By Maureen Wright

In the last two weeks, the Leadership Team and the Committee on Ministry each gathered for two-day retreats. The Leadership Team worked for a full day with Emily Swanson of Holy Cow! Consulting focusing on A Season of Discernment followed by a day of reflecting and acting on the business of the Presbytery. The Committee on Ministry began its retreat with a deep dive into what its work is about based on the description of presbyteries in the Book of Order, including a focus on supporting our small churches. This was followed by a morning of business that included the approval of transitional leadership for two churches entering a time of discernment and pastoral search. Throughout both retreats, I was impressed with the members of each committee. The members include ministers – congregational pastors, those serving in validated ministry, and honorably retired pastors – as well as ruling elders – those who lead in their own churches and those who have worked diligently to be trained as Commissioned Pastors and Authorized Lay Preachers. The wisdom and depth of faith of these leaders is amazing, from those leading the groups to ground their work in Bible study and prayer to those actively witnessing to God’s work in the life of the leaders and churches throughout the Presbytery. The leadership of these committees includes storytellers and deep listeners, the curious and the comic, the compassionate and the insightful, all who have accepted Jesus’ call to discipleship.

In the midst of my mini-marathon of retreats, the lectionary gospel text was Mark 1:14-20. The Discipleship Study Bible from Westminster John Knox Press refers to verses 16 to 20 as “Jesus Calls the First Disciples.” This story could easily be summarized as “Jesus’ Call to Discipleship.” As Jesus passes the Sea of Galilee, he sees fishermen, Simon and Andrew, calling them to follow. They leave their nets and follow. Going a bit further, Jesus sees James and John, calling them. They leave their father Zebedee and follow Jesus. The sermon I heard last Sunday keyed off Mark’s use of the word “immediately” – it appears 41 times in Mark’s gospel, according to Google. The sermon challenged listeners to emulate the discipleship of these first disciples. I visited with another of our pastors, and  during our brief conversation this passage came up as we reflected on how God’s people live out their discipleship, especially in small churches. This passage challenges me to think about the leaders of the Presbytery and the leaders of our churches and how they have answered Jesus’ call to discipleship.

In many of my previous articles about this time of transition I have reflected on our Season of Discernment, this journey from known to unknown – of who God is calling us to be and what God is calling us to do now. This passage on the call to discipleship offers us another lens through which to “look” or another Biblical passage in which to listen for the Spirit. In the Mark passage, these fishermen immediately followed Jesus and became disciples of Jesus. In what ways is Jesus calling this Presbytery to follow him? Is there an immediacy, an urgency to Jesus’ call to us? What is God asking us to leave behind? Are you being invited to use your gifts in new ways to deepen your walk as a disciple? What other insights about Jesus’ call to discipleship do you find in this passage?

I look around at this entity called “the Presbytery of West Virginia” and thank God for those called as disciples to lead this piece of God’s kingdom. I look around and know with certainty that the gifts, talents, tools, and resources are in place to discern and follow God’s will for us. I invite you to share what you understand from this passage and to share your own call to discipleship all to God’s glory.