by Lorna Hutchinson

The Boarding Homes Ministry was started in Toronto by The Rev. Rodger Hunter, who had worked in mission drop-in centres and recognized God’s call to reach out to the isolated people who live in boarding homes. The men and women who live in the boarding homes, which exist in almost every community, have often become estranged from their families through years of illness. They may have many workers, but few friends. They may be people of profound faith, but they may be unable to sit still through a regular church service, or they may just feel they don’t really “belong” there. It’s all too easy to overlook them. But being a member of a team that makes regular visits to a boarding home is a source of great blessing, not only to those who live there but to those who take the time to visit, to experience their hospitality and to get to know them.

Our visits always begin the same way: winter or summer, for over eight years now, our friends are sitting outside on the porch, waiting for us to arrive. Someone jumps up to open the door for us. Another enquires as to whether we would need any help carrying things from the car or from the corner store. Everyone has a smile and a special greeting.

Visits take place in the basement dining room. Not everyone can bear to remain in such an enclosed space with so many people in it, so they come and go during the visit, one man sitting in the hall just outside the door, and another claiming his seat just inside the door. We exchange news and share food – cold drinks, treats made by members of the congregation, fruit and cheese – especially cheese! They share their gifts with us: beautiful, intricate drawings, music, poetry – the stories of their lives.

We celebrate birthdays together, along with special days such as Easter and Christmas. Many of them have not had a birthday cake in many years; some have never had one. For some, the Christmas present lovingly prepared by a family in our church especially for them will be their only gift. Twice a year, we celebrate holy communion together. For them, we are the church. And once a year, we invite our boarding home friends to a barbeque at our church home. The special days are awaited with great anticipation, but the regular visits, every second Tuesday afternoon, are the really important part of our ministry.

During each visit, we set aside a little time to share with them the good news that each of us, whatever our circumstance, is beloved by God. One day I describe to them a scene by a well in a parched land. For a few minutes, restlessness is stilled; they stay in their chairs, listening closely. Their attention tells me that they can really identify with this story. They know what it is like to experience wilderness. They hear about the woman who is there alone in the scorching heat, having been rejected by her community. A despised Samaritan, she expects to be ignored by the Jewish man who approaches, but, to her surprise, he asks her for a drink of water! Who would dare to drink from the water vessel of someone like her? The faces around the circle show that each one understands what it is to be shunned by others. They understand what it means to have others assume you can offer them nothing. They are interested in this Jesus who not only speaks to the marginalized woman but shows that he already knows all about her, and is not put off by the sordid circumstances of her life. He recognizes her desire for connection with her God and offers her living water to quench the thirst of her soul. The message is welcome to the thirsty: you don’t need to go to church to connect with God – you can worship anywhere, even in a boarding home!

During the years in which we have had the privilege of being part of this community, many people have come and gone. Some have moved on to other homes, or back to the street. Others have died. Each time there is a death in the home, we hold a memorial service to celebrate the life that has ended. It is comforting to know that when this life ends, we have hope of a better life where there is no sickness and pain. It is comforting for friends to gather and speak of their memories of the one who has died. It is comforting to know that, when you go, someone will notice and miss you.

If our story of how we tell The Story has touched you, you might prayerfully consider becoming part of a Boarding Homes Ministry team in your community. The need is very great, and the ministry has expanded beyond Toronto. Most communities have boarding homes filled with ill and isolated men and women who crave community and who will offer in return their hospitality, their humour and their friendship.

What does it take to get started? You would need approximately five or six people who can commit to regular visits, either weekly or bi-weekly. This commitment is important, as boarding homes residents are used to being let down – we don’t want to add to their disappointment. Our team members take turns providing snacks and drinks, with help from members of the congregation who like to bake. The congregation will also need to allocate a budget for special events such as a Christmas party and a summer barbeque, and may choose to provide Christmas gifts for each resident and other special treats such as ice cream and pizza from time to time. Your minister’s support is needed for communion services, and perhaps for memorial services and baptisms (yes, one of our friends was baptised in our home!). And, of course, you need to have lots of people praying for you.

If you would like more information, you can check the Boarding Homes Ministry website at boardinghomesministry.ca or contact Rodger Hunter directly at bhmin@sympatico.ca. Roger is always happy to suggest resources and help new teams get started.

Lorna Hutchinson is an elder at Knox Church, Toronto, Ontario. She and her husband, John, are part of the Boarding Homes team from Glenview Church, which visits a home on Sherbourne Street every second Tuesday afternoon.

