Structure – Globally and Locally


I just returned from Baltimore, MD, where I attended a meeting for The Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Governance, Structure, Constitution and Canons. If you haven’t fallen asleep or clicked on another page, thank you.  Yes, the topic seems dry, perhaps even boring, and yet I am invigorated by the conversations we had and hopeful that what this group is engaged in will indeed support the work of the Spirit in every congregation.

Structure is a helpful as it makes our common life have order.  Jesus organized his ministry with 12 apostles and the sending out of least 70 others in pairs. He established a pattern of repentance (turn), study, prayer, worship, support, work and rest that calls his followers into a deeper relationship with God as our foundation and source of well-being.

Over the last two centuries, the Church has continued to develop structures, most of which are to support its ministry of reconciliation.  And yet, as society changes, so to must the Church, which does not happen speedily.

The Standing Commission I am a member of recognizes the importance of the structures we have in place in order to do business and function, and we also see that the current structure can impede creative ways of offering ministry.  For instance, we heard of a priest who has started a farm that has attracted many younger people, most of whom have no church affiliation.  Slowly this priest, through the work of the farm, has offered this “congregation” a different way to understand the work they are doing and God’s partnership in it.  They are becoming a worshiping community, but because it does not have a traditional structure, there are questions about clergy compensation and “parish” status.  While on the one hand those questions seem irrelevant when God’s work is being done, they are important for things like pensions and being connected to the larger Church. The Standing Commission is interested in identifying such stumbling blocks, drawing attention to them in order to discern how to change the structure so that the structure works for furthering God’s mission.

We should have similar discussions in our parish – what structures are working well and what is not?  Our Vestry is vitally important for the governance of the church, and it should take a greater role in organizing and planning the ministries of the church.  That is NOT to say that the members of the Vestry should do all the work.  We need all members engaged in the work of the Gospel, of sharing Christ’s love in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  How we actually go about doing that is discerned by the congregation being aware of how God is at work in our lives and joining with God in that work.

We are already thinking about leadership for St. Barnabas in 2019.  I hope everyone will consider if the Spirit is nudging you to be part of the Vestry.  I do believe the Spirit is doing some exciting things at St. Barnabas and I hope members will want to be a part of this movement.  All gifts and talents are needed.   If you have any questions about Vestry, please feel free to talk to me or Susan LeDonne, our Administrative Warden. 

Thank you all for your support and dedication to the Church – globally and locally.

In Christ,
Rev. Valerie+

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