A 'Special' Special Meeting

The most recent copy of our church magazine for clergy, The Circuit Rider, focused on "holy conversation." We often think of holy conversation as those moments when one person really hears another with love and respect, so that a new understanding can emerge between them. We may think of moments like sharing in prayer in a hospital room; a quiet side-conversation at a family gathering; or the welcome surprise of a phone call from a long time friend.

We don’t usually think of committee or business meetings as holy conversations. But the Circuit Rider suggested that our meetings at church, at least, ought to also be holy conversations, where even conflicting views can be shared with respect and appreciation, deepening understanding and strengthening relationships.

To my grateful surprise, that is what I experienced at our "Special Administrative Council Meeting" on January 30. We were gathered to discuss and vote on the 2011 church budget. While that is never easy, there were some obvious particular challenges this year, with the pressures from the national economy and changes in our congregation. Early in 2011, the Finance Committee faced the task of preparing a balanced budget with the resources we could expect to receive during the year. It was clear that difficult decisions would need to be made, likely affecting staff and program. We were concerned about the impact of having to wrestle with those decisions at the Special budget meeting.

Four things happened that enabled the meeting to become a time of good exchange of ideas, good listening, and growth in understanding:

• Excellent preparation by the work areas to be clear about their financial needs to carry out their ministries, and especially by the Finance Work area in presenting clearly the financial picture of the church.
• Amazing extra giving and pledging by the congregation in the early weeks of 2011. There was a dedicated effort by so many to do all we could to support the work of Christ in and through this congregation.
• Willingness, at the meeting, to speak directly and listen respectfully about the needs both to stay "in the black" as part of our Christian stewardship, and to fund our church ministries and programs that allow us to "be the church."
• Agreement, as the meeting progressed, that this year we need to reevaluate how we are carrying out the mission of our church, and make sure our church is organized most effectively for its mission. We need to make sure the programs and staff positions are what are most needed for faithful growth and service.

A majority voted to approve a budget that fully funded the salaries of our excellent staff at the same level they have been for the past several years, with the commitment to examine our overall needs during 2011. The approved budget reduced some funding for program and administrative costs, and does not address our long term debt from property purchases.

As I left the meeting, I was filled with a sense of gratitude for the spirit and commitment of the people of this congregation. We have a lot of work ahead of us this year – but we can do it, step by step, with willing spirits, caring hearts, and "holy conversation."