Don Muir, Associate Secretary, General Assembly Office

]]> http://equippingfor.ca/article/what-happens-to-continuing-education-funds-when-a-minister-leaves-a-congregation/feed/ 0 http://equippingfor.ca/article/as-told-by-children-using-video-to-tell-the-story-in-worship/ http://equippingfor.ca/article/as-told-by-children-using-video-to-tell-the-story-in-worship/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:31:08 +0000 admin http://equippingfor.ca/?p=1091 by Scott McAndless

Several years ago, Knox Presbyterian Church in Leamington, Ontario, considered how to enhance the way we present and receive the message of the Bible in our Sunday morning worship experience. We decided to purchase projection equipment that many churches use these days to project the words of hymns and prayers on a screen instead of printing them in a bulletin. After a few years of using the equipment for these purposes, we began to see some new possibilities emerge.

We had a great group of children in our church. We wondered if this new technology might open up new ways for our children to hear the stories of the Bible and also exciting ways for them to learn how to tell The Story to others. Using only equipment that we had and with our very limited skills and talents, we started making videos with the kids.

To get started, all we needed was

• a basic digital video camera (You could probably easily borrow several in your congregation.)
• a tripod (Somebody lent us theirs.)
• any necessary cables to transfer the video from the camera to a computer
• a computer with video editing software (We used a rudimentary program called Windows Moviemaker, which is included with all Windows operating systems.)
• (occasionally) extra portable lights

We gather following Sunday worship once or twice a month and, after lunch, spend about an hour taping two video episodes that are based on the Bible passages the minister will be preaching on over the coming two weeks. We have developed a method of making videos that really makes it easy. We do it like this:

• Every child or young person who comes out and wants to participate is included.
  • Everyone who comes gets a part and will get the chance to be the star at least occasionally.
  • We assign parts by consensus (though sometimes the director has to have the final word), making sure that everyone gets a chance at the juicy roles. Because of this, we don’t necessarily worry too much about things like gender or age. (On many occasions, we have had a young girl play Jesus, for example.)
• A script is prepared beforehand, but only one copy is printed. The children do not read the script at all. Rather, the script is presented to them orally. We have found this to be very important, because you can usually tell when children are reading their lines or repeating something that they have learned by heart. Instead, we have the director give the actors their lines one at a time – as much of a speech as they can handle. They repeat the line until they get it right and then we move on to the next line.
• In between each line of dialogue, the actors remain in place and the camera is moved or zoomed in or out. This is absolutely essential as it allows for the merging of each dialogue clip into one seamless whole during editing.

This method allows us to tape two or more episodes fairly quickly. The video is then transferred to a computer for editing. Editing video on a computer is quite simple with the basic software. It is just a matter of cutting your video to the right lengths and putting the resulting clips one after the other. During the editing process, we add a number of other elements:

1. Opening and closing credits: With Knox Players videos, we never skimp on giving credit to our budding actors. The credits are one of the most important parts of the process.
2. Narration: We usually have someone come in and record the narrator’s part a few days after the original taping. Once you have a rough edit of your video, it can be a little easier to know exactly what details the narrator needs to add. The narrator’s lines are recorded directly onto the computer using an open source program called Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net).
3. Music: A musical soundtrack for a video can do so much to set the right mood and get the message across. It can also help to cover up background noise. To avoid copyright issues or royalty fees, use music from the Creative Commons (creativecommons.org). One excellent source for royalty free music is composer Kevin Macleod, who makes all of his music available online (incompetech.com).

To see a demonstration of the process, watch the video “How to Shoot a Knox Players Video” (www.youtube.com/knoxknotes).

Now, thanks to this simple process, we are able to produce three- to five-minute videos for just about every worship service throughout the year at Knox (not including the summer). These videos are generally used to introduce the key scripture reading for that Sunday and they are tied into the theme of the sermon.

We find that this is an excellent way to get the kids up and in front of the congregation – contributing in a very important way to the worship. It is, I believe, something almost any congregation can do. Even small congregations can make quite meaningful videos for worship. Indeed, it is a ministry that takes advantage of some of the unique strengths of a small church. It is easier to tape with smaller groups and, in a smaller church, is it easier to let everyone play a part and give everyone a turn to be the star.

The videos we create do not look like something a professional would produce, of course, but that is not the point. The point is to get our kids more directly involved in the worship life of our congregation.

The biggest lesson we have learned by doing this is that it is easier than you think. Just grab a camera and start shooting and you will discover what you can make. The stories we tell are simple. In most cases, we just relate the story as it is found in the Bible with only a few twists to modernize it or to bring out certain connections to modern life. Try to prepare the script in such a way that it coincides with the message of the sermon. A number of videos that have been made by the Knox Players (including the one mentioned above) have been posted on YouTube at www.youtube.com/knoxknotes. Feel free to base your own videos on the ones that you find there. These are some of my favourites:

• How Mordecai got things done
• The seeds that wanted to grow
• Pick up your bottle of oil and be on your way
• Job’s very bad day (written and directed by one of our young people)

We are very glad that we started experimenting with creating these videos a few years ago. It has enhanced the life of our congregation in many ways. Give it a try. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is!

The Rev. Scott McAndless is minister of Knox Presbyterian Church in Leamington, Ontario. He enjoys experimenting with new technologies and new ways of communicating the gospel.

