we use Cole and Women & Infants, and this Christmas we will be using the American Legion Hall for our Christmas Dinner, truly a sign of the generosity of the East Greenwich Community.

Meditation from Robert

November 2007

The term “Spiritual Direction” is being used more frequently in the Protestant community. Conversations, a journal by Dallas Willard, Richard Foster and Larry Crabb dedicated an entire quarterly journal to the subject. I would like to help clarify the term “spiritual direction” in this entry.

I John 4:7-12 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The last month has been one of intense spiritual activity. Being involved in two weekend retreats is exciting and breath taking. To see, on these retreats, the biblical principle expressed in I John4 made visible, God drawing people closer to Himself and others, a true sense of being in the presence of God. Yet, like the summer tan, sometimes the awe, wonder and excitement fade.
I am looking forward to my visit with my spiritual director. Spiritual Direction is not a time when one person instructs another on how to live their spiritual life. My spiritual director will help bring to my awareness what God is doing and has done in my life. This will be a time to savor how God has been present, particularly in ways that I might not have noticed. Spiritual Direction is also the discussion of my spiritual adventure called life.
Spiritual Direction is like someone asking you to share a summer experience to articulate why you so enjoyed your time at the beach or hiking the mountain or visiting friends or family.
By way of example I would like to invite you to write about 1 or 2 activities that have been meaningful to you this past summer. Try to be specific and “paint” a picture of each experience. When writing, don’t be concerned about the grammar or structure, just write.
After you have written down these experiences take them to prayer. Just be with them for awhile. Don’t judge or evaluate the experience or the writing. Place them before you as you pray for a couple of days. After the 3rd day what did you notice about your prayer time when these were before you? What were some of your inner responses?
This is where spiritual direction begins, this is the grist for the mill of spiritual direction; what God has brought to your mind in life and prayer.
You are free to send your response or ask questions.

Peace,
Robert