That Time of Year

This is the time of year when three important activities begin in many congregations. Some are intentionally ahead of the game, but only now do most begin to think about what they will do (if anything) for their stewardship emphasis. Some folks are beginning to think about next year’s budget. Finally, the nominating committee is beginning to think about who might serve on the session, the deacons and the trustees (where that is a separate function).

All three deserve the presence and attention of the teaching elder. The stewardship emphasis needs a solid biblical and theological under pinning. The development of the budget, a very difficult proposition if the stewardship emphasis in previous years has not been strong, needs to represent the core mission and ministry values of the congergation. The nominating committee needs to be kept focused on gifts and skills, rather than warm bodies.

Usually, it is not difficult for the teaching elder to have access to the stewardship committee. The committee will usually want one worship service dedicated to the theme of stewardship. But our emphasis in stewardship is really an emphasis on fund raising when done in conjunction with the budget development. The teaching elder is in a difficult position. It is nearly impossible not to be heard as encouraging increased giving so the minister can get a raise. Also, the fund raising emphasis is done at the wrong time of year.

We are still tied to an agrarian model of waiting until the harvest to be able to determine how much to give to the church. It is also the time of year when people are beginning to worry about paying off the credit cards from the summer vacation, worrying about how much utilities will cost in the coming winter, and how much they might charge on the credit cards for Christmas gifts. It was either Lyle Schaller or Ken Callahan I heard suggest the spring is a better time for fund raising. A well rounded stewardship emphasis, at least, would have worship service every quarter dedicated to the broad topic of stewardship, not just fund raising.

Having access to the budget development process, at times, is a bit more difficult. Some ministers want nothing to do with it. Some committees want the minister to have nothing to do with it. Frequently sessional budgets are developed with the assumption that income will be lower for the next years, so the budget has to be reduced. Some use the pattern of “across the board” reductions. Little thought is given to core mission and ministry values.

It has been said, “If you want to know what is most important to a person, a family, a congregation (and do we dare say to a government?) all you have to do is look at their calendar and their checkbook or credit card statements.” Looking at many church budgets reflect the value of survival. Normally, staff and facility operational costs make up the most of the budget. Programs and mission, especially mission, are among the first to be cut. At one time, it was somewhat popular to develop a challenge budget which would call upon the membership to stretch to support an enhanced or new outreach effort. It seems that has died. The minister may be a lone voice crying in the wilderness, but a vision of God’s abundance and the people’s thankful generosity has to be lifted up.

Finally, to be considered is the nominating process. If a pastor does not sit with the nominating committee, the pastor deserves the other in ordered ministry with whom the will serve. Let’s face it, not everybody in a congregation is gifted or skilled to serve on the session, deacons or trustees. Often we hear, “Sally is a new member, let’s put her on the session.” “Ralph hasn’t been too regular in worship attendance for the last year or so, maybe if he were asked to serve he would be more active.” “You know, Mildred has been a member of this congregation for 25 years and has never been asked to serve, don’t you think it is about time to ask her?” “John is from the King family. For the last fifty years a King has been on the Session. We don’t want to offend them by not having a King in the next class of elders.”

Yes, there are intracongregational political issues which enter the nominating process. How many times do nominating committees ask about the gifts and skill of those who might be nominated? We are too influenced by the idea that the session is the board of directors of the congregation to which people are nominated for political or honorific reasons. The minister can help by asking questions about who has a forward looking vision for the congregation; who has the gift of discernment, peacemaking, or inspiration? Who has a passion for the poor, the ill, the troubled or the hungry? Yes, everybody in the congregation has some gift to be employed for the health and advancement of the congregation. Not everybody in the congregation is gifted to serve on the session, the deacons, or the trustees.

The involvement of the teaching elder, minister, pastor, or whatever the position and person is called is critical in the arenas of stewardship, budgeting and nominating. It is critical not because the person in that position is the CEO of the congregation. That person is the one with the particular responsibility for raising the biblical and theological questions as the processes of stewardship, budgeting and nominating are under way.