Don Muir, Associate Secretary, General Assembly Office

Prayer: Book of Common Worship

Taken from Opening Prayers (p. 48)

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Introduction: Book of Forms section 111

As the executive of the presbytery, the minister is responsible for the conduct and content of public worship…

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-2, NRSV

O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

A Brief Commentary: This Psalm compellingly invites movement toward God. As the creation of God’s hand, we are invited to move into a spirit of humble and joyful worship before the King above all gods.

Reflection:

The Westminster Shorter Catechism cheerfully proclaims that all are called to glorify and enjoy God forever. This is a worthy foundation upon which to build congregational worship. Of course, there are situations in which solemnity is a fitting offering to God, but what a joy it is when we are moved to worship with smiles, cheerful music, heartfelt words and blissful silence.

Worship is enormously important to most of us. We want it to be faithful to the word of God and relevant to our daily lives.  We long for it to deepen our faith and challenge us to greater discipleship. So strong are these longings that we sometimes want to influence what happens during the service.

So who is responsible for how the service is conducted and what the content will be? There are a variety of answers.

Some congregations have a “hands-on” worship team or committee that meets regularly with the minister to plan services. The minister usually provides the scripture lessons and basic theme for each service and then others assist by selecting music, prayers, video illustrations, drama, interpretive dance and the like.

Other congregations have an arm’s-length worship team or committee that meets with the minister to discuss worship in general terms. The team might serve as a sounding board for the minister or as a conduit of ideas to try in worship.

Very often the entire service is left to the minister with the possible exception of elements like the anthem or offertory.

Approaches like these, and others, can work well. An underlying principle to keep in mind, however, is that according to our denomination’s understanding of the ministry of Word and Sacraments, it is ultimately the minister who is responsible to the presbytery for the conduct and content of worship. While it can be helpful for the minister to discuss service ideas with others, worship leadership remains a major part of the minister’s calling.

 Discussion:

1. Discuss how worship is planned in your congregation.
2.   Provide an opportunity to discuss what changes, if any, the minister would like to make regarding the way worship services are planned.

by Richard Anderson

Another year is quickly drawing to a close. As we look forward to a new year, there are a few financial things to consider. It may be time to reconsider how financial affairs are handled in the congregation. There are two pieces of useful software that are worthy of consideration to help make the job of your treasurer and/or envelope secretary easier and more enjoyable.

Let’s start with charitable receipts. There is an excellent Windows computer program written by Dan Cooperstock. It is available from www.Software4Nonprofits.com. The program is very aptly called Donation. Mr. Cooperstock has kept this program current with the Canada Revenue Agency’s requirements on what constitutes a legitimate charitable receipt. This includes printing the date the donation was received, the CRA Charities website address, unique receipt numbers and all the other required information.

After Donation is downloaded, there is a 60-day trial period. During this time, you may evaluate the software. It is very simple and user friendly. There is a manual that explains the program and its features as well as what to do at year end.

Donation has the ability to produce reports for any time period. This allows churches to send out quarterly or semiannual reports to the congregation if they desire. These reports can help donors see how they are doing in relation to their planned giving for the year. Donations can be entered in batches (weekly), saving time by not having to enter the date for each entry. Donation can also be set up to track givings for special fundraising appeals. Personalized letters can be produced for the donors for mail-outs as required.

There is a nominal charge for Donation and a yearly renewal fee that entitles you to support and all upgrades. As new features are requested and added, a new version is released and made available to all paid subscribers. Our church has been using Donation for over 10 years. There are great benefits to the program, as it saves time and ensures that receipts issued meet Canada Revenue Agency’s requirements.

Along with a good donation tracking and recording program is the need for a good accounting program. A program such as Quicken or Quickbooks works well for a congregation. There are accounting programs specifically designed for congregations, but they tend to be more expensive. Not every treasurer has accounting or bookkeeping training. Neither of these programs requires any special training to get started, although training might help to uncover some of the features of the program.

Quicken works well for smaller churches since it is simpler to set up than Quickbooks. Quickbooks is a true double entry accounting software package and, as such, has more features. The double entry system works in the background to provide audit trails if required but does not mean that every entry needs to be entered twice. Both packages have simple-to-use bank reconciliation procedures.

Both of these programs have numerous reports that can be produced. An important consideration in reporting to the board and congregation is simplicity and clarity. This can be accomplished by using comparison reports, budget reports or profit and loss reports. A comparison report compares the current year’s income and expense with the previous year. A budget report compares year-to-date income and expenditures to the budgeted amounts. A profit and loss statement is a report of how the income and expenses are categorized. For a report to the annual meeting, a budget report explains the financial state of the church for the previous year.

