A Message from Ellen 8-19-20
August 19, 2020
Dear Friends,
This Sunday we will try something never before tried at Forest Lake Presbyterian Church – a virtual congregational meeting! This pandemic has forced us all to think “outside the box,” and I will admit that getting our Presbyterian polity/government to work in this age is – let’s just say – a challenge. But, at some point we all have to decide if we are going to get grumpy and brittle, or if we will decide to do the best we can and practice our flexibility. All of us may find this new age difficult, but I am grateful for your flexibility.
The purpose of the meeting will be to elect new Deacons and Elders to serve in the class of 2023. I want you to know that the nominating committee, chaired by Elder Jeff Binnicker, worked faithfully and carefully, and the folks they asked to serve were quick to agree to step into leadership positions in our congregation. And they agreed to serve last April and May, in the midst of the beginning of the pandemic! I take that as an excellent sign of their commitment and willingness to make this congregation and its leadership a priority in their lives, even when the future is uncertain and nothing is normal. The biographies of the officers’ elect are in this newsletter. I am grateful and honored to serve with such a strong group of Christians.
As regards the meeting, please let me reiterate the basics. If you think of a virtual meeting just like a meeting in our sanctuary, then this is what to expect. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11am, and I will try to “begin” just a bit before the hour. This will give me time to “let you into the meeting.” [This is a security feature of the zoom platform to control who “gets in”] If you get a message that you are in the “waiting room,” please be patient and I will let you in. Our Clerk of Session will be taking attendance to ensure we have quorum for the meeting. We must have 62 active members to hold a meeting. So, please be patient. If you join using a computer, tablet, or smart phone, I will count all of the members I can see as voters. That means that couples or children/parents can share a screen and still have their votes counted. If it is not possible to join by video, then you may request directions for how to join using a regular phone. If you call in, I will assume it is one phone/one vote. If you can join by video, please do so. If you cannot, feel free to call the church office and request directions, or watch for the directions that will be linked to our Wednesday e-news and the Friday email that contains the bulletins. No doubt we will learn some things about how to conduct business, and I covet your prayers for both these new officers-elect and for the meeting process itself.
In other breaking news, the Session voted on Sunday to allow the staff to implement plans to open the sanctuary for up to 50 people for our ten o’clock Sunday morning worship services on a date to be set in September. So, please stay tuned for how you may actually register to come back to church! AND, our livestream worship worked very well last Sunday. I wish I could promise no more bumps, but I am bold enough to think that we are very close to being able to actually join you in your den for worship every Sunday!!! To God be the glory and to Stewart Grinton be the thanks! As we like to say in this pandemic age. . . . What else could happen!?
We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds it. So – rejoice!
(I wish I could) see you in worship on Sunday!
Peace,
Ellen
Share this :
