The Centinel - March 2000, Issue 10b

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A Charge to Keep

I always love it when God drops one of those obvious "specks of grace" into our lives . . . especially as we face a big challenge. The latest one I've seen was in February when the Lord laid on two peoples' hearts, totally independent of each other, the idea that we need a Scripture "theme" for the interim period between senior pastors . . . and that I would present this theme as a charge to the congregation. What a great idea! Thank you, Lord!

Right away, in talking about this with Dottie Jones, Worship Committee Chair, the following Scripture verse "grabbed" both of us.

"Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified ...
for the Lord your God goes with you;
He will never leave or forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6

This is God's exhortation and promise-through Moses-to the children of Israel as two things are about to happen: 1) a tremendous change will impact every person's day to day life-moving from wandering in the wilderness to entry into the promised land. (I hope the last 11 years haven't been a "wilderness experience" for most of you, but any way the best is yet to come!); 2) a dramatic leadership change-the passing of the baton from Moses to Joshua.

Changes like these naturally stir up feelings of anxiety, even panic, as we wonder whether or not "the wheels are going to come off" and feelings of abandonment. You and I are no different from those early Israelites, and neither is our God different from the God who ultimately authored this verse.

My charge to you, the congregation of Central Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, is to take God at His Word. He orchestrated this whole thing, therefore, now is the time to step up to the plate with confidence and courage, replace fear with love (for God, each other and the un-churched) and roar ahead knowing that God is with you and me and that He keeps His promises.

I'm suggesting that Deuteronomy 31:6 be placed on top of the bulletin (where I weekly put a different Scripture verse) until the first Sunday your new senior pastor is in the pulpit. In the meantime, if you live out that verse during the weeks of the interim period. . .that will be your greatest gift to my successor-a congregation that truly lives out God's Word.

Stay strong in the Lord,
Ron

From the Associate Pastor

by Jerry Cooper

It is nothing new or profound to say that we are entering a time of change and transition. But after praying and thinking about what to write for this issue of the Centinel, I felt led to give a few perspectives on the transition that lies ahead, or to be more accurate, that has already begun.

The key for us in this transition is two-fold: First, since we know we must have change, let's make sure that we take advantage of this change to create positive growth rather than allowing it to be a time of discouragement or stagnation. Second, since we know that the changes may involve some pain, let us not be too quick to shrink away from it. Unhealthy avoidance of pain is the surest way to discourage the good growth that we and God want.

Since God has called Ron to go elsewhere, we should not try to replace him; in the sense of looking for "Ron II" (just as Ron was not "Murray II"). God is showing us that to move forward in faithfulness to the mission He has given us we need a different set of gifts embodied in a new person.

We must be open to whomever God chooses to fill the position of senior pastor, beginning with me! I know I am not Ron, nor will the interim pastor or the senior pastor be Ron. I believe most of you realize this as well. We need to allow each person to be whom God has called them to be, and to rejoice in their strengths, while coming alongside them to fill in the gaps.

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God gave this congregation a spirit of grace and flexibility; never allowing difficulty to divide us or destroy our commitment to the mission He gave us. One of the greatest things I appreciate about Central is this spirit with which we weathered many changes. Each time, we seem to come out even stronger and better equipped to minister faithfully in the Name of Christ. I pray that that same spirit will be at work in us, in extra measure, as we move through the next few years of changing faces at the front of the church.

For myself, I appreciate those of you who have expressed concern for me during this time. It is a time of trust for me, as well, since I too am, and will be, affected in many ways. I will miss Ron as much as you will miss him.

I do covet your prayers for me and my family. I need your prayers even more during this time. Ingrid and Joy need your prayers too as the changes in my personal life and my ministry affect them. While I cannot see too far down the path of the future, I believe that God has called me to be here at Central for "such a time as this." (Esther 4:15)

A common concern among many is what my new status will be under the next senior pastor. At present, I can only say that there is no requirement that I resign. Beyond that, we will have to wait and see.

The changes are also creating confusion for some of you who are not sure who to talk to about different matters. Planning is already challenging and most decisions will be somewhat tentative as we move forward.

Finally, let me make it clear that my number one calling at Central has been, and continues to be, as a pastor. Even during the routine seasons in our congregation, I build in allowances so that I have time to talk to, encourage and counsel God's people. My door is open, my phone is in good working order and my e-mail receives messages 24 hours a day.