More needs to be said about budgeting. Budgeting for a church is not as simple as expecting to receive one twelfth of your donations every month. The income a congregation receives does not come in on a steady basis. There are ups and downs. Donations in one congregation may be down in the summer when people are taking vacations, whereas another congregation’s donations (in a rural setting) may be down in spring (seeding time) and fall (harvest time). Each congregation’s giving patterns are unique. To get a better picture and understanding of giving patterns, you need to look at previous years’ givings on a monthly basis. This will show when the ups and downs occur so that when they repeat in the current year, there is no need for unease or panic. It is best to study the giving patterns for three or four previous years to get a good indication of those patterns. This information can be put on a computer spreadsheet. With the information derived from a few years’ worth of giving patterns, a prediction can be made of the current year’s expected givings.*

There are great benefits to the program, as it saves time and ensures that receipts issued meet Canada Revenue Agency’s requirements.

The data from either of the bookkeeping programs suggested is needed for another year-end procedure – having the books audited or reviewed. In 2008, the Clerks of Assembly clarified what “audit” meant when it came to auditing the books of a congregation. An “audit” or a “review” could be done by an external, licensed, public accountant or the audit could be conducted by volunteers following the guidelines set out in the 2008 Acts and Proceedings, pages 251-253. Acts and Proceedings can be downloaded from www.presbyterian.ca/ap.

Once the audit or review is complete, it is time to file the T3010 Information Return with the Charities Directorate. The T3010 is an annual filing requirement to maintain the charitable status of the congregation. Text box please The form needs to be filed within six months of the financial year end of the congregation. For most churches, the year end is December 31, making the deadline for filing June 30. The form, along with a guide to completing the form, can be downloaded from www.presbyterian.ca/resources/online/1769.

As the financial reporting to regulatory agencies – CRA among others – and the congregation become more complex and time-consuming, we need to think of ways of helping. We can support the individuals doing this important work in the church by providing them with useful, easy-to-understand software. We can also support them by encouraging them and thanking them for this important ministry.

Richard Anderson is a member of Memorial Presbyterian Church, Sylvan Lake, Alberta. He is treasurer of the Presbytery of Central Alberta and treasurer of the Synod of Alberta and the Northwest.

Consider the following ways to tell your congregation’s budget story

a) use posters and bulletin inserts
b) highlight one ministry/mission area each week/month
c) have people speak in worship, or meetings, about the special ministry they are engaged in
d) have every group or committee share, discuss and reflect on the narrative budget from their perspective
e) plan a weekend or workshop to interpret your ministry/mission story with the congregation
f) make a video or slide or power point presentation based on the ministry that is happening in the congregation
g) incorporate your narrative budget into your Annual Visitation Program (or other stewardship commitment program) and new members classes.
h) in whatever ways possible, take time in worship and community gatherings to share and celebrate your participation in your areas of ministry and mission
i) most importantly, be creative and enthusiastic

by Stephen Farris

Not long ago, by historical standards, Presbyterians did not keep Lent; it was a “Papist” observance. For the most part, we no longer think that way, but before we dismiss our ancestors’ opinions too easily, we ought to consider the reasons for their stand. It was not all a matter of prejudice. The Apostle Paul, after all, scolded the Galatians, “You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years” (Galatians 4:10). He considered these observances a form of spiritual slavery. But Paul himself urged that special collections be made on the “first day” of the week, almost certainly the day when the church gathered for worship. As far as we can tell, he honoured the calendar of Israel, including its great feasts, and could use Passover, in particular, as a poetic way of understanding the sacrifice of Christ. What seems to be at issue is a superstitious notion that some days are intrinsically holy or have special powers that we must respect…or else.

The Reformers objected to Lent because it was a time for penitential practices that were understood as good works that could earn God’s favour. The last remnants of this idea in our churches might be the emphasis on “giving up” things for Lent. By contrast, the Reformers argued that we are saved by grace, through faith, and not by our own good works. We don’t have to earn God’s favour by denying ourselves this or that pleasure or convenience. The Lord Jesus has made peace for us by his suffering, death and resurrection…the very things we can remember in Lent! One more point: the Reformers also thought that what matters is not self-denial for a few weeks but self-discipline all the year round. That is obviously true, but not, I think, the whole story.

Perhaps all this suggests a few possible emphases in our teaching and preaching. In the first place, to quote Rick Warren, “It’s not about you.” Lent is not about what we give up or about anything we do. The focus should be on Jesus and on what he has done for us. We will return to this idea shortly.

Secondly, the focus of Lent ought not to be on special activities or forms of self-denial that we take up for a few weeks and then return to a self-indulgent lifestyle for the rest of the year. Consider an athlete training for a sports season. What matters is year-round commitment to the sport. Six week stints don’t work for physical training. What makes us think they will work for spiritual training? Still, there will be times of particular effort and focus in physical training, and perhaps Lent can profitably be exactly that in the spiritual world.

