Upcoming Shepherding Team Nominations

September 10, 2015

Shepherding Team Nominations Due September 28

Dear Members of All Souls,

One of the most important decisions a church faces each year is electing its new leaders, and the time for this year is now. We write to ask for your prayers and your counsel to fill this year's vacancies. All Souls Church is led by a Shepherding Team (ST), which has several important responsibilities. First and foremost, the role of the ST, as part of the succession of elders in the church universal since the apostles, is spiritual leadership. Shepherds are commanded by the apostle Paul to "keep watch over the flock" and to "feed the church of the Lord." The ST prays for members of the church, sets its overall
direction, establishes its policies, stewards its resources, guards its vision and doctrine, hires, encourages, and holds accountable its staff, and in every other way seeks to obey Jesus' command to "feed my sheep." The ST is also the board of directors of the corporation, with fiduciary duties to church members, the state of Tennessee, and the IRS.

Clearly, the ST serves an important role in our church. It is important to note that this group truly leads as a team; each member holds authority not individually but only collectively. Given this, there is no extensive list of qualifications, other than as found in Scripture, specifically 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, and in the church bylaws, stating that members of the ST must be members of the church who are at least age 21 and believe fully in the doctrines in the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. They should also be: mature in the faith, knowledgeable in Scripture and doctrine, hospitable, self-controlled, holy, upright, and a firm believer in and follower of Jesus. They must also be able and willing to attend one ST meeting each month for a three-year term. There are no term limits.

The 3-year term of ST member Marie Alcorn ends on December 31, 2015. Following the procedures outlined in our bylaws, a nominating committee has been appointed to recommend a slate of up to three candidates to serve commencing on January 1, 2016. The church will vote on the slate on Sunday evening, November 22, 2015, after the worship service.

The nominating committee in now requesting nominations from the congregation. Members of the nominating committee and their families will not be eligible to avoid any conflicts. Please prayerfully consider nominating members of our church whom you feel would be a good member of our ST. You may submit a nomination by completing a nomination form which can be found here, or by navigating to www.allsoulsknoxville.com and clicking on the link to the Shepherding Team Nominations on the left of the home page, or by contacting the nominating committee chair Dan Holbrook at dholbrook@hpestatelaw.com.

PLEASE DO NOT DELAY, AS NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28. Once nominations are received, the nominating committee will ask nominees to submit written responses to some questions before interviewing them in person.

Thank you for prayerfully participating in this important process. Please pray that this process will result in the selection of the most appropriate leaders for our church at this time.

Contact Us

All Souls Shepherding Team

Web: allsoulsknoxville.com
Email: jill@allsoulsknoxville.com
4 Market Square
Knoxville, TN 37902

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Sincerely,

All Souls Church

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