State of the Church by Rev. Jim Poinsett Part 1

St. Mark Presbyterian Church Congregational Meeting January 29, 2017

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It is the beginning of a new year, and 2017 promises to be an exciting year in the life and ministry of St. Mark. We begin the year with a sense of hopeful expectation that God’s spirit will be at work in our church and in our lives. Friends, I’m here to report that signs of the Holy Spirit’s activity abound. The state of the St. Mark Presbyterian Church is good.

A majority of my work during 2016 was to help guide the congregation through the process of creating a vision for the future ministry of the St. Mark Presbyterian Church. That work produced the Mission Study Report, which was delivered to congregation in June. Many thanks to the Mission Study Team members: Jan Boehme, Debbie Brown, Bob Lienneman, Kim Michael, John Northrip, Jean Steward, and Sharon Yoder. And of course, I want thank the over 200 church members that provided input throughout the Mission Study process.

At some point this year, St. Mark will welcome a new installed pastor and begin a new season of ministry. The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) has been hard at work since October 2016. The PNC consists of Mark Caplinger, Joyce Blackwell, Lauren Arnet, John Buckhorn, Lili Hostetler, Shelley Lathem, and Jean Steward. St. Mark’s Ministry Information Form (MIF), which is essentially the church’s job posting, has been active since December 2016, and the PNC has been reviewing resumes and sermon samples from interested applicants. They will begin conducting interviews very soon.

As a church, the Spirit has gifted us with a bright financial outlook for the coming year. The congregation generously responded to our stewardship campaign for 2017 themed, “Building Our Future Hope.” Our season of stewardship resulted in the over $767,000 in pledges for the year, the highest total in 11 years. The average pledge was just over $3,500 the second highest average pledge in the past 10 years. As a result, the congregation will be presented with a balanced budget at the Congregational Meeting on January 29, for the second consecutive year. I am grateful for all those who pledged and feel this is a sign of enthusiasm about St. Mark’s future.

In preparation for the arrival of a new pastor, the Session has been hard at work examining our ministry structure. The elders are studying ways to become more effective in balancing the energies required to pursue the new things God is calling St. Mark to do while maintaining church life and ensuring all programs produce positive results. Their purpose is to better align the church’s structure with congregation’s strengths, passions, and purpose as identified in the Mission Study Report so the new pastor can hit the ground running upon her/his arrival.

With all of that accomplished, we have recently entered into new phase of interim ministry time. As the Pastor Nominating Committee continues its work, there is a sharper focus, and perhaps even a greater sense of urgency, for us to get on with some significant interim tasks that must still be tackled.

I am sure that all of us want to do everything in our power to properly prepare ourselves, and this church, for the next installed Pastor. For we want her or his ministry and leadership and service here at St. Mark to be significant and meaningful and purposeful and faithful. We want an installed Pastor who will be our partner in sharing God’s love, in offering God’s compassion, in furthering God’s kingdom, and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ here in West County.

Part 2 will appear tomorrow