Thirdly, there is nothing intrinsically holy about Lent. What is holy or unholy is the use to which we put these weeks. Observing Lent is not meritorious in itself. But it can be spiritually useful to the Christian in training. Much of what has just been discussed here can also be raised in sermons or lessons, for Lent is, among other things, a good time to teach doctrine. An aside, while we are still on the subject of seasons: a good deal of sentimental slush about new life in the spring gets spoken at Easter and some of it slips backward into Lent. Never say anything that would not be equally true in Patagonia, where the land is slipping into winter at this time of year.

Rightly observed, Lent allows a triple emphasis on believing, doing and being. (Are they three or one? Perhaps this is the human trinity.) Preaching doctrine during Lent, while important, is not enough. The ancient insight that Lent has something to do with the way we live is profoundly correct. Lent is a time to bring doctrine and life together. When speaking of our life as Christians, some in the church will want to emphasize the call for justice; others will value evangelism. It is not my task here to adjudicate between the two. Instead, I will speak of witness, a biblical term, which can embrace both. Witness happens when doctrine and life come together and it will issue in both justice and evangelism. It doesn’t matter if individuals or even congregations concentrate on one or the other. We all have special gifts, after all. It does matter that the church as a whole does both. Many churches have special studies during Lent to strengthen the spiritual life of their own members. This is an inward focus. Perhaps Lent would also be time for an outward focus, a project that bears witness to the gospel.

This leaves the matter of being. Our hope as Christians is not simply to adopt new ideas or to take up new and healthier practices but to become “new creations,” shaped into the likeness of Jesus Christ. What matters is that we be Christians, “little Christs.” New creations are not the outcome of our programs but the work of the Creator’s Spirit. However, experience has shown us that knowing the story of Jesus is a prerequisite to becoming like him. Being reminded of the story of Jesus is more than mere mental recollection of a past event. Break down that word “reminded” into its constituent parts, “re” and “minded.” When this story is told, Christians are re-minded. That is, our minds, our hearts, our whole beings are re-shaped and re-formed into something more like Christ. When that happens, we will far more likely be what Jesus would be and do what Jesus would do. To be more precise, we don’t actually do what Jesus would do. His work is unique in many ways. We do what Jesus would have us do. But we still can’t do that unless we know the story.

In earlier years, the story of the Bible – especially the story of Jesus, which we tell again in Lent – shaped our understanding of the world. Life was unclear and we explained life in light of the story. Now we appear to think that the story of Jesus is unclear and we try to tell stories from life to help people understand that story. Nothing can replace the story of Jesus in a Christian church. The one main thing in preaching and teaching and Lent is to rehearse, repeatedly and in many forms, this story of Jesus that makes us what we are and what we can become in Christ.

Christianity does not have a cyclical view of history. We do not believe that the same events are repeated every year until infinity. Christ does not travel to Jerusalem every Lent, die again on Good Friday and then rise each Easter Sunday. We celebrate Lent in the doorway of an empty tomb. History changed with the death and resurrection of our Lord and will change again, ultimately, under God’s good guidance. But we time-bound creatures are partially subject to the rhythms of creation, and it is good for us to be re-minded once again in the image of our Lord Jesus.

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Farris is the Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is Professor of Homiletics in the Vancouver School of Theology.

The 2011 General Assembly met at the University of Western Ontario in London from June 5 to 10. The Rev. Dr. Rick Horst, minister at St. Andrew’s in Barrie, Ontario, graciously moderated the Assembly with an appreciated balance of dignity, firmness and humour. Aided by a 160-voice choir and an assortment of musical instruments, the stirring opening service took place on Sunday evening and the Assembly closed with a final benediction before noon on Friday. In between, some 270 commissioners from across Canada convened, conversed and connected with confreres while seeking, through prayer and thoughtful discussion, to discern the mind of Christ for our church.

Early in September, your session will have received a letter from the General Assembly Office describing Assembly decisions that should be conveyed to your congregation and, in some cases, inviting prayerful responses to issues before the church. You can also find these referrals on The Presbyterian Church in Canada website. This article does not replace that letter, but draws attention to a few matters immediately affecting the work of sessions.

The next time you call a minister or diaconal minister, the wording of the call will sound more contemporary. Phrases like “being destitute of a fixed pastor” and “we by these presents do invite and call you” have been replaced by the adoption of the newly worded Appendix A-29 (Call to a minister of Word and Sacraments) and A-30 (Call to a member of the Order of Diaconal Ministries) in the Book of Forms. The Guarantee of Stipend, a covenant between minister, congregation and presbytery, has also been revised and incorporated into the call. The new appendices will be included with the 2011 Book of Forms updates.

You are invited to study proposed legislation and respond with thoughts about it. You are, no doubt, already busy with the concerns of your congregation, but every “study and report” request is an opportunity for sessions to have a say in shaping how we govern ourselves. This year there are two “study and report” requests.

