Exploring Call and Vocation in the PCUSA Synod of Lincoln Trails July 25, 2009 by Marcia Clark Myers, PCUSA Office of Vocation

The world is rapidly changing

Change and Anxiety  Pluralism  Demographic shifts  Information technology  Environment  War, terrorism  Economic crisis

Key question always is “What is God calling us to?”  As a church?  As congregations?  As individuals?

Biblical call stories  Leave your home  Go to a new place, to Pharaoh, to Nineveh  Speak to my people, feed my sheep, follow me, fish for people

We are all called by our baptism.

PCUSA Mission Context “You are now entering the mission field.”

The light shines in the darkness “Fear not!”

The PCUSA: Who are we?

“Go therefore and make disciples….” But… Pulpit and Pew: “Over 70 percent of Christian clergy indicated that the difficulty of reaching people with the Gospel is one of the primary problems faced by pastors in today's world...”.

We are a denomination of small churches. 50% of our churches have <100 members

PCUSA Congregations with <50 in Worship

Sizing Up Our Present Congregations

MOST Presbyterians are part of larger congregations, BUT… most our congregations are smaller ones.

Leadership models are changing  4857 (almost ½) of our churches have no installed pastor  About 2000 of those have no identified pastoral leader at all  Others are served by PCUSA MoWaS as Stated Supplies, Interim Pastors  Many served by CLPs, Non-Presbyterians  Some of such churches are growing.

We have more ministers than we can support  We have almost 14,000 active ministers, 7500 serving as installed pastors  2300 ministers or candidates currently seeking calls in the Call System  630 positions currently in the call system Of those:  425 persons are seeking 1 st call;  190 positions are open to 1 st call And we have 2370 Inquirers and Candidates preparing to enter ministry.

What about retirements?

We have a pastor distribution problem  Only 9.5% of current call-seekers are willing to consider a church of 100 members or less.  Only 7% are open to service in a rural area.  Many are geographically bound.

Commissioned Lay Pastors are filling the gap  131 presbyteries have CLPS  200 – 700+ in 8 years  These elders bring enthusiasm, church experience  Most CLP training = less than 1 semester of study at college level  10% serving racial ethnic or immigrant congregations

Projections courtesy of Jack Marcum, Research Services

How do we get where God is calling us to go?

We need leaders who are…  Passionate about the gospel and live it.  Healthy emotionally and spiritually  Non-anxious  Energetic, outgoing, and have strong people skills.  Analytical and adaptive  Team leaders  Bridge-builders

 Culturally proficient  Understand context and organizational dynamics  Developers, not maintenance workers  Missional leaders - outside the walls, the institution, the churched  Service-oriented

To Grow PCUSA Deep and Wide We Need:  Pastors providing hospices care to congregations at the end of their ministry  Transformational Pastors – leading and equipping congregations to new ministries  Church Planters

Help wanted  Tentmakers, bi-vocational pastors, CLPs  Racial ethnic leaders  “Dangerous elders”  Passionate Presbyterians

To respond to God’s call our challenge is to…  Call forth leaders to fit the mission  Energize and equip elders and all baptized for shared ministry  Use new models to prepare effective leaders  Retool present leaders for new mission  Support leaders we need, retire, outplace others.

Positive signs  Growing awareness and consensus  Strong sense of God’s leading, spiritual renewal  Huge number of people offering themselves for service  Initiatives to develop new competencies

 Growth in racial ethnic participation and leadership  Volunteer energy – Members seeking learning and service – “Dangerous elders” – Energetic retirees – Young people who want to make a difference  Technology enabling connection and participation

Go therefore and make disciples…and remember I am with you always…