A Message from the Minister’s Messy Desk
At the session meeting on Jan 11 it was decided that we suspend all in person worship for the rest of the month of January. We will be meeting again on Jan 26th to reevaluate this suspension.
Services will continue to be live-streamed, broadcast on the radio and available in written form.
While this is not a set-back any of us want, it is out of care and concern for our congregation that the session has made this decision.
Other updates from Session:
The session received a status report from the New Beginnings Building Committee. This committee has been in contact with three church-based consulting/development firms and has received proposals from two of them. The committee hopes to have a recommendation to session for our next meeting. Following session these recommendations will likely come to the congregation for discussion and approval.
It was moved that we proceed with elder nominations and elections with the goal of electing a maximum of two new elders. Below and attached is the information about who qualifies and how to nominate candidates. Due to the challenges of not meeting in person for worship, electronic or handwritten nominations (so long as it is from two members) will be allowed.
Call For Nominations to the Eldership
This session moved to term eldership two years ago. Term eldership is a style of service in which elders serve for a 6 year term followed by a minimum 2 year sabbatical. Every 2 years 1/3 of the elders will resign from active service and elections are held. This means that every other year we ask if there are elders who wish to resign or take a leave from active service. Currently three elders have resigned or stepped down from active service.
At our December meeting we approved that elder elections will take place in Jan 2022 or as soon as feasible.
The Session is responsible for all aspects of the life and ministry of the Congregation (except a few areas reserved to the minister by our theology and our ‘manual’, called “The Book Of Forms.”) Here is part of what The Book of Forms has to say about the qualities sought for the eldership:
“Election to the eldership is the call of God, through the congregation, for service in Christ’s Church. Since the eldership is a spiritual office concerned with the rule and pastoral oversight of the congregation, only suitable men and women should be considered. They should be committed Christians, in regular attendance at public worship, persons of sound judgment and upright character, and either knowledgeable or prepared to learn of the government of the church…The eldership is a spiritual function as is the ministry, and the qualifications for the office are those laid down in ‘the express word of God, and namely the Canons written by the Apostle Paul.’ An elder must be a professing member of the congregation and must be “an example to the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity” (I Timothy 4:12).
The Session will receive nominations until Feb. 13/22 . Please uphold thisprocess, the Session, and the Congregation in your prayers, and thank you.
HOW TO MAKE A NOMINATION
EACH NOMINEE MUST BE NAMED BY TWO PROFESSING MEMBERS OF
THE CONGREGATION. THE NOMINEE MUST ALSO BE A PROFESSING
MEMBER.
YOU MAY USE THE FORM BELOW OR CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL OR ANY OTHER PAPER, SEALED IN AN ENVELOPE MARKED “ELDER NOMINATION”
THE SESSION WILL VET THE NOMINEES AS TO THEIR SUITABILITY AND
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, AND WILL CALL A CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING FOR THE ELECTION
———————————————————–
NOMINATION FORM
WE NOMINATE ________________________
FOR ADMISSION TO THE SESSION OF COMOX VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH, COMOX
NAME (PRINTED AND SIGNED) OF MEMBER MAKING NOMINATION
NAME (PRINTED AND SIGNED) OF MEMBER MAKING NOMINATION