The Elders welcomed Revd Philip Gray (St. John’s Wideopen) and Jessica Hannen (returning to active eldership) to the meeting. Philip shared some of his life experience with us.
We reviewed the Celebration Day; it had been a great success with many positive aspects and had generated much local interest and support. There were several areas where improvements can be made and we resolved to hold a similar “Open Day” on 26th and 27th April 2008. The Renew Gift Day on the Sunday had not been so successful and we felt it had not been sufficiently promoted and also that many members and friends had missed the day. We decided to hold a further day, on Sunday 3rd June, and Elders will promote it as they visit their districts this month.
Kevin and Philip talked to us about ministerial deployment in the Northern Synod area. We are 10 ministers “over” for the number of churches, attendance and overall population and Synod will place new ministry where they can see mission. Our Mission Partnership has to work out how best to deploy its ministers to maximise their resource and benefits. We will have an Interim Moderator only to assist us with our pastoral profile and to shape our prospectus for a future call. Philip is offering to us part of his ministry to help us in transition and provide for our pastoral needs. He can give us every Tuesday and we must use his time and talents as best we can. He said that transition will mean travelling and we need to move on, push and grow as a community church to the extent that Synod cannot ignore us. He will lead our worship on the second Sunday of the month in 2008. The Elders warmly welcomed Philip and his forthcoming involvement with us and will assign an Elder to assist him.
The Elders will meet the Synod Pastoral Committee on Thursday 10th May to discuss Kevin’s forthcoming departure and the provisional arrangements described. The Committee will go on to Wideopen to talk to them, too. The arrangements are to be evaluated and decided on jointly by Synod Pastoral Committee, Mission Partnership and our congregations at Wideopen and Ponteland.
The meeting agreed that Phil Wagstaff should continue as our Pastoral Co-ordinator and her proposed reappointment be brought to the next church meeting.
The Elders briefly discussed a questionnaire from the Communications Group aimed at finding out about our church’s knowledge and use of our website. We shall use the questionnaire informally in discussion on our visits to ascertain and build the information required.
Fred Milligan, Secretary, Elders Meeting.
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