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The purpose
of the Committee on Ministry (COM) as defined by our bylaws
is:
“To serve as pastor and counselor to the ministers of the
Word and Sacrament, commissioned lay pastors, and certified
Christian educators of Presbytery; to facilitate the
relations between Presbytery and its congregations,
ministers of the Word and Sacrament, commissioned lay
pastors, and certified Christian educators; and to settle
differences on behalf of Presbytery when possible and
expedient.”
In other
words, we are to pastor and counsel the sowers in the fields
(Mt 13:1-9), whether they be harvesting many or few, and
facilitating relations with the flock to the goal of
healthy, vital congregations, growing in word and deed.
First of all
we wish to thank all who have served the Presbytery through
COM in the past, especially those completing 6 year terms
last September: Tom Dunlap, Yong Kim and Lois Whitney (who
continues serving as PNC liaison!). A special “Thank You!”
goes out to Rev. Yvette Dalton for her many years of service
to COM and the Presbytery.
By the
numbers over the past year, COM has worked on behalf of the
Presbytery of Cincinnati in overseeing the approval of 25
new and renewed contracts, 11 new calls to pastors,
dissolved relationships with 16 pastors, dismissed 4 to
other places, retired 2 pastors and designated 2 with
emeritus status. We have commissioned one new CLP, renewed
the service of 12 and appointed 16 moderators to serve in
churches without pastoral leadership.
Part of our
duties on your behalf include reviewing the service of
pastors who are serving “in other service” to the church or
who are currently “at large”. We suggest revisions to
minimum terms of call each year and review and improve
policies and procedures as needed. Also over the past year
COM has assisted in the merger which created Northwest
Community Church and suggested an Administrative Commission
to assist at Aurora church. As the presbytery set as a
mission priority “Pastoral care/spiritual development of
church professionals,” COM responded by organizing and
supporting the first (in a long time) annual Clergy retreat
and is working to expand it for the fall of 2009.
Thanks to
all the members of COM for their diligent, hard work and
especially to our general presbyter, Jim DiEgidio and our
stated clerk, Janis Adams as well as the rest of the support
staff.
The Rev.
Rhonda O’Reilly |