I sincerely appreciate your prayers and willingness to come alongside me now and in the days ahead. God bless you, and thank you for the joy and privilege of being one of your pastors. -- Jerry

Be a Part of the Future

by Eileen Pohlhaus

All-Church Retreat 2000 ... God is so good! He is continuing His wonderful work at Central by providing the details for the 7th Annual All-Church Retreat. The theme for this year's retreat is "A Spiritual Barn-Raising... Building our Future Together." This word-picture captures the essence of moving forward, side by side, in God's perfect will for our congregation.

We will explore the biblical blueprints of our faith using the tools of discipleship and service and "raising the roof" of praise and glory to our Lord. We have a speaker and topic that will compliment our unique situation at Central in the coming months.

Our speaker is Danny O'Brien who can identify with us from youths to seniors. He worked with Young Life for many years, and now works with Senior Campus Living. Danny will be gleaning a perspective of Central by working with our Session liaison, Doug Turner. He has accepted our invitation with enthusiasm, let's match that enthusiasm with our own!

Registrations to attend the retreat can be made at the table in the concourse beginning Sunday, March 19th. Candy will be awarded to each person who registers early.

We encourage members of all ages to attend the retreat at Summit Lake, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The Middle Creek Manor facility is a special place that accommodates our 55+ aged participants, on a first come first serve basis. We will also be making the cabins a little more cozy.

Our Saturday night entertainment is also sure to please. The blessings you will receive from this time with your brothers and sisters in Christ will be the sweetest "souvenir" of all.

The dates for the retreat are Friday, May 26th through Sunday, May 28th. See a Retreat Committee Member with any questions.

Urbana2000

by Greg Meadows

I hope that you noticed the banners posted in some of the Sunday school classrooms over the past few weeks, and are wondering what it is all about. Urbana2000 is a mission-oriented convention that will be hosted by InterVarsity at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, targeting university students from the United States and Canada. Past conventions were held in both countries, and were wildly successful in attracting students' attention to the joy of mission work.

Undoubtedly, there are those of you who know about Urbana since you have taken advantage of the opportunity to attend events in past years-you know the value of reaching energetic and enthusiastic students. The College & Career group at Central is setting in motion plans to participate in Urbana2000. We would like to join with the other 19,000 students and leaders, give or take a few, who will be in attendance to use this convention as a tool for spiritual growth and as a means to discern God's will as we participate in His kingdom work. Just imagine the potential!

We do not want to restrict Central's involvement to sending a few students to the Midwest. We desire your personal involvement as we make plans. There are a number of ways in which you could be active in Urbana2000: you can become a warrior to take the responsibility to pray for Urbana, for the students and for the decisions that we make; you may be able to share your past Urbana experiences with us; you may sponsor a student who would like to attend, etc. You get the idea-there are a variety of opportunities to get involved in the planning and organization of this tremendous event.

To learn more about how you can support Urbana2000 (information flyers, videos, prayer lists, student names, times and dates, etc.) contact me at the church, 410-823-6145, ext. 240. We look forward to hearing from you!

Here I Am, Lord - Send Me

By Jean Stuart

We've all thought about it, but they, did it!

The "they" are Central members, Sue & Pete Penno and David & Judy Summers. These two couples pledged a year to Seventh Baptist Church in response to a call for help from our Pastor, Ron Scates, and Seventh's Pastor, Michael Coles. Central Church and Seventh Baptist share a close relationship through Ron's and Michael's brotherhood in Project Justice.

One of the problems on the hearts of this small congregation of 50 plus members of Seventh is owning a large sanctuary and an extensive plant located in a decaying neighborhood at St. Paul and North Avenue. They need hands and feet to meet peoples' needs and to spread the Gospel. Pastor Coles feels God is calling him to minister where he is, and is asking for workers to join his church community to help teach and witness. Valerie and Michael Coles are warm and caring Christians, with a mission.

The Summers are teaching Middle School Sunday School and Pete and David are organizing a group of volunteers to make building improvements. Most important, our Central members are encouragers as God leads.

A neighborhood canvas is also being planned to learn how Seventh can best be "salt and light" to those around it.

Seventh's Sunday Schedule is:

Fellowship Time - 9:00 - 9:30 AM
Sunday School - 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Worship - 11:00 AM

On Wednesday evenings, Pastor Coles leads a powerful Bible Study at 7 pm which is preceded weekly by a pot luck supper at 6 pm.

How can you help?

• Pray regularly that God will lead Seventh Baptist to the ministry He has for them.
• Encourage the Pennos and the Summers by telling them how they are missed at Central.
• Visit Seventh Baptist.

Who knows?...You may find a "fit" into one or more of the many needs there.

