Join Us at the Annual Meeting

By Pastor John E. Schmidt

On January 27th, at 12:45 pm, we will have our Annual Congregational Meeting. At Central, Annual Meetings are a time of information, celebration, and decision. The Annual Meeting is an important part of Presbyterian church government. In it, the most important regular decision that comes to the congregation is made: who will be your elected church officers? Session members are responsible for the whole spiritual direction of the church and set all major church policy. Deacons are those responsible for setting up the teams and procedures that are intended to deal with the crises and care needs of our body, and sometimes the care needs of the community around us, as well. The Trustees officially represent the church in legal matters, advise the Session on financial and facilities-related matters, and implement the decisions and policies approved by the Session.

In our process, candidates are nominated months before. A Nominating Committee (also elected in part by the congregation) contacts, interviews, informs and evaluates candidates, ultimately presenting the slate of leaders that will be presented for your election at the meeting. Biblical criteria for leadership, along with a person's history of service and current life circumstances are all rolled into the discernment process. In 2007, our Nominating Committee worked hard under the leadership of elders Richard Ames-Ledbetter and Sheila Cox to present the slate of nominees that we can choose to elect. At all meetings there is also the freedom to nominate people not on the official list of nominees.

Also at our meeting, the congregation gets a mid-fiscal year report on the budget set by the Session. (Remember, our fiscal year now starts in July.) A simplified version of the budget will be presented and more detailed questions can be asked at any time by contacting Jim McClure, our Director of Ministry Support, or any of the Trustees. Also, Session members would be glad to answer those questions, when they can, and get the answers for you when they can't.

The final purpose for the meeting, and the most fun part, is celebrating what God has done among us this year. In the middle of all this "business," we need to be reminded of what our core identity is all about. The church is a body where God is at work. That is why we exist, and what makes all our labor, structures, and budgets matter. God has done amazing things among us this year. Come and celebrate that with us!