denominational musings

I’m blogging live from the NPC Annual meeting here in Clackamas, Oregon.  Eastridge Covenant Church is our gracious host, and we are all enjoying their beautiful new facility, including the coffee bar.  What does a denomination’s local annual meeting look like?  For the North Pacific Conference, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, it’s our chance to gather as ministers for a few days of business and continuing education, and to invite congregations to join us for our annual Ministerium meeting and worship service at the close. Our polity is congregational, so all new matters requiring vote, inlcuding resolutions, churches desiring to join the denomination, and candidates for ordination and commissioning are on the agenda.

Speaking of ordination, I caught a ride to the Portland area with my fabulous mother in law, who is in the process of commissioning, while I’m in the ordination process.  We will be presenting a summary of our call to ministry to the larger body this evening, the last step before the North Pacific Conference votes on whether to send us to our denomination’s Annual Meeting for ordination or commissioning this June.  Interestingly, we’re the two women up for credentialing this cycle.  I haven’t met all the candidates yet, but as I look around the room, we’re a pretty white, pretty male collection of folks.  I wonder, how can we better live into our calling?  Please pray for both of us, and the five other candidates for our conference, as we continue on this journey.

I’ll post some pictures later tonight, provided we have wifi at our hotel.  For now, enjoy the picture of our recent Easter service, courtesy of Vince Vonada of Acapella Photography, one of the many talented photographers in our congregation.  Seeing Quest all together, spending time in worship, this reminds me of why I’m here, of God’s calling on my life.