Office of the General Assembly
by Cynthia Bolbach
Moderator of the 219th General Assembly (2010)

LOUISVILLE — “I’m just an elder.”

Have you heard someone say that? Have you said it yourself? Maybe in response to being asked to lead worship, or preach, or visit someone in the hospital?

“No,” you reply, “I couldn’t do that. I’m just an elder. Those are things the pastor does.”

Our Presbyterian polity doesn’t recognize the statement, “I’m just an elder.” In our polity, ruling elders and teaching elders (also known as Ministers of the Word and Sacrament) share equally in the governance and spiritual leadership of the church. Our calls to ministry encompass different functions and tasks, but we are called equally to ministry and to leadership in the church.

For too long the ministry of ruling elder has been diminished, equated with serving on a non-profit board of directors. Yes, the session does perform tasks like hiring nursery attendants and deciding whether the amount of insurance coverage is adequate. But that is not the primary task of the session or of the ruling elders who serve on it.

Ruling elders have the awesome task of measuring our community of faith’s fidelity to the Word of God. As the proposed new Form of Government puts it, “Ruling elders, together with teaching elders, exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church, including ecumenical relationships” (G-2.0301).

There’s no “just” anywhere in that sentence.

Being a ruling elder is not easy. But we are not in this alone. Others are there to guide us as we seek to carry out our high calling.

From June 30–July 2, Presbyterians will gather in Indianapolis for the “Big Tent.” A significant component of the Big Tent will be the Elders Conference – a chance for all of us who are ruling elders to come together, share common thoughts and concerns, learn how to be better ruling elders, and, not least, to discover the “top ten things elders need to know.” Really, how can you stay away?

Visit the Big Tent website to register. I look forward to seeing with you there!

“I can’t believe that I was trimming a tree with a chainsaw…in the church sanctuary!!!”

So begins the Face Book entry of the Rev. Craig Alwin, Pastor at Oconto, First Church.  Indeed, the tree that legitimately needed to be moved from its former site, found a new (if only temporary) home in the sanctuary of the church.

The “Baobab Tree” was just what was needed for opening day of Vacation Bible School.  The tree actually touches the ceiling (after trimming 10 feet off the top).

Everyone enjoyed singing “Father Abraham” under the Baobab tree and couldn’t wait to see what would happen the next days of VBS!

Photos courtesy of Craig Alwin

When the land was sold in this past spring, the Mission Committee and Session of First Presbyterian Church came forward offering  space on their church property so the project could continue another year.

Early in May members of Casa Esther, Fr. Joe Mattern, Garden Manager Mike Stadler,  and Pastor Ed Slusser planted the garden.   The harvestwas large enough that extra produce was  offered to church members in gratitude for the use of their land.

Churches in Winnebago Presbytery ‘pay it forward’ with donations for thrift stores

by Toni Montgomery
Special to the Presbyterian News Service

Editor’s note: This is the 23rd in a series of stories about congregations engaged in significant outreach and evangelism ministries, reflecting the General Assembly’s commitment to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide.” — Jerry L. Van Marter

Customers browse the store run by Forest Larger Parish.
Photo courtesy of Forest Larger Parish.

STATESVILLE, NC — It’s nice to see a project succeed and grow. It’s even nicer when the product of that success can be used to “pay it forward” to help someone else succeed. It’s perhaps most rewarding of all when those who have been helped wish to do the same for others.

The Rev. Ed Slusser of First Presbyterian Church of Omro in Wisconsin had no idea that would be the result when he explored the idea of starting a thrift store 10 years ago.

“A member of the local Catholic church approached me with the idea of starting a community thrift store,” Slusser said.

So he explored the idea, talking it over with city officials and other church members. After deciding to go ahead with the project as a joint effort with the Catholic church, St. Mary’s, Slusser applied for a rural ministry grant and received $3,000 from Winnebago Presbytery. That money, along with funds raised by both churches, was used to start the store.

The group bought a downtown building and remodeled it into a store. The churches formed an ecumenical board made up of members to oversee the operation. The store is staffed by volunteers — not just from the churches but from the community at large.

“My goal was to bring the community together, and we’ve succeeded in that,” Slusser said. “It’s a way to put faith values and Christian faith in practice in a practical way. It brings a lot of people together. The men and women who volunteer at the store really enjoy it.”

The store is thriving. Within a few years, the churches were able to pay off the mortgage on the building and build an addition. With the bills paid, it was time to focus on giving more to the community. Not only does the store itself provide a service, but the money made there is put back into other community projects.

The first thing the board sought to do after the mortgage was paid was to return the money used for startup to the churches, including the $3,000 received from the presbytery. When Slusser tried to do that, Executive Presbyter Lucy Rupe had other ideas. She told Slusser about Forest Larger Parish in the northern part of the presbytery.

Forest Larger Parish is made up of three smaller congregations — First Presbyterian Lakewood, First Presbyterian Wabeno and First Presbyterian Laona — overseen by commissioned lay pastors Dennis and Wendy Mannering, who work together as a combined parish.

The Mannerings were exploring the idea of a community thrift store in conjunction with other churches in their neighborhood and were trying to raise startup funds for the project. Rupe suggested that instead of paying back the grant he’d received, Slusser could give it to Forest Larger to help start an operation there.

