tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140810356584401887.post7674646485381246146..comments2023-10-02T00:24:28.543-07:00Comments on Monmouth Presbytery Clerks' Corner: The Presbytery Consolidation that Never WasCarlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00540884672406337833noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140810356584401887.post-87349071680393181462013-07-01T07:09:00.447-07:002013-07-01T07:09:00.447-07:00Another thing - the United Methodists (whose confe...Another thing - the United Methodists (whose conferences are generally bigger than our presbyteries) have decided in recent years to go from 2 conferences in NJ to one. I know there was some confusion at first when that happened, but I haven't heard of any discontent since. So, there's an example of a similar denomination that's responded to declining membership by consolidating its governing bodies. Another model is what the RCA does - smaller classes (presbyteries) with no executives (only clerks), but a smaller, statewide synod that provides staff support to each classis.Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00540884672406337833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140810356584401887.post-21192482313545132092013-07-01T07:01:33.147-07:002013-07-01T07:01:33.147-07:00I know there are some smaller presbyteries that ar...I know there are some smaller presbyteries that are trying to go back to the days of having no executive, only a stated clerk, but to me those seem to be more an example of desperation due to financial problems than the result of any intentional design. Have you ever heard of a presbytery that has the money to pay an executive, who has still decided to forego that form of professional leadership? I've yet to see a presbytery without at least a part-time executive that seems strong. It's hard to conceive how a committee on ministry, for example, could function effectively in the modern world without some support from a professional staff person who knows conflict resolution, organizational theory, etc. It doesn't matter how skilled a COM chair is, eventually that person't term will end (either normally or suddenly - for a variety of reasons), and the committee has to start over again with a fresh person who has to work through that steep learning curve. I hear what you say about environmental stewardship, but that could be addressed at least partially through electronic-meeting technologies. As for the BoO amendments voting, there's something to that objection, but I have to ask the question if voting on amendments every 2 years is so important to a presbytery's life that it trumps all other concerns. Much to talk about here - it's not a simple issue!Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00540884672406337833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140810356584401887.post-49188808435083599312013-06-30T19:35:26.400-07:002013-06-30T19:35:26.400-07:00Wow. Fascinating map, Carl.
Looks like almost all...Wow. Fascinating map, Carl.<br />Looks like almost all of Elizabeth was in III as well. That doesn't make any sense to me. Union County is far more urbanized than the rest of the proposed presbytery. When you say "The special committee was also trying to create larger presbyteries, so resources could be concentrated and deployed more effectively", I am not sure I agree with the assumption that larger presbyteries are inherently more efficient. My cynical side worries that those favoring larger presbyteries today mainly want presbyteries large enough to support an Executive. Larger presbyteries mean more driving, thus giving Presbyterians a more substantial carbon footprint. Fewer presbyteries in this synod would dilute our influence in voting on BoO amendments. And the presbyteries in NJ are not out of line with the size of presbyteries nationally, in terms of membership. 10-14K members is not small by any means. I do favor some kind of realignment; the present boundaries lack sense. And it would spread out the membership more evenly. But I would be against reducing the number of presbyteries. More creative and faithful staffing patterns would help solve some of our money difficulties. Merging and consolidation have not proven to be effective, in my view. Paul F. Rackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08392057623163551364noreply@blogger.com