Last night was an “oops” moment for me. (I hate those.) It was time for us to elect our church leaders for the 2011-2012 church year, a task that must be accomplished by a formal “Charge Conference.” I had been duly authorized by the DS to preside at this piece of official Methodism, and our agenda was limited –by church law, no less- to only the 1 item that had been announced. The Nominating Committee had done their work well, and we have a great set of incoming officers. My goal was to call the meeting to order, vote, and adjourn the meeting, so that we could resume the “normal programming” of our regular Church Council meeting. Which I did, in less than 5 minutes- my type of Charge Conference!
Except- that a handful of people went home after the Charge Conference. I had not thought about the fact that there were people who would show up for this part of the meeting alone. I had assumed that everyone else would share my own discomfort with officialdom. I was planning to thank the outgoing officers and welcome the incoming leaders at the end of the Church Council meeting, and so this faithful handful of people didn’t get to a chance to be a part of this well-deserved thanks. That oversight was my mistake, as thanks should always be extended as far and as wide as possible.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a leader in the church. The average church member doesn’t care what color we paint the walls, who will repair the a/c, who does the hiring, or who signs the checks. Nor should they have to. They DO care that these things be done correctly, and in line with our vision and values. But they don’t want to come to worship on Sunday mornings and be engaged in a congregational discussion of paint color. A “leader” in the church is the person who chooses to give of themselves and their time to care about these things on behalf of the congregation. Leaders choose to get together on weeknights to talk about which bank offers the best interest rates and what to do when Christmas falls on a Sunday and what to do about the siding on the building. It’s not particularly glamorous, nor does it always feel “spiritual.” And yet I am so deeply grateful to all of those who choose to give of themselves in this way.
Being a leader in church also means representing the church to all of the many places that a pastor cannot be. When a group of people is talking after worship or choir or Bible study about a question or a concern, a leader is the one who says, “Let me tell you how that decision was made,” or “You’re raising a good question, let me be the one to find out the answer and get back to you.” To be a church leader means that you forfeit the right to engage in gossip or bickering, because you have committed to be part of the solution to whatever challenges arise. You have chosen to focus on the future and to seek God’s guidance along with the rest of us.
Experts will tell you that there are many types of leaders. Often, the most important leaders do not hold elected office. They are the ones to whom all the eyes in the room turn when a new initiative is announced or a difficult decision needs to be made. FUMC is blessed with leaders of this type whose wonderful hearts ensure that we continue to move forward.
FUMC is blessed also with a strong group of leaders who have agreed to oversee the administrative affairs of the church. Next week, we are getting together at my house for 4 hours. My goal is to build community and trust, in addition to doing some training and study together. We have a great year ahead of us, and FUMC will be a better place because of these leaders. For which I am thankful. And I intend to say so at every opportunity I can!
