Installation of Officers: 1947 Book of Worship, Evangelical and Reformed Church

About ten years ago, the United Church of Christ had a large supply of the 1947 version of the "Book of Worship" of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, one of the forerunners of the UCC.  I purchased a large hard copy edition and have altered and arranged services from it for worship and special occasions.  This Sunday I used the "Order for Ordination and Installation of Elders and Deacons" to install our officers and Consistory members.  Several people asked me after worship about it's origin so I am reprinting it here with only slight changes to the original to match contemporary positions and duties. The language has also been changed to make it gender inclusive.

(Addressing the Congregation)
My friends, these people have been chosen and called by you, as a Christian Congregation, to take part as leaders in the care and service of this Church.  They have accepted your call.  I therefore proceed, in the name of our Lord, to set apart each into their own office, to the work of the ministry among you and on your behalf.

(Addressing the Candidates)
My friends, it is a great honor to bear office in God's house, so it is a trust that should not be taken lightly.  Although your election has been by the free choice of your fellow members, you should not regard yourselves merely as their servants, but as servants of Christ.  You should therefore expand your office, and consider its duties as a service to be rendered to god and not simply to them. 

(Elders in the E and R Church)
Some of you are being appointed to assist and support the Ministry of the Word and the general government of the Church.  With the Minister, they form a Consistory for the spiritual supervision of the Church which is committed to their care. They are the advisers and counsellors of the Minister in the work of his Holy office;  they are to be eyes and hands, acting with the Ministers and for the Ministers and representing the Church's Ministry throughout the congregation.  They go before the Church as Christian examples, to watch over it, to take an active interest in its spiritual welfare, to feel a responsibility for its condition, to be available in all circumstances with spiritual aid for its necessities and wants. 

(Deacons in the E and R Church)
Some of you are being appointed to assist and support the Pastor in those ministries which pertain to the more outward needs of the general household of the faith.  They aid in securing the funds necessary for the support of the Church and its various activities.  They are to labor among the people in making known to them the needs of the Church, fostering the principle of stewardship, and thereby cultivating a spirit of liberal and cheerful giving.  In performing these duties, they must not lose sight of the true spiritual character of their office, which although it may be occupied with outward and temporal things, remains a proper branch of Christian ministry.

(To all Candidates)
Having considered the nature of the offices to which yo have been called by this Congregation, do you accept the call as coming from God, and do you undertake the work and service that is set before you in the name of Jesus Christ?

If so, please answer, "I do." 

We used the affirmation of the people from the 1986 United Church of Christ Book of worship.

We gather in celebration of the joy that is ours to be partners with you in the service of Jesus Christ.  We promise to love you, honor your leadership, and assist you so that together we may be a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Formation

The seven secrets of church re-vitalization

 

1. Understand the current situation and start where you are.

2. Be Positive and map your assets.

3. We must reclaim evangelism.

4. Reclaim our compelling Mission; "Why are we the church?"

5. Create small groups for spiritual formation.

6. Administration is Ministry: empower creative people and programs.

7. Transformational Worship.

 

#5 Spiritual formation in small groups

As a Christian we are always asking two questions; Who are you becoming? Where do you practice life? Relationships formed in small groups are essential.

Christianity is not a set of beliefs but a lifestyle...a "way". A disciple is a person who has a discipline.  We need to have a place where we can practice faith. There are individual practices and there are also communal communal practices.

NCLI sees the need to find more creative ways to name this process beyond "Sunday school"  or "Church School".

With so many of our institutions and families in crisis we need to find ways to support one another.  One helpful method to facilitate community support for individuals that was suggested is the circle process.  A good video to refer to is from the Just peace organization.

 

Chapter 5 – Designing Good Process: The Circle Process | JustPeace

 

 

Key areas of spiritual formation are spirituality and worship, discipleship, service and care groups

World cafe is a program where a public notice of a discussion about a timely topic is given to meet in a public space.  Recently the topic of racism has been discussed in our community as a form of sacred conversations.

Those interested in spiritual formation come with head and heart, embrace our incarnational natures

and expect transformation.

Formation must be real and it must also abandon church speak. 

In the Bible God calls us to "be still".  To listen for God's voice and allow God to become our

anchor in prayer.

It's hard to believe, but Southern Baptists started 49,000 churches last year!  This movement was largely a lay movement where small groups gathered in homes.  The majority of American Churches have under 100 members.  Spiritual formation and intimate relationships are fostered in small group settings.

 

Michael Piazza continued with a workshop on leading change in worship. 

 

We should begin to think about the concentric circles of a congregation in worship;

 

the community

visitors

attendees

members

leaders

council

staff

 

Consider how people can be moved along to grow closer to the center of the worshipping congregation.

 

Small growth groups are essential to worship. Michael began a renewal group within his congregation and they pledged to;

Pray twice a day

Worship Every Sunday

tithe in lent-just try it for 7 Sundays (some groups start out trying tithing for Just one Sunday a year)

Stewardship and giving is an antidote to consumerism.

Engage in hands on service projects

Study together and read a spiritual growth book together for discussion.

 

He suggested that Lent is a good time to begin this process.

 

 He also suggested that we use another adjective for "contemporary" worship  like "Lively" worship.

One church calls their alternative service "Indescribable".