“I think this is a wonderful story of how things can come around in a circle,” Rupe said. “And I think it’s especially wonderful to see our churches supporting and helping each other. It brings them together as a family where they take care of each other.”

The Mannerings were overwhelmed by the generosity. Their thrift store, like the one in Omro, is a combined ecumenical effort with seven other churches participating. The project had received a grant from Winnebago Presbytery, and each church had contributed $200 in start-up money, but thanks to the gift from Omro, Forest Larger had plenty of money to get off the ground.

“Omro not only helped us with money, but they helped us organize our store too,” said Wendy Mannerings. “Several of our people visited Omro to see how they run things so we could get some ideas. They’ve been wonderful.”

That might be part of the reason that Forest Larger, like Omro, has enjoyed great success with its project. The grant it received from Winnebago Presbytery was to last three years, but the store was so successful that it only needed to use the funds for one year.

Each year the store has moved into a new and larger building, and finally, this year the group has purchased its own building.

A board made up of members from each of the 10 churches oversees the funds the store brings in and decides what to do with them. The store has paid off its initial start-up expenses and now uses the money raised to support two local food pantries and other requests. The project recently gave money to the local police department to fund a K9 unit.

“This has been a very significant outreach for these small communities,” said Wendy Mannering. “It’s a very small area and it’s been mostly depressed since the logging industry left, so it’s really the only retail store in the area. Everyone shops here.”

Yet just as in Omro, the thrift store is much more than a place for the community to shop. It has also provided a place for people to come together and share.

“It’s wonderful to see Catholics and Lutherans and Presbyterians working together and sharing faith and fellowship,” said Dennis Mannering, echoing Slusser’s sentiments. “Part of the reason we came up with the idea to do this was to lift spirits in the community.

“It not only serves a need in the community with inexpensive clothing, but beyond that, the store gives our volunteers — many of whom are retirees — a purpose,” he said. “Plus, there are the ecumenical benefits of churches and pastors being able to get together and work together and not feel threatened.”

But what of the gift they received from Omro that helped them launch their effort in the first place? Wendy Mannering said they haven’t forgotten about that act of kindness.

“We want to also pay it forward like Omro did for us,” she said. “We’re just waiting to hear of someone who needs our help.”

Toni Montgomery is a free-lance writer in Statesville, NC. She is church secretary for First Presbyterian Church there.

The theme of the meeting was integrating technology into the life of the congregation.  The meeting was held in the newly renovated fellowship hall which, in addition to many physical improvements, is wifi accessible.

Elder Jess Wakefield of Covenant Community Church in Schofield was recognized for completing his lay pastor training and was certified as a Trained Lay Pastor in the presbytery.

Upon return from the Women’s Lambing weekend at the Heifer Ranch in Arkansas, five of the participants shared pictures and stories of their time together.  They presented to the staff a token of their appreciation – pictured below – which now hangs in the presbytery office.

You often read short articles in News and Notes highlighting promotional events at the Just Fare Market housed at First Presbyterian Church, in Fond du Lac.

Have you ever wanted to learn more?  The latest issue of their newsletter can be read here.

It’s not to early to plan!  Rhashell Hunger, Director of Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/PW writes,

“March 8, 2009 is Celebrate the gifts of Women Sunday and International Women’s Day.  By action of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly (Orlando, 1993), Celebrate the Gifts of Women appears in the planning calendar each year.  Congregations and individuals are encouraged to celebrate this day each year, recognizing the gifts women bring to God, the Church and community.”

More resources for this event can be found here

By Dave Root – First Presbyterian Church, Marshfield

The first two weeks in November, my Son in Law, Kevin Mitchell, and I made another disaster relief trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to assist Katrina victims. As a point of comparison, this was my 7 th trip to the area, the first being three weeks after the storm hit. You can see a difference now as people are trying to put their lives and living conditions back in order.

From my viewpoint, the biggest difference is being made by the faith-based volunteers that continue to provide assistance. Not least among these efforts is the Presbyterian Church( USA) which has committed to years of continuing the rebuilding process. Presbyterian Churches along the coast continue to host and house volunteers that come from everywhere. These congregations demonstrate the patience that God calls us to, in putting up with itinerants that use their facilities, sometimes not always in the way desired.Presbyterians can be very proud of the “Christ-like” atmosphere that is apparent in the region.

Kevin and I joined with a team from the Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church located in Columbia , Maryland . We numbered about 10 in all and with various skills ranging from professional builders to rank armatures. Some of the team had medical backgrounds and volunteered at the free clinic that is established in the area. The Westminster Presbyterian Church in Gulfport was our host.

The effort has changed from repairing existing homes to building new homes. We worked on two homes that were very near completion. One of these was completed to the point that we participated in a “key ceremony ” on our last Friday. This was gratifying as with other trips we didn’t get to witness a completion. The lady occupying the new home was brought to tears as she thanked us and described the hopeless situation she faced after the storm.

The Presbyterian motto for the relief effort is “out of chaos, hope”. It is comforting to know that in Christ’s name we can provide this hope. The work is far from being complete and we must continue to concentrate on being the hope for these unfortunate victims.

The week long program in late July concluded with nearly 100 adults and children crowding the market place set up in the Lakewood Presbyterian Church parking lot.

Several of the Jerusalem women pose for a picture.

One never knows who might be spotted walking through the market.

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