The first has to do with a meaningful way that elders who are not currently on your session (such as those who have completed a term of service) may assist the wider church. Now and then, congregations require the support of “assessor elders.” Assessor elders are elders appointed by a higher court to assist the work of a lower court. For example, if a new congregation is erected, elders from other congregations are appointed by the presbytery to serve as a temporary session to help the congregation get established and elect its own elders. Further, if an existing session discerns the short-term need for additional elders, the session may apply to the presbytery to appoint assessors. Since the Book of Forms is silent on whether elders who are not currently on a session may serve as assessor elders, the Clerks of Assembly are proposing legislation that will clearly permit this option. I hope you will take time to consider this proposal and share your thoughts. The letter you received from the General Assembly Office will explain how to respond. (See also Book of Forms sections 122-122.1.)

The second piece of legislation has to do with the prerequisites that must be met by ministers, diaconal ministers and ruling elders in order to be eligible to serve as commissioners to the General Assembly. The main part of the Book of Forms that deals with this is section 258 and its subsections. These sections have been expanded and amended over the years and, unfortunately, are now somewhat convoluted. The Clerks of Assembly are proposing legislation that is intended to clarify and slightly revise these sections as well as two others that are related. Your session’s input will be appreciated.

You are urged to record stories. For instance, the Ecumenical and Interfaith Committee invites you to submit to the committee stories of interfaith initiatives in which you have taken part. These stories might be used on the committee’s website or in other media. See Acts and Proceedings (A&P) 2011, page 268. The Committee on History encourages every congregation to record its history using the variety of technological options available. See A&P 2011, page 283. Similarly, the Life and Mission Agency’s Justice Ministries hopes sessions and other courts of the church will take part in the “It Matters to Me” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to draw attention to the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Prominent Canadians have agreed to speak in public meetings and in various media about why the journey of healing and reconciliation matters to them. Similarly, all Canadians will be invited to express why “it matters to me.” Symbolic actions such as exchanges between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal individuals and communities may be part of the campaign. Justice Ministries will provide further information to those who wish to participate. See A&P 2011, page 369.

The Assembly was reminded of the generous work of the Norman M. Paterson Fund for Ministerial Assistance. The fund provides financial support to married ministers and ministers who are separated or divorced and have custody of, or financial responsibility for, their children. To be eligible for benefits from the fund, the income of the family, not just of the minister, must be less than $10,000 above minimum stipend (including applicable increments). There is an urgent need for infusions of capital into the fund in order to maintain these gifts.

Beginning in September, when you contact the Life and Mission Agency’s Canadian Ministries/The Vine, the one who responds might be The Rev. Ian McDonald, the new Associate Secretary. Ian graduated with a B.A. from Dalhousie University and with a M.Div. from Knox College. He served as the assistant minister (Christian Education) at First Church, Chatham, Ontario, and later as the minister at Calvin Church, Toronto, Ontario. Ian is currently the clerk of the Presbytery of East Toronto and is engaged in ongoing studies in the Advanced Training Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. See A&P 2011, page 456.

This article touches on just a few of the issues brought before the 137th General Assembly. The Acts and Proceedings is full of reports on the faithful ministry of our church, the missions supported by Presbyterians Sharing and Presbyterian World Service & Development, and so much more. To enable you to explore these reports, copies of the Acts and Proceedings will be sent to your congregation through your presbytery and they are also available on The Presbyterian Church in Canada website.

May God bless your session and congregation richly as you seek to be faithful disciples.

by Dale McMillan

For more than 25 years, my husband, Reg, and I, along with the adults, youth and children we have been fortunate to minister with, have been telling The Story through drama. We do this as a way of reaching out to the community. We have never had a large budget, but by using the resources and skills of people in our congregations and the communities in which we live and minister, we have, over the years, developed three different drama ministries that have reflected the gifts and abilities God has given the people we work with.

Our experience with drama ministry goes back to the mid to late 1980s. While ministering in Manitoba, we were part of a creative drama team that included Bonnie Zimmer (well known in Brandon for her drama ministry with youth) and a dozen youth in Dauphin, Manitoba. The group, known as SONLIFE, prepared two productions a year. The highlights of the work there were performing at Congress ’87 in Winnipeg and a six-stop drama tour to Alberta in December 1988.

From 1990 to 2005, we led an intergenerational group called St. Stephen’s Players, in Peterborough, Ontario. The 30 to 40 performers ranged in age from eight to 80. Productions were mostly several short plays on a theme. It only took seven or eight rehearsals to prepare these large productions. We would rehearse individual plays for the first several weeks and then would have three combined practices where we put the whole show together, including lights, sound, scene changes and special effects. Many resourceful and creative people assisted with lighting, sets, costumes and staging. As the years passed, several adults and older youth took on roles as directors and leaders. Six years later, the St. Stephen’s Players continue to share The Story through drama.

Since 2005, our drama ministry has taken new directions as we discover the talents of children, youth and adults in the rural communities of Kirkfield, Bolsover and Woodville, Ontario. The agricultural area has opened up opportunities for us to use live animals onstage at Christmas, and three of our productions have been held outdoors. The rural congregations are also fertile ground for resourceful people who can make something out of nothing. The presence of many gifted musicians in the congregations has meant that most productions feature some of that talent. There are also a number of children who are good dancers and adults who can help them develop a routine that brings glory and praise to God.

