John Kotter, writing in The Heart of Change, believes change will not happen without a sense of urgency.  I could not agree more with him.

 There are many urgencies upon us as a presbytery in Central New Jersey:
·         Two or three congregations will cease to be among us in 2004
·         We decreased our membership 2% in 2002; 24% in a decade (21,000 to 16,000--rounded)
·         We have doubled the number of congregations with less than 100 members in a decade
·         George Barna reports tithing down 62% in 2002 (Barna Research)
·         Last year's budget got us by with reserve accounts depleted and mission reduced
·         This year's budget brought a storm of protests over cross the board reductions
·         One full-time staff position was eliminated this year; another proposed for 2004
·         75% of our congregations have solo pastors who tend their flocks
·         50% of our church pastors have been in their present positions less than 4 years and many still have had
      little relational interaction with one another
·         25% of our congregations collect less than $100,000 a year while the total package for a full time minister
      is a minimum of $62,000 a year
·         Small congregations increased unified mission giving while large congregations have reduced unified giving
      creating the appearance of a lack of proportionate sharing and connectedness throughout the presbytery
·         New Jersey itself had the highest state per capita income in the 2000 census and next to the bottom ranking
      among 50 states in per capita philanthropic giving
·         Local mission needs are climbing as conversations about economic deflation continue
·         Fewer adults outside Christianity have positive views of Christians (Barna Research)

 On the other hand, there are these also:
·         A theology of generosity, "If bread is broken and shared, there is enough for all," that is more true than the
      prevailing scarcity creed of American society that tells us not to care about anyone but ourselves
      (Walter Brueggemann, 2003 PCUSA Stewardship materials)
·         The majority of our congregations are undertaking creative summer ministries and missions
·         An urban cluster of churches in the City of Elizabeth are ready to embark this year on a new model of shared
      ministry for the largest urban center in our presbytery
·         A readiness exists among some of our congregations, their leaders, and our units (COM, ECGU, CSRU)
      to form a network of churches seeking congregational transformation
·         Evangelism and Church Growth Unit is offering resources and training for evangelism and new church
      development to challenge us to be a growing presbytery
·         If 7 more congregations make an effort to see a net growth in 2003, along with those 40% who saw net growth
      in 2002, we will become the sixth growing presbytery in the synod
·         A growing awareness among Presbytery Council members that we need to work for and with each other to
      make changes to address this urgency and readiness in the 2004 mission budget
·         The readiness of Council to undertake presbytery-wide strategic planning (or "mapping") that will included all
      sessions and a report next year on our direction ahead

I think you can get the picture. We would be fools to ignore both the dangers and opportunities before us a presbytery in being faithful to the calling of Jesus Christ.  My pulse quickens as I ponder whether this news energizes you in undertaking something truly wonderful that brings Christian hope and enlarges congregations and mission--or mires us in a protracted power struggle for control of diminishing resources and influence.  I know where my heart and mind, soul and strength are energized to go. I pray this presbytery might consider its strength when it is unified as one hopeful and generous body in Christ.

            Today's invitation to Dr. Darryl Guder is meant to challenge how we think about being the church. Our collective church history extends over 20 centuries; this presbytery's history extends over the last five.  What do we need to know about Christian credibility, viability, mission, and witness in the 21st century before us? Can we partner to support each other in pursuing this question and our responses?

            We will need persons who see themselves more than "church members"--also as "ambassadors for Christ," "evangelists," and "missionaries."  We will need churches that are more than buildings--also as "mission outposts."  We will need a presbytery to be more than a governing (maintaining) body--instead as a regional partnership for enlarging Christian mission: equipping leaders, building congregations, extending outreach that blesses in the name of Jesus.

            If we are to apply ourselves to this sense of urgency, here is an adaptation of John Kotter's eight stages of change for us to ponder in the year ahead:
            1.  Sense of urgency.  Traditional models are not keeping us afloat so change is required. 
            2.  Build the guiding team.  Focus on collaboration with God's Spirit and our sessions for a common
                 vision toward transformation.  Prepare the team; add coaches to mentor others.
            3.  Get the vision right!  Speak at every opportunity--personal conversations, homes, churches, presbytery
                 gatherings--about the common vision. Pray for it. Staff must encourage it.
            4.  Communicate for ownership.  Sessions and presbytery council give priority to a common vision of
                 Emmanuel (God with us), not merely issues. Focus communications there.
            5.  Empower action.  Remove barriers that constrain transformation. Staff and guiding teams encourage
                 initiatives that move people toward the vision of hope.
            6.  Celebrate short term accomplishments.  Celebrate where accomplishments happen no matter how
                 small. Encourage persons and actions that reflect the transformation hoped for.
            7.  Don't let up!  Infuse the vision in all part of the presbytery. Pray when discouraged.
            8.  Make change stick.  Relationships become primary (not tasks and issues) within our congregations and
                 communities and presbytery. New norms and behaviors reflect the new vision.

            The urgency is here. It's time to move into building guiding teams and congregations to get our vision right. The year ahead is ripe for empowering one another in new directions and celebrating accomplishments where they occur.

            With the courage of Jacob we wrestle with God, unwilling to let up until we know we have been blessed by God and given a vision ahead. Like Jacob, it may come at a cost that pains us. But God's blessing to Jacob bore fruit in many spiritual descendents, of which we are part. Where our Presbyterian forebears have shared God's blessings in Christ in New Jersey over the past five centuries, we have had spiritual descendents. Let us wrestle with God in our prayers and our conversations in the Spirit, that we might know how God will choose to bless many more spiritual descendents because God heeded our cry to remain faithful in sharing, in word and deed, the good news of Jesus Christ.

The Reverend Robert Foltz-Morrison
Executive Presbyter
The Presbytery of Elizabeth