Open for Nominations

 

AFC Church Meeting 21.11.21

In the early 1980’s I was elected, in my early 20’s, as Treasurer of Locks Heath Free Church, Southampton and it was the quickest election I’ve experienced in church life.

Locks Heath was a new church, combining an existing URC congregation and newly formed Baptist one, under the leadership of a minister (Home Mission funded) who had left Chorleywood Free Church to serve alongside us in Southampton.

So, one summer’s evening we all gathered in the Manse sitting room (as there weren’t too many of us at that time) to elect a Church Secretary and Treasurer.  As I worked for the Midland Bank, and people mistakenly thought I knew a thing or two about maths and money, the treasurer’s job came my way; all within ten minutes of it being declared vacant!

Fortunately I didn’t hold it very long, as soon afterwards a Bank Manager joined the new church and I was pushed in another direction, that of training for ordination.

All churches are dependent on the good people who fill roles such as secretary and treasurer.  It’s no good just having a congregation as churches are required, by law, to have ‘office holders’ too.  As a Free Church we may be independent of Bishops, but not of The Charity Commission!

So, as Janet comes to the end of seven years of exemplary service as our secretary, and Bob embarks upon his seventh and final year as treasurer, we are now actively looking for their replacements.

On Sunday, at our Church Meeting, we accepted the job description for the new Secretary or Joint-Secretaries.  So, after lots of thought and meetings, we have a document.  All we need now is a person or people to fill the role!

A few years ago The Revd Dr Nigel Wright, then Principal of my old theological college in South London, Spurgeon’s, wrote a book about church leadership.  He gave a scholarly introduction about the names we give leaders, such as: elders, deacons, ministers, pastors, priests, moderators, bishops.

He concluded that, in the end the important thing was never what you called the ‘office’ but WHO filled it.

I think he has a point.

 So, as a congregation we are praying and planning for the future, hoping that someone, or more than one, will hear God’s call and respond, ‘Here I am Lord’.

We are open for nominations!