A Ministry Plan Puzzle

by Patricia Grosh

By attending one of the "Moving Toward Christ" classes last year, I found direction and focus for sharing my love of God. For over 35 years I listened and watched others; following their examples when it came to serving God. That began to change as I participated in the class.

In the classes we were guided through a historical summary of the Christian faith, Presbyterian teaching, Central's mission and finally a personal examination of our own lives. It was as if we were putting the pieces of the puzzle together; only the puzzles we were putting together were our ministry plans.

Our ministry plans included our three top ministry choices, our personal and corporate commitments of time with God, our stewardship commitments of money and time, our family activity goals and our personal mental and physical goals. As we finished each section, we were picking up the pieces we needed for our "puzzles."

When we had completed the classes we were ready to put our "puzzles" together. As I finished putting my pieces together, I was surprised at how perfectly they fit.

I realized that God was using all of my past experiences: the good, the bad and the ugly, to now serve His Kingdom. Only by His loving hand was it possible to take my life of sin and transform it into a life that will glorify Him. What an awesome God we serve!

Attending a "Moving Toward Christ" class is a gift of love we give to God, ourselves and others. Please plan to join the next class. I promise it WILL change your life.

Central's Survey: A Health-Check on the Congregation

by Carol Ann Lang

Over 600 people at Central anonymously filled out our church survey, giving us an objective look at our church family, how we are growing spiritually and personally, and as families and interpersonally. It will be a great resource for identifying our present and future needs.

Assisting us in the interpreting of our data will be Dr. Paul Borden, from Gold River California, Regional Director of the American Baptist Church. Dr. Borden came to Central in a similar capacity approximately 10 years ago, when Pastor Ron Scates arrived. The data will be tallied in Colorado, and Dr. Borden will meet with small groups from March 30th through April 2nd. During that weekend Dr. Borden will review the results of the survey with us.

The church population is more than double, growing from approximately 300 to 700 attendees, what it was at the time of the last survey. Not only will our needs as a church family be different, but a multiplicity of staff will bring other changes and needs as well.

The previous survey helped us to be two to three years ahead in our focus. This survey will be helpful in focusing on what occurred during the past 10 years. The new data will give us a fresh look at who we are and what our progress has been; it will assist us in getting a fresh understanding of what the next senior pastor needs to bring in terms of strengths and will provide useful data for him as to who we are and what our needs are and will be. This information will, when analyzed, be a good diagnostic tool for our congregation. A modern health-check.

March Presbytery Meeting

by Phyllis DeSmit

On March 23rd Central will have a large congregation of visitors. We will host the Presbytery of Baltimore's monthly meeting from 4-9 pm. Our Presbytery is made up of approximately 70 churches, each of which can send two voting elders (more may be present, but cannot vote) and pastors. The attendance is normally 150 to 200 people, and the location rotates among the member churches.

Central will be offering an evening meal that will be coordinated by Deacon Louise Klohr. Business during the March meeting will involve voting to dissolve the relationship between the Presbytery and Pastor Ron Scates, overtures to be sent to General Assembly, committee reports, and worship which is usually led by the host pastor. This will be the last time in Ron's tenure in Baltimore that Central will be the host site.

In Search of an Interim Pastor

by Curt Russell

Why do we need an interim pastor? Studies of the transition period from one senior pastor to another show several things. First, a congregation needs time to process the fact that their former senior pastor is no longer with them. Each pastor has a particular style of ministry and, over time, the congregation becomes comfortable with the pastor as a person and with the pastor's style of ministry.

It is inevitable that the pastor who follows will be compared and, in a sense, "graded" against the style of the previous senior pastor. An interim period between permanent pastors allows the congregation sufficient time to adjust to a different ministry style and prepares the way for the congregation to be open to the style of the new senior pastor.

Second, the process of finding the right senior pastor for a church like Central can take 12 to 18 months. This is too long for a church to be without a senior pastor.

An interim pastor can step in and fill the role of senior pastor, giving the church the freedom to continue in its ministry endeavors. It would be difficult to maintain the ministries of the church if the remaining pastors and staff were required to take on all of the tasks that were formerly performed by the senior pastor.

And, just to clarify one other issue, the practice of using a current associate pastor to fill the interim role is generally discouraged. An associate pastor is called to fill specific ministry roles, and these must continue during the interim period. Studies also show that filling the interim senior role with a current associate sets up the potential for conflicting congregational allegiance when the new senior pastor arrives, causing candidates for the permanent senior pastor position to be wary. According to the Book of Order, an interim pastor is retained by the Session of the church, and there is no formal "call" by the congregation as there is with a permanent pastoral position.