To date, most of our drama has been geared for outreach. We do use drama in worship, but that is a relatively new development. Our productions, wherever they are held, are always publicized and promoted in the whole community, and many people come. We have done two productions in Kirkfield, Bolsover and Woodville that have been standing room only. Friends and relatives always want to see what the special young people in their life are doing, and in a rural area, there are often lots of relatives living close by! We find that a great number of people who do not like entering a church building enjoy bringing a lawn chair to an outdoor production. It is within their comfort zone. Maybe more of our outreach needs to be in neutral zones!

Over the years, we have also had a lot of people beyond church folk get involved in productions. Sometimes an actor asks if a friend can come too. Other times an audience member will tell someone in the cast that they would love to get involved. We try to follow up by inviting them to participate in an upcoming production. These more distant connections do add to the workload and stress levels from a leadership point of view, because the parents may not realize the commitment that is required. Usually the child loves coming to practice, and as we’ve experienced on more than one occasion, when a child is grounded, not being allowed to attend practice is the punishment. This has resulted in many long phone conversations that are a careful balance between encouraging the parents to help their child learn about commitments and respecting their parenting dilemma. The best solution has been to ask participants and their parents to sign a contract with the dates for practices and the production clearly outlined. They agree to contact the director if they cannot fulfill this commitment for some reason. This seems to work well for all concerned. I must add that even if it is more stressful to open the participation up to the community at large, it is always worth it!

Making Drama Part of Your Ministry

Using drama as a tool to tell The Story can work in many and varied contexts. Casting can be done with one or one hundred (40 or less is easier, though). Rehearsal time is the key to success. Reading a script is okay sometimes, but to really get the most out of the drama, for the actors and the audience, memorization is recommended. Plays can be used in place of a sermon, during the children’s time, as a discussion starter, for midweek programs, as part of a variety night, or as a full-scale production for public viewing. The Internet makes accessing scripts easy and affordable! The idea of doing several short plays on a theme could be particularly useful for a diverse group with conflicting schedules. Practising individual plays first and then bringing the whole show together for the last three practices will mean less travel and more individual attention.

The Benefits

Working together to prepare a drama presentation has many benefits:

1. It provides an opportunity for faith in action.
2. It allows people who will not, or cannot, make a long-term commitment to get involved.
3. Teamwork and a sense of community are promoted.
4. It is a great opportunity for all ages to work together and get to know one another.
5. The participants and their families get involved in outreach (because they are naturally keen to invite others to come).
6. It builds confidence in children, youth and adults.
7. There are endless opportunities for innovation and creativity.
8. People in the church and outside the church can get involved by sharing their abilities and passions that go beyond acting: electricians, carpenters, crafters, sewers, computer operators, photographers, sound technicians, welders, musicians, dancers, organizers, artists, painters, and more.
9. You can do it with large or small numbers.
10. It is a joyful way to share The Story with creativity!

Some Helpful Resources to Get You Started

The Book Room (www.presbyterian.ca/bookroom) carries some drama resources you can order (free delivery).

Here are some places to check online:

www.Amazon.ca – Amazon carries Christian drama resources for reasonable prices and shipping is free if you spend about $25.

www.lillenas.com/drama – Lillenas Drama has a lot of individual scripts available for purchase online. You are able to preview most of them before you buy. They are more expensive than other sources, but you only buy what you like and are going to use.

www.dramatix.org – Dramatix offers a collection of drama scripts written by Christians around the world. The majority may be used free of charge, while a modest royalty payment is requested for others.

www.grouppublishing.com – Group provides a good collection of plays suitable for children, teens and adults. We have used a number of plays from a variety of their books. Rights to copy and produce are usually included.

www.youthspecialties.com – Youth Specialties has a few large collections available. Usually rights to copy and produce are included.

www.gospellight.com – Gospel Light has a few large collections that are well balanced between humour and seriousness and suitable for all ages and cast sizes. They have very good prices.

And there are many more! Just do a search for the topic you are looking for.

Dale McMillan is a lay missionary who specializes in youth and family ministry at Woodville Community Church and St. Andrew’s, Bolsover, Ontario. She has had a lifelong interest in creativity and innovation when it comes to expressing her faith.

The annual meeting is coming up. Your board of managers (or your session finance committee) is madly scrambling to pull the financial records together for presentation. Reports are being written. The “big day” is less than a month away. Everyone knows it is coming; it comes pretty much the same time every year. But you know that, once again this year, not many people will show up.

Some complain it is too long. Others complain it is too dry. Still others complain that it is a “necessary evil” that is best left to the number crunchers. But this is not what an annual meeting should be. The annual meeting should be a celebration of the mission and ministry of the church and a time to plan and vision for the future. The annual meeting should be a time of gratitude and thanksgiving to God for God’s blessings and a time to consider how those gifts are best to be used.

