WHAAAT?? I SAID, our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ!

Hello fellow travellers and welcome back for another instalment of "Adventures of a Lay Presbyter" Episode 2. Since we last met I have attended 3 new meetings of presbytery, so I have been tardy in posting these. But never fear new episodes are coming. You may be wondering, did Cynthia get on the Education and Students Committee???? Alas, I did not. After much consideration I have taken a look at my committee life and have decided... I'm on too many damn committees! I am now employing the strategy of duck and cover, i.e. hope no one at Presbytery notices that I'm not on a committee. If that fails, I will go to plan B, find out which committee meets the least and get on that one. I can't take credit for this plan, that goes to a fellow doctorate student and minister. So sit back and enjoy the mundane world of committees as I report on the May 4th 2011 meeting of Toronto South East Presbytery.


4:45 Operation defeat TTC commences.  This time I have expanded operations and recruited a fellow presbyter and doctorate student to help. Surely with 4 degrees between the two of us we can do this.


4:46 New plan of attack, take subway from museum station and switch at St. George to get on the Yonge line. Potential risks; enemy combatants everywhere, may encounter delays due to said idiot combatants rushing subway doors, causing mechanical failures.


4:54 Reach subway @ Yonge and Bloor with minimal casualties.


5:23  Just outside Sheppard station, weird noises, will we make it?


5:31 Meet up with Ambury for ride to Presbytery. Operation a success!


6:05 Arrive, only 5 mins lateish for supper.


6:06 Awkward get to know you socialising, (Ambury save me!).


6:38 Supper good, apparently last time there was cupcakes for dessert, wished I hadn't missed that.


6:52 Corralled into meeting, followed by more inane chit chat.


7:03 Still waiting.....


7:05 call to order, finally.


7:07 First complaint about the sound system, that 's right, first. More to come.


7:08 Condolences for those who have passed, mention of a closing service for Centennial Rouge, that's correct Churches can die too.


7:08:15 The second complaint about the sound system. (This is going to be a long evening.)


7:09 Worship time, we sing "Joy comes with the dawn." I think we may have killed joy....


7:11 Reflection on new symbols for the Church, the dandelion. They grow together in groups (those friggin things are everywhere), has deep roots (they are pain in the ass to pull out) and will resurrect even when killed (stubborn bastards, will you not die!!!).  And that concludes my deep reflection on the church as a dandelion.


7:13 Scripture reading, Acts 2:42-67, "The Marks of the Church."


7:17 Table discussion, something teaching, something worship, etc.


7:23 Taking care of business, we reached quorum.


7:27  Discussion of a motion for investigating a potential "twinning relationship," with a Korean Presbytery in Seoul. What does this mean you may wonder? From what I gather, the relationship would be one like one of having a "sister city," and we would develop joint programs. However, after some vigorous debate, by vigorous I mean squabbling, over " shared values," it became quickly apparent  that this was the first time most people had heard about this, but accroding to the minutes the motion passed anyway.


7:40 Presentation from the Mission strategy group. This group outlined the proposed priorities of the Presbytery such as "equipping leadership," "fostering collaboration," "creating new forms of ministry," and other stuff. There was great debate as to why not included in these priorities was, "to make disciples of Jesus Christ." Now you may be thinking "well that is probably assumed, since it is a church we are talking about," but this is the United Church, and well...you can't always assume that Jesus is hanging around. Here is what the minutes recorded on this issue, (with some commentary:)

 "A member of the court asked whether it would be useful to add 'the overall goal of which is to assist in making disciples of Jesus Christ ' to the first priority. [Jesus is our homeboy and proud of it!] A Team Member responded that might precluded some if not all ecumenical work : interfaith ventures, etc.. [We do not want to scare anyone with our overt Jesusiness.] Executive and Agenda Planning were asked to provide the Court  with sufficient time to discuss these issues, and how we interpret /understand the term 'making disciples.'


As the question on motion was called, a proposed amendment was ruled out of order [Bazinga! Overruled by a technicality.]


MOTION CARRIED"


7:44 Third sound complaint.

7:49 Sigh, fourth sound complaint.

8:33 Unsanctioned pee break.

8:43 Sound complaint.

8:54 Worship.

9:01 Accountability Reports, Pastoral Oversight, my notes indicate it was a good presentation, don't remember much about it, but my notes never lie. (It must mean that the report was short, clear and got to the point.)

9:26 Final sound complaint

9:28 Thanks to outgoing President, John Lee, and welcoming of new President Jim McKnight

9:32 Closing hymn and freedom till September. I assume during the summer the Presbytery will continue it's plans "to take over the world."
 

Cartoons were better when I was a kid!

Cynthia O’Connell is 28 years old and is, to answer her mom’s question, yes, still in school, pursuing a ThD in Theological Ethics at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto. She is a member of Glebe Road United Church and is the new Lay Presbytery Representative for Glebe Road United Church. She welcomes your comments, questions, and hate mail. Please contact her at fakelaypresbyter@gmail.com