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Thus, an interim pastor serves at the call of the Session, with concurrence by the local Presbytery, and is not voted on by the congregation. The term is not to exceed 12 months, however, the term may be extended by the Session in concurrence with the Presbytery if necessary. An interim pastor may not be called by a congregation to fill a permanent pastoral position in the church where the pastor served as an interim.

The Session of Central appointed an Interim Pastor Search Committee and charged them to find the candidate God chose for Central. The committee currently meets every Sunday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. It consists of Doug Turner and myself as co-chairs, Pieter DeSmit, Lois Sheeler-Duncan, Cora Edwards and Scott Bolonda.

The committee enlisted, through the fine work of Cora Edwards, a group of 15-20 prayer warriors to undergird the entire process with prayer. We defined the role of the interim pastor, and developed a profile for the ideal candidate. The committee is looking for a candidate who will uphold the integrity and spiritual leadership that Central expects of a senior pastor. This means a person who has a close personal relationship with Christ, who is firmly anchored in Scripture, theologically reformed and evangelical, rooted in a strong prayer life and is a winsome advocate of the faith.

The Session is committed to continuing onward and upward with the missions of Central. As such, the Committee feels it is important to find an interim pastor who will come alongside the vision and ministries to which God has called Central. We need an encourager, a teacher and a facilitator who believes in the importance of "moving people toward Christ" and who will invest in us as a congregation as we invest in others toward the fulfillment of this mission.

We are seeking a professional interim pastor. Surprisingly, this is an important and well-recognized ministry within the denomination. These pastors have gifts and special training to provide a particular kind of care to a congregation as it goes through the transition period. The committee is currently identifying, qualifying and interviewing candidates. Your prayers are coveted by the committee. We will continue to keep you informed as we seek to quickly, yet faithfully, perform our task.

Entrusted By God

by Bob Summers

What is the role of the Trustees in the life of Central and our shared mission of "Moving People Toward Christ?" In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us that we all are part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27-28) and mentions the role of the Trustees: "those with gifts of administration." What does this mean? The best way to answer this question is to review some of the things the Trustees have done over the past few years here at Central.

There have been numerous physical changes to the buildings and grounds at Central. We have a new building to support our expanding church membership and ministries. The Trustees' work on the building you see today began in 1994 when the Session voted to establish an Architectural Committee to explore options for new facilities. Much time and effort went into determining the physical needs of our various ministries, planning for the future as well as the development and review of architectural and engineering drawings. Simultaneously, we were working out the details of the financing and reviewing budgets to ensure that funds would be available when we needed them. During construction, weekly meetings were held with builders to ensure that construction issues were dealt with quickly and progress was not delayed.

The Trustees were also working to ensure that the existing building and grounds were properly maintained and able to support the ongoing ministries of Central and those of other groups like the Men's Bible Study Fellowship and Women's Alcoholics Anonymous. Sharing our buildings and grounds is an important outreach to the community.

The Trustees also support Wayne Parrish, Central's Building Manager, and his staff to ensure that we have lights and heat, that the building and furniture are clean and in good repair and that the building is secured at night.

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Later this Spring we will begin work on our new garage and picnic pavilion on the "back-40." Phase II of the building plan is just around the corner. The Trustees will again be working behind the scenes to support Central and its ministries.

We are all called to be faithful stewards of the resources and facilities God has given us for this church. Our buildings are used every day of the week; and maintenance and repairs are constantly needed. We appreciate your help: in taking good care of our grounds, buildings, furniture and equipment every time you use them. If you notice someone misusing equipment or abusing the facilities, please ask them to stop. Remember, our facilities belong to all of us, and we all share the responsibility to use them wisely.

If you are interested in using your God given talents to strengthen this part of the body of Christ by joining the Trustees or working on congregational work days, please contact me, Bob Summers. The Trustees meet every second Monday of the month, and we always welcome new members. Please consider joining us.

Update...

by Mary Burkey

The Children's Ministry Director Search Committee held its first meeting November 17, 1999. It was called into being after Rhonda Herman, not wanting to work full-time, resigned. The committee agreed that Rhonda had done a fantastic job. Given our task, we began the search.

When we received word of Pastor Ron Scates leaving, Rhonda offered to rescind her resignation, and continue as the Children's Ministry Director. The Committee recommended that the Session accept Rhonda's offer to stay in her present position, and that we suspend our activities for the present. It was accepted and approved.

Mark Your Calendar

Be sure to check the bulletin each week for meetings and details.