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Goals for the Presbytery
The Committee spent time exploring
the meaning of the phrase, "nurturing congregations." Simply stated,
nurturing congregations will involve doing what it takes to reach
our vision - to grow into communities whose head is Jesus Christ, so
that they will go out to make disciples, baptizing and teaching in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to witness,
through their actions, to the love of God.
George Bullard of Hickory Learning Communities and
the Baptist State convention of North Carolina wrote a resource
guide, "Judicatories Working Hard vs. Working Smart, Reinventing
Congregational Services in Middle Judicatories." This very
enlightening article gave the Committee a critical suggestion for
ways to nurture congregations.
To strengthen and support congregations, the
Presbytery will focus its time, personnel, and money in equal
portions among four emphases:
- Creating new congregations, with a growth rate determined by
Presbytery Council;
- Walking with faithful, effective and innovative congregations
to recognize sustainable habits that empower them to continue to
soar as congregations;
- Working with congregations that are ready to engage in
transition and change activities leading to a spiritual strategic
journey that transforms them; and
- Working with congregations that are holding steady, serving
Christ and their communities faithfully,
For the better part of a century, most mainline
Protestant denominations followed the lead of industry and business
in centralizing functions, in pursuing such goals as efficiency,
greater effectiveness, and control. Finally the church is realizing
that these are not necessarily conducive to the fostering of
Christ-like community, the building of trusting relationships,
learning how to walk as partners with congregations and their
leaders as they seek to be faithful to God's call.
The Committee on Future Structure and Staffing
strongly affirms recent efforts towards collaboration between such
committees as the Committee on Ministry, Parish Life Development
Committee, and the Board of Trustees-all focused on strengthening
and supporting congregations. The gathering of leaders from eleven
congregations in the Northwest Quadrant of the Presbytery last
November, and a similar gathering planned for those in the Southeast
Quadrant in May 2004-with representatives of these committees-point
the way forward. No longer should the primary strategy be one of
"you all come here," but instead, "haw can we listen and assist you
as you seek to discern and follow God's leading in your ministry?"
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