The Election of New Vestry Members
As we look ahead to the election of new
vestry members who will serve a three year term on the leadership body of
All Saints’ it is important to approach your decision with some care and
objectivity. All of the candidates who have been nominated are qualified and
committed to the life of All Saints’. Because they are so qualified and
committed it is sometimes difficult to make a decision and so I offer some
guidelines when it comes to considering your choice for the vestry members
you will elect. The vestry has been reading a book entitled Holy
Conversations by Gill Rendle and Alice Mann. These authors have some
very good advice when it comes to selecting members to serve on the vestry.
PEOPLE NOT TO INVITE:
-
People who are not good at decision
making or able to consider consequences.
-
People unwilling to change themselves or
the congregation to accommodate others.
-
People with “axes to grind” about the
church
-
People who want to go back to 1947, or
whatever year is remembered as the favorite time in your church
-
People too busy to be effective
-
People who focus on managing the details
instead of looking at the big picture.
PEOPLE TO INVITE:
-
People who are open to what God calls the
congregation to be in the future
-
People who understand the church’s
strengths and weaknesses
-
People who understand the value of open
deliberations
-
People willing to support the current
rector
-
People willing to put time, energy, work
and prayer into this effort
-
People currently active in the life and
ministry of the church
I would also encourage you to read the
biography insert in this newsletter and become familiar with all the
candidates for vestry and over the next few weeks find time to speak with
the people you think might be best suited for these roles of leadership.
Look around you on Sunday mornings, education hour and other parish events
and notice who is attending these events. Every person on the vestry needs
to have been an active member of the life of the congregation in order to
understand the strengths, gifts, needs and challenges of the entire
congregation he/she is being expected to represent and lead. Pray for those
who have offered their name up for consideration. The vestry is a very
important leadership body of the church and it takes some time out of
already busy schedules. When I speak with those members who have been
elected after the annual parish meeting I am never sure if I should offer
them my congratulations or my condolences! It is a deep honor and privilege
to be elected to serve on the vestry of All Saints’. It is also a burden of
responsibility taken seriously by those who are elected. I pray that you
will take your task and seriously consider who might be best suited to lead
the parish at this time in our life together.
--Mother LaRae +
