For Your Planning Team

Planning for This Service

We come to the midpoint, and therefore a turning point, in this series. These past two weeks we’ve focused on the Spirit moving to connect insiders and outsiders with the ministry and life of the body of Christ. This week and next the emphasis shifts from that movement to the empowering of the people in the body of Christ for ministry in the church and the wider world.

Today’s service focuses on and begins with the empowering of your congregation’s identified leaders for ministry and mission, persons typically chosen for office by your committee on lay leadership and affirmed by vote of your charge conference. This is not a day for installing these leaders, but simply for recognizing them in a brief and powerful way at the beginning of worship as a prelude to the reading of God raising up Matthias to replace Judas to continue the work of the original 12 apostles.

So, be sure to have contacted all of your elected leaders, encourage them to attend, and let them know they’ll be greeted and a reception held in their honor after worship today. Pastor, contacting these leaders and inviting them is primarily your task, shared with your lay leader. Again, take the time to make these contacts and invitations personal-- by phone call, or visit where that would be helpful-- not by group text, email, or social media. This will enhance the bonds of trust and mutual respect among you, your lay leader, and the elected leaders of your congregation.