September 15 Update from Eliana Maxim

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ and I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8) 

“Ruling elders, together with the ministers of word and sacrament, exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church….” (Book of Order G-2.03) 

Dear friends, 

Too often, we tend to view our world and our responsibilities with limited vision. We think of the well-being of the street we live on, rather than the entire community we reside in. We might concern ourselves with the productivity of our particular department or the success of our team or class alone. 

When we discern the call to serve the church in an ordained role, either as ruling elder or teaching elder (minister/pastor) we are charged with a broader scope of responsibility and authority. 

One of the gifts, and I would add strengths of the Presbyterian faith tradition, is our connectedness; an acknowledgment that we do not operate independently as individual congregations but are part of a larger whole and together make up the entire denomination. The presbytery exists because and for all the churches in its geographic area. And together, the presbyteries compose all the representatives that make up the PCUSA’s General Assembly. 

So why this PCUSA 101 highlight? Because your presbytery needs you. As ordained ruling elders, you faithfully serve on your church’s session (or have in the past) and now I am asking you to prayerfully discern how God might be able to use you to serve at the presbytery level.  

We are committed to having equal teaching and ruling elder representation on all our commissions and committees, but this requires elders to step up and say “here I am.” 

We are also seeking to round out our commissioners to the upcoming General Assembly in Louisville, KY next June. We are still in need of one alternate adult commissioner (can be either teaching or ruling elder) and a Youth Advisory Delegate.  

Slates for all these opportunities will be presented and voted on at the October 19th presbytery meeting. 

Please consider how you might contribute to the mission and ministry of the broader church expression in the greater Seattle area. 

For more information on any of these opportunities, please contact the nominating committee. 

Grateful to be on this journey of faith and doing life together with you.  

Grace and peace, 

Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter