Town North Presbyterian Church, PCA The faces of Town North

Electing the Pulpit Committee

By John Dishman

Sunday, September 13, will be pivotal day in the life of TNPC.  This is the day that the congregation will elect a pulpit committee.  The pulpit committee will be responsible for seeking the Lord’s will for the choice of our new senior pastor.  The congregational meeting will be held immediately after morning worship, and the Session encourages all members to stay for this brief, but crucial, event.  This is the first time a pulpit committee has been elected at TNPC in 29 years.

Nominations for the pulpit committee are open through the date of publication of this article, August 30.  In the recent called congregation meeting of July 22, the TNPC By-Laws were amended to refine the process by which nominations are received and members elected.  The stated purpose of the committee as given in the amendment is:

“The Pulpit Committee shall, after consultation and deliberation, recommend to the congregation a pastoral candidate who, in its judgment, fulfills the constitutional requirements of that office and is most suited to be profitable to the spiritual interests of the congregation.”

Finding the pastoral candidate to recommend to the congregation is very important and time-consuming job.  Many churches in the PCA find that at least 12 months are required to find a candidate that is best suited to the mission and vision of the church, and who senses a call from the Lord to leave their current ministry to come to a new ministry position.  As a result, being a member of the pulpit committee will require commitment and dedication.  In listing the criteria that Town North members should use in considering whom to nominate, the Session has included the following:

Additionally, the Session asks that you contact anyone you wish to nominate before doing so, because you need to have his/her agreement to be nominated.  The Session believes that the church will significantly benefit if the pulpit committee is made up of both men and women whose ages approximately match the age distribution within the congregation.  We want all generational points of view to be represented.

One of the first jobs of the new pulpit committee will be to determine the vision and mission of TNPC along with the church leadership.  Once this is done, we will be able to clarify whether a potential candidate’s philosophy of ministry matches that of the church.  We are presently blessed with the leadership of Dr. Pete Deison, who has long experience in helping church leaders formulate philosophies of ministry.  Pastor Pete will provide significant assistance to the pulpit committee and Session as they work together to crystallize Town North’s vision of where God is leading it.

Once the nominations are closed, the Session will review the list of nominees for their eligibility as cited in the amended By-Laws.  All those found to be eligible will be presented to the congregation as a slate on a secret ballot.  At least one of the nominees must be from the Session, and one must be from the Board of Deacons.  At least one Session member and one member of the Board of Deacons must be elected. After that, all those receiving 50% of the votes will be elected, up to a maximum of 12. If there are more than 12 receiving 50%, the 12 with the highest vote totals will be elected.  In order to comply with the By-Laws, the Session will ensure that there are enough nominees to guarantee the election of a minimum of seven members.

If you are reading this on August 30, you can still make a nomination. Nomination forms and a box to receive them are in the narthex.  Please consider entering into a time of prayer and fasting as we seek the Lord’s guidance in electing this group. Their actions will likely shape the future of the church for years to come.

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