“My parents filled elder and deacon roles at my childhood Presbyterian church and were constant examples of what it meant to serve God’s people. So when Jim Kuyper invited me to consider becoming an elder at Emmanuel a dozen years ago, I was excited to extend their legacy. I’m now serving my second elder term. I love working with the pastors and my fellow elders in prayerfully considering decisions that will help us live out our code. We laugh, we talk, we imagine the future. And we pray–for our church and for all of you. It’s a deeply rewarding ministry and we need a diverse, representative session to do our best work for EPC.” -Patti Yomantas

 

When I first joined Emmanuel I was new to the Presbyterian church, but one of the things that I was attracted to was the ability of members to be involved in the governing of the church. I came to find out this governing group was called the Session and its members were called elders.

 

Not only does Session govern the church, they are responsible for the life of the congregation. The elders are elected by the congregation and pastors in their call to serve the church.

 

At Emmanuel, 12 elders serve staggered terms of three years, ensuring an orderly rotation of these church officers each year. Elders may serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms.

 

“As a 20-something, my initial reaction to being nominated to serve as an Elder was bundled up into this one question – “aren’t I too young to be an “elder”?” Since that fateful day at a Peet’s coffee, discussing the role with some dear friends and members of the Church Officer Nominating Committee, I no longer feel the slightest hesitancy of my age. I love the generational diversity of our Session, and the richness it brings to the dynamics, the discussions, and the decision-making. I have laughed, cried, sat in deep prayer with this group of wonderful people, sharing in the vision and commitment to maintaining the improving the well-being of our dear church, but never feeling alone in the effort.” -Eleana Nanz

 

Elder gifts and attributes:

The person’s manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world.
The person is comfortable with our Presbyterian heritage and polity.
The person is willing and capable to serve the responsible role of elder.

 

Beyond these requirements, our elders should be people who understand and are committed to Emmanuel’s Code and want to see it lived out in our mission. Our code is our set values and root purpose for being, and you can read more about that HERE.

 

Administratively, we need people with skills at forming and leading task groups and people who can plan events.

 

Spiritually, we need people who can articulate their faith in a welcoming and humbling fashion. We need people who know the Scripture and have spiritual practices that undergird their life and faith. We need people who can translate that into action others can participate in. Truly we need leaders who can encourage others to participate. People who can say, “Be with me being with Jesus.”

 

Then, we need people who know how to connect with those outside church and who give sacrificially to the work of Emmanuel, both in time and skill and financially.

 

Not everyone can do all these things. But they should be able to do two or three of these things well.

 

“I felt God calling me to serve the church in a bigger way about 18 months ago so when Dan VanGent called me to meet him at Starbucks last April, I knew it was a “God” thing. We talked about the different kind of elders and what their duties were. He saved Missions Elder for the last explanation. It was as if God was there and telling me “No” to all these positions but when Dan got to the Mission Elder position, I responded with a big “Yes”! Having served on short term mission trips to Uganda with my previous church, this was a “no-brainer” for me. However, I had never been an elder and jumped in pretty blind to this position, but with God’s help and Dan’s mentoring, I feel a little more capable now. I am depending on God to continue to guide me in this position and with his help we can expand the work of the Mission Council to serve God’s purpose both globally and locally.” – Carol O’Keefe

 

 

 

“I have gotten to know some wonderful people I wouldn’t normally have spent time with. Working closely with the pastors has helped me understand their passion for serving God and Emmanuel. The spiritual dimension of being on session has helped me grow in my faith.” – Dan VanGent

Elder responsibilities:

Exercise leadership, governance, and discipline—together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament—and share responsibility for the life of the church including worship, children and youth, missions, adult ministries, property, etc.
Be a person of faith, dedication, and good judgment, demonstrating the Christian gospel in all aspects of life.
Strengthen and nurture the faith and life of the congregation.
Encourage the people in the worship and service of God; equip and renew them for tasks within the church and for their mission in the world.
Participate in session meetings (4th Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.).
Participate in leadership training and other session events such as an annual retreat.
Act as an ambassador of the session and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.
Interview and examine prospective new members.
Attend all congregational meetings.

 

“As a member of Emmanuel Church for 45 years and an elder for much of that time, I have had the opportunity to serve on several Sessions; this particular group is the best I have worked with so far. Our meetings are pleasant and productive. As a member of Session, I chose to represent Emmanuel at presbytery meetings that are held four times a year. I have particularly enjoyed learning about other churches in our presbytery and some of the exciting things taking place at them. I especially liked one meeting at which different mission agencies supported by our churches talked about their ministries; I learned things about them I hadn’t known previously despite serving on Emmanuel’s Mission Council for many years. I would encourage anyone considering serving on Session to grab the opportunity; you will know what is going on at Emmanuel and throughout our presbytery.” – Joyce Maxwell

 

 

“The classic rap on serving as an elder in any church is that you get so caught up in administration that you lose sight of community and spiritual formation…and thus feel burned out and ready to be done when your term is over. That couldn’t be farther from my experience thus far as an elder for 3 years. I have grown deeper in my relationship to my teammates, more committed to the unique culture and mission of Emmanuel, and I’ve been able to serve in a way that fully utilizes my skill set. In fact, the experience has been so rewarding that I’m ready to recommit for another term.” – David Ross