Do you know what Presbyterian churches are good at?… Committees. We are famous for forming committees to accomplish our goals. Need to update the kitchen? Form a committee. Need to create a worshipful experience on Sunday mornings? Form a committee. Need to figure out the church finances? Form a committee.
In many churches, this has worked throughout the years. A lot of church mission has been accomplished in this way, but what if we are called to a new way of doing things? What if people are no longer joining committees? Does that mean the work just doesn’t get done? Does that mean the mission of the church is not being accomplished?
There are two things I want to point out as we talk about committees and the need for them, but also the reality that it is hard to get people to join them…
First is the understanding that the mission does not belong to the church. It belongs to God. God has a mission of reconciliation and grace for all of creation, and the church gets to be a part of that. Not the other way around. That being said, if the mission belongs to God then it is our calling to join in that work. And that calling is not just for one committee, such as a mission committee, but for all of God’s people.
Therefore, the second understanding is that it is not up to the church to build a mission committee, but to engage, encourage, and organize the people of God so that together they can seek out what the mission of God might be in their place and time, and then enter into that mission. We don’t need a mission committee, we need the gathered people of God to engage in the mission of God.
At our church, we have identified God’s mission for us as engaging youth and families in our community. As part of this engagement, we have recognized that there is a 17% homeless rate in our local schools. That’s nearly 1 out of every 5 students who don’t have stable housing. With this in our minds and the call of God on our hearts, we are discovering ways in which we might be in relationship with these young families.
So… I am not going to ask you to be on a committee. But I am going to encourage you to imagine how we might build relationships with youth, kids, and families here in Newport. If you have ideas or would like to be part of a group of people exploring what this might look like, let us know! We have some great ideas already, and we would love to build on them as well as explore other options. We look forward to hearing from you!
