First Presbyterian Church - Polity

This Sunday, I broke my usual routine of visiting another church, and returned to attend First Presbyterian. I did so because they were holding a congregation meeting immediately after the church service, and since I am a member there, I wanted to attend it, participate, and vote.

Various churches and denominations have various forms of church government (called polity). Presbyterians are governed by elders (presbuteros in Greek) elected by the congregation. In Presbyterian churches most of the elders are lay elders (called ruling elders) while the pastor is also an elder (called the teaching elder). They call the Elders the Session (instead of the Board of Elders). The elders and the deacons make up the officers of the church. (The picture to the top left is a picture of the 2010 officers for First Presbyterian.)

Anyway, the Session called this special meeting of the Congregation to consider their motion to dissolve the relationship with pastor, Dave Weidlich, and approve a severance package for him. It followed his resignation. Any such motion usually brings up strong emotions, and they were present at the meeting. However, the meeting was orderly, everyone got to have their say, and a vote was held. I am sad to say the Congregation approved dissolving the relationship, and Pastor Dave will last preach at First Presbyterian on May 15, and then seek where else the Lord will lead him. (You can read Pastor Dave's Goodbye Letter.) This makes me sad. However, I was overall glad about the process, and look forward to see how the Lord leads Dave and how he leads First Presbyterian.