By Maureen Wright
Have you ever had the experience of realizing that a particular issue or theme repeatedly shows up? Suddenly you find yourself aware that the theme is the subject of emails, conversations, podcasts, or articles; the issue has your attention. In my life as a Christian, I have come to identify this experience as the work of the Holy Spirit. Often following an a-ha moment, I think “Wow, God is practically shouting at me.” Recently, I have had this experience with relationships. For today’s staff meeting, I asked the staff to read an article from Harvard Development on “How to Build Business Relationships.” I asked them to read it through the lens of what we can learn about relationship building in the presbytery. I have been in two or three conversations just this week where the issue of relationships in the Presbytery emerged as a topic of conversation. So, I have been thinking about the Presbytery of West Virginia and relationships.
In my years working for Presbytery, I have come to understand that relationships are the bedrock of the Presbytery. To use another analogy, relationships are in the DNA of the Presbytery of West Virginia. Formed in 1987, the presbytery has matured as it approaches its 40th anniversary. Our geographic boundaries have changed with the dissolution of churches in Virginia, the number of churches has decreased, the number of members within our churches continues to shrink, and our structure and staff have changed, but the emphasis on relationships remains.
The Strategic Plan adopted in November highlights belonging and collegiality with the statement, “We value working together with mutual respect and a spirit of encouragement to grow as disciples, strengthening our churches and Presbytery as effective witnesses for Christ.” One of three targets of the plan is relationships – “We will offer intentional support with conversations of depth that include hearing and receiving honest feedback and prayer.” The prominence of relationships is also evident in the work of the new Connectional Presbyter, who will seek to design a systemic structure of relationship building.
I believe that, as a Presbytery, we know what relationships meant in our past. There have been staff positions that focused on relationships and small churches, as well as relationships and churches in need of development. The Special Presbyters for Quadrant Ministry concentrated on building relationships within each quadrant.
There are pockets within the Presbytery with strong relationships between the churches and pastoral leaders within a particular area. Sometimes relationships support shared mission. Other relationships center on support of the pastoral leaders. In several areas, the relationships are more like the relationship of siblings, all up in each other’s business.
The variety of relationships within the presbytery reflect the diversity of what it means to be in relationship. Some are as fragile as hothouse orchids, needing nurture and tending. Some are as strong as woven rope, different strands coming together to focus on a particular mission or ministry. These relationships are strong and flexible.
In its Foundations of Faith, the Book of Order offers a biblical and theological grounding for relationships, calling the Church “into being giving it all that is necessary for its mission in the world… and for its service to God.” (Book of Order, F-1.0202.) We are called to demonstrate the gifts of Christ in our life as a community. Being a community is being in relationship with one another – people in the pews, churches, and the Presbytery.
For all these words about relationships, I believe that God is calling me to challenge us – people in the pews, churches, and the Presbytery – to think about what it means to be in relationship now. How do we define relationship for the Presbytery that we are becoming? How do we build relationships that will support the work of our churches? How do we build relationships that will support the work of Presbytery? How do we build relationships that equip and support our pastoral leaders? How do we build relationships that resource our committees? I invite you to show up to this conversation and share your reflections and ideas that we may build the relationships that sustain us for the work to which God has called us.