I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
Dear RSNY Church Family and Friends,
As your Synod Executive Minister, I am thankful to God for the amazing blessings of our Synod and Classes – there have been many, and for this I am grateful.
It’s a pleasure to be with ministers praying for our denomination, Regional Synod, and Classes. As I hear the prayers, I sense a collective family at the table that generates a spirit of energetic optimism, passion, purpose, and an unstoppable force for spiritual revival and renewal.
I like taking a moment in prayer to reflect on my Christian journey. I remember when I served as an elder delegate in the early 1970s. Yes, I’ve been a delegate and member of the Classis of New York for over 40 years. I vividly remember attending my first classis meeting. I sat at the back table in a particular area at the Marble Collegiate Church dining room. In this same room, I thought, wow! These ministers and elders are amazing. They were very vocal and advocated for the life of their churches, especially in the Urban context, depicting the hardships in the 1970s and 1980s. I had never met powerhouse church leaders from across the city and then the Particular Synod of New York expressed the gospel message for restoration. As I sat there with immense pride, I realized how powerful the Classis of New York (along with our ecumenical partners) was for me. It was at these meetings and regional Synod forums that inspiration generated for the values of the church and the purpose of Mission and Ministry opportunities for People of Color, those who are not privileged, Women, and the focus on opportunity for People in Mission.
As I wake up every morning, I am often reminded of the grace that God has provided over the years to enhance and enrich the life of the church. It is moments like this that sustain me as a church leader in my submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit to serve faithfully.
Many who came from other denominations and those of us who are homegrown appreciated and still appreciates the Reformed approaches of God’s Gospel. Perhaps you are a new minister of word and sacrament seeking the optimism to serve as a church leader and seeking ways to engage others in prayers and conversations to rebuild the House of God and care for our congregations, despite the membership size. When I ask myself, what would be the most important thing I could do to support the success of the continued ministries for our members and enable teachers for biblical thoughts Sustaining Pastors, Specialized Ministers, Preaching Elders, and Commissioned Pastors, it’s about keeping them strong, engaged, and fulfilled in professional development and our Christian witness and service in mission. It’s about ensuring that they are valued and empowered. It’s about protecting their well-being and the well-being of their families, church families and those they love because they give us everything else in the hopes of God.
As we wrestled with the RCA’s proposed structural changes, we must invest in ourselves as church leaders in order to invest in our church communities, especially in providing a new formation to support Christian Educational Engagement to Children, Youth, Young Adults, and Adults in providing learning and mission opportunities for all.
So, sustaining our leaders and leadership will always be a priority, especially during these transitional and economic challenges, along with retaining the maintenance of our existing church buildings. A critical part of sustaining church leaders is paying them a reasonable salary. It is often said that because of the financial situations we are not able to compensate our Pastors adequately for the services they render. Finally, as we begin the New Year, beyond fiscal concerns I hear during these prayer pastors saying Lord “help me to survive and flourish”.
Faithfully,
Rev. Dr. Micheal Edwards, Executive Minister