Chuck Olsen, in his book Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders (an Alban Institute publication available at The Book Room), presents a vision for church meetings that can give them renewed meaning. He calls it “worshipful work” and suggests that all church board or session meetings can be transformed into meaningful faith-building experiences for everyone. Worship and the work of the church are woven beautifully together to transform an otherwise tedious meeting into a powerful celebration of God’s good gifts.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Calgary, Alberta, has been conducting their annual meetings in this unique fashion for nearly 20 years. Their annual meeting bulletin provides an excellent example of how to blend the work and witness of the church with the worship of the church. Included in the meeting, to make it more meaningful, is a narrative budget complete with PowerPoint images of graphs and pie charts that augment the standard line item budget presentation model used by most churches.

The agenda for this meeting is constructed in the fashion of a worship bulletin. There are typical elements to an agenda designed around an order of worship. Chuck Olsen outlines these elements in his book.

Gathering in God’s Name
The Christ Candle is lit to recognize Christ’s presence in worship. God’s people gather with a call that centres worshippers on God’s greatness, God’s will, and God’s presence. The singing of a hymn and opening prayers draw the faithful into a posture of praise and worship. The gathering helps put the entire meeting into perspective as those gathered are reminded that while the business of the church needs to be done, it is done mindful of the One for whom we do it.

Prayers
Prayers are to be framed to fit the agenda so that prayers for the beginning of the meeting focus on the presence and wisdom of God and prayers at the end are reflective and thankful. As the story of the church in summary is received, there may be prayers for faithful saints who have died or a special project that was completed. Olsen advises to “glean for prayer.” Listen during the meeting for names of people, circumstances or projects that can be prayed for at an appropriate time.

Storytelling
The church tells its stories. Personal faith stories are shared and the “master story” from the Bible is read and reflected upon. God’s active power in the midst of God’s people is recognized. This can be done by celebrating the past, present and future in different ways. Some churches have a slide show; others have a speaker or two or a presentation. Prayers of thanksgiving and confession that grow from these stories are offered.

Responding to God’s Word
In responding to God’s word, the church prays for the needs of others, itself and the world. The church makes plans and decisions for the future, seeking God’s will and direction in each decision.

Going in Peace
The worshipful meeting concludes with reflections, appreciations expressed, differences named and unfinished work identified. A benediction sends the people forth to continue God’s good work.

There are many different worship agenda styles a church can follow. The sample below is simply one example.

Download the Bulletin Sample

by Don Muir

What is a consent agenda?

A consent agenda is a way of adopting, all at once, a number of reports or recommendations that are anticipated to be readily and unanimously approved. The purpose of the consent agenda is to devote more time to matters that call for deep discernment. In some cases, it may also reduce the time needed for meetings.

Consent agenda procedures example

If a congregation, for instance, wanted to use a consent agenda at its annual general meeting, it would follow these steps.

1. Those preparing the regular agenda for the meeting add to the consent agenda any items expected to be readily and unanimously approved by the congregation.
2. The consent agenda, and supporting information for the consent agenda, are conveyed to the congregation. Sufficient time for the material to be received and read must be provided so everyone can make responsible judgments regarding which items, if any, should be removed from the consent agenda because they may require further prayer, thought and discussion. In this example, the supporting information would likely be the annual report.
3. Early in the annual meeting, the consent agenda is proposed. As the name suggests, those voting must concur with it. Therefore, any individual may have one or more items removed from the consent agenda. Items removed are inserted into the regular agenda and dealt with in the usual manner.
4. Once the congregation agrees with the consent agenda content, the moderator asks, “Are you in favour of approving the consent agenda?” The congregation registers approval.
5. All recommendations adopted in this way are included in the minutes.

 What can be included on a consent agenda?

Consent agenda items may range from the routine to the significant. Provided the voting body is satisfied that the items require no further discussion, possibly because they have been considered at previous meetings, they could be adopted by means of a consent agenda.

A congregation’s annual meeting consent agenda might include items like the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting, the election of the secretary and the adoption of the reports of the committees. If the congregation agrees to the consent agenda, all the reports and their recommendations are adopted together.

Generally speaking, legal matters, major financial issues and decisions expected to be controversial should not be placed on a consent agenda. The session may want to draw up a description of the sorts of items deemed appropriate for consent agendas used by the congregation.

Who can use a consent agenda?

The General Assembly experimented with a consent agenda this year. It was favourably received and may be used more extensively in the future. At least one presbytery has introduced the consent agenda to its proceedings. Provided each body agrees to employ the consent agenda, it can be used by the session, board, committees or any other groups of the congregation. It is hoped this stewardship of time will prove to be a blessing to the church.

The Rev. Don Muir is a Deputy Clerk of the General Assembly and the Associate Secretary in the General Assembly Office.