New life is springing up all around us. The garden at church is beautiful. The house we'll work on tomorrow for Rebuilding Together will have beautiful new life. Last week we unveiled a new mission statement that focuses on the beauty and grace of table fellowship.

New life in the form of a new model of ministry is also springing up in our midst.

Following months of prayerful work and discerning, the staff design task force presented its recommendations for a new model of ministry to the session this week.

We will be talking together about this recommendation during the coming weeks. The letter below from the staff design task force and session will be circulated at worship Sunday. It details the process we'll follow in continuing to discern, clarify and make decisions. A full description of the recommendations will be included in next week's e-mail.

As I noted here last week, this is an incredibly exciting time for CPC. We are in the season of Easter. It is a time for rebirth, renewal, new life. We are close to Pentecost and the celebration of the spirit's mighty power to bring church to life. What better time could there possibly be for  the simple rising up again to resurrection life?
 
peace,

David

 

Dear Members of the Clarendon Community:

 

Since last fall's congregational meeting, the Session and a special ministry staffing work group have been considering ministry models designed to support and advance Clarendon as a vibrant congregation. This process, which has included careful review of congregational feedback, consultation with outside experts and peer churches, and research on staffing patterns inside and outside PCUSA, is nearing an end. The next-and most critical-phase requires deliberation by the entire Clarendon community. We invite you to two events that will be very important for shaping the future of ministry at Clarendon.

 

On Sunday, May 6, following worship, the Session and the work group will host a "coffee and conversation" gathering about proposed changes to the existing ministry model at Clarendon. Prior to this meeting, each member of the community will receive a document that: recaps the working group's charge, summarizes its guiding principles (as circulated in the weekly e-mail), outlines ministry models considered but not recommended by the group, and presents the model recommended by the working group to the Session. This event is intended to answer questions and gather input about the proposal, but no votes will be taken and no decisions will be made at that time.

 

Following that event, the Session will review the community's feedback, discuss remaining issues, and endorse a ministry model. This will occur as part of the Session's regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday, May 20.

 

On Sunday, June 3, following worship, the congregation will gather for a special meeting, where the Session will present its recommendation, answer questions and receive comments, and ask the congregation to approve a change in David's terms of call if necessary. This meeting will be moderated by a member of National Capital Presbytery who does not worship at Clarendon; David will not be in attendance.

 

We thank you for your insights, prayers, and patience over the past several months. As we move from a celebration of the risen Christ at Easter to the celebration of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, it is clear that the Spirit is at work at Clarendon.

 

Feel free to contact Karen Kimmel (working group chair) at klkml@comcast.net or Travis Reindl (Session liaison) at travis.j.reindl@gmail.com if you have questions or comments at any time over the next several weeks.

 

In Christ,

 

Mike Bagwell, Carol DeFord, James Fisher, Amber Hodgen, Karen Kimmel, Gordon Hawthorne, Grant Mandsager, Dave Norman, Travis Reindl, Marc Scarcella, Peg True, Gwen Wray-Samans