This coming Sunday is our Annual Meeting. It is that time when the members of the congregation engage in governing their church. A new Moderator will be elected. “Moderator” is the name out of our religious tradition for the person who is, in essence, President of the congregation, the governing body of the church. The proposed Budget will be considered and approved if it is acceptable. Members of leadership committees will be elected. In other words, this is the annual business meeting.
Not every denomination is organized in this manner. The traditions of Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, and United Methodist churches are organized with leadership and directions set by a hierarchy. When our ancestors, the Pilgrims and Puritans that became the Congregationalists, ordered their religious life together, they placed emphasis on the individual members of the church having a voice. We are the inheritors of that tradition.
Although we are a congregational governing church, we are also connected to all churches in the United Church of Christ. The genius of those early ancestors is that they chose to be responsible for the decision-making of their individual churches AND they chose to be in a covenant relationship with the other churches.
You, as church members, will gather to hear the “state of GCC” (our Annual Reports) and conduct the business of the church. Each voice is important. Your presence is important.
You are the ones that will prayerfully look to your future and participate in making that future a reality.
This year we will have the business meeting immediately after worship, remaining in the sanctuary. While we continue to live in a COVID-influenced world, being in the sanctuary with the circulation system provides the best of environments for each of us. After the meeting, all those who would like to share lunch and enjoy conversation are invited to the Social Hall. There will be plenty of food.
See you Sunday.
Rev. Clara
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