Mutual Ministry Committee

Minutes of June 25, 2007 Meeting

1. Present: Herb Holler, Rick Mann, Kevin Churchill, Gayle Johnson, Lynn Bulock, Pastor Erik, Pastor John.

2. Pastor John opened the meeting with Genesis 2:2-3 and prayer.

3. Our discussion concerned the sabbatical from the pastor’s side and from the congregation’s side.

· · From the pastor’s side:

o o Pastor John reminded the group that there is no Sabbatical Police; we are in charge of the rules and procedures. If there is a question about what should be done, he will seek the choice that gives the most peace and with which he feels he can live best.

o o Pastor John asked the group to think with him on the matter of whether or not to publish a regular (daily?, weekly?, occasional?) journal or web log of what is happening on the sabbatical. He felt most comfortable with weekly or occasional. He’s also polled other colleagues on what they have done. If he does one he will publish it to his own website (not the church website – he wants to limit all connections to the church, even electronic or digital ones) and will let the members know the address so they can read/view what is posted.

o o He shared with the committee his only anxiety: what if something serious happens to one of our members while he is away. But he also knows that he either has to come back for everything someone thinks is a crisis or comes back for none of them. The committee agreed but asked, for example if there was a death, what about sitting in the pew as a friend during the funeral. He felt that would be very uncomfortable. He would look for an appropriate way to contact and extend comfort or consolation. He reminded the committee that over a three month period last year we had ten funerals at Mount Cross. If that three month period had been the sabbatical, it would have all been used up. So the need for continued education regarding this aspect of the sabbatical was underscored. He has checked in or will with some of the most frail before leaving.

o o Pastor John sketched briefly some of the travel and other plans he has in place for the time and some of the projects or experiences he is pondering. He will be seeking the middle place or balance point between structuring the time so closely that it feels like work, on the one hand, and having no structure at all, so that the time ends up wasted, on the other. A sabbatical is not a vacation; he takes it as a gift of time and space that is to be used both for his and for the church’s sake.

· · From the church’s side:

o o Question: under what circumstances Pastor John was to be called by the church? It was decided that Pastor Erik and Herb Holler would consult together before a call is made. This would likely only be if someone died. Pastor John said that he would be appraised of the needs of the congregation if he remains on the prayer chain (a decision he is still weighing). But the newsletter will also inform him of some of the people needs. As for program or other decisions, he will trust Pastor Erik and Herb Holler to use their best judgment and discretion before making contact.

o o Question: how will the fruits of the sabbatical be shared with the congregation? Pastor John has already planned that the Mutual Ministry Committee meet on his first day back to begin this process. At that meeting, at the October Council meeting and perhaps at another special event (like a town meeting; a sermon is too short a time) the things learned on both sides of the sabbatical, by Pastor John and by the congregation can be shared.

o o In this regard Pastor John also spoke about one of his “fantasies” regarding the sabbatical. He will return in October, after Rally Day and after the year’s program has been launched. As he was not a part of any of that, he will not have anything scheduled to do (tongue in cheek here…mostly). So he imagines preaching and visiting. And if he visits, it won’t be just to have coffee and cookies, but to ask questions about spiritual gifts and passions for ministry. Everyone has been given a gift. But not everyone knows what their gift might be, or if they know, may not have been guided in how to develop and use their gift. This is the second area of emphasis of study and reflection during the sabbatical (the other being preaching). And if there is a way to reconstruct his schedule upon his return to make more time available for this kind of visitation, that would be a noble goal.

o o Question: will we need to hire any supply preachers? Probably not. Lynn will preach about once a month; Pastor Erik the other Sundays. But the option is there to bring in someone if we desire.

o o Question: when Pastor Erik is away (youth trip) and there is a pastoral care need, who is called? Lynn.

o o Question: if Pastor Erik is away on a Sunday, who will preside at Communion, as Lynn does not do this? Pastor Erik may be away during some week days, but will not be gone any Sundays.

o o Question: when Marilyn, Cathy Channels or another member of the church staff faces a situation where they might have called on Pastor John, whom should they call first? They should start by calling Herb Holler. The Church Council is to be the main supervisor of the sabbatical at Mount Cross. All such questions should not first be sent in the direction of Pastor Erik.

Finally, we discussed briefly Pastor Erik’s thoughts about his sabbatical plan. In order to take full advantage of the Lilly Foundation grant, a proposal that will include a great deal of input and support from the congregation will be prepared in time for the May 15, 2008 application deadline. Grants are announced in October 2008 for a sabbatical to be taken sometime in 2009.

Pastor Erik closed the meeting with a prayer.