The Presbyterian Outlook

News and Articles from the The Presbyterian Outlook

Register Login Donate Subscribe

Top Search/Contact Area

  • Be A Fan

  • Follow Us

  • Photos

  • Pin It!

    • Home
      • About us
      • Advertise with the Outlook
      • Submissions
    • Presbyterian Hub
      • Editorials
      • Outlook Features
      • Digital Issues
      • Editor’s viewpoints
      • What’s right?
      • Let’s connect
    • News +
      Current Affairs
      • Outlook Reporting
      • Presbyterian News Service
      • Religion News Service
      • News from other sources
    • Ministry + Theology
      • InSights Opinions
      • Benedictory
      • Guest commentary
    • Faith + Culture
      • Book Reviews
      • He/She Said
      • Movie Reviews
    • Ministry Resources
      • Outlook Standard Lessons
      • Outlook Horizons Studies
      • Worship Resources
      • Looking into the lectionary
      • Bulletin Inserts
      • Webinars
      • Hymns
      • Faith Formation Resources
    • Outpost Blog
    • Classifieds
      • Classified advertising

    Regarding ruling elders: The Ministry of the Commissioned Ruling Elder

    September 15, 2020 by Presbyterian News Service Leave a Comment

    (OGA) Where has your faith journey taken you?

    My journey has always kept me in the church. As a child, my playtime included lining up my dolls on the couch for Sunday school where I was the teacher, for worship where I was the preacher, and we all sang together. Later in life, I taught Sunday school with real kids, which led me to become a Christian educator, which led me to work for the presbytery as the resource center coordinator and then as their educational consultant and camp coordinator. In the meantime, I completed my presbytery’s commissioned lay pastor (CLP) preparation and have since been commissioned to a couple of churches. Eventually I was called to service as the presbytery’s CLP program coordinator. God leads, I follow. Well, more realistically, God pushes and who am I to say no to God?

    Over the years, the name of those commissioned to serve in this way has changed: commissioned lay pastor (CLP), ruling elder commissioned to particular service, commissioned ruling elder (CRE), and now, commissioned pastor (CP). Regardless of the name, we are ruling elders who have been trained to provide specific pastoral functions. Many fill this role within a small congregation.

    More than half of mainline congregations are small. Many cannot afford ministers of Word and Sacrament, but these churches are family. They want to continue to be together as that family of faith and be the body of Christ in their community. The Book of Order provides a way to assure that there is pastoral leadership available for these small congregations (G-2.10).

    CLPs, CREs, CPs are not “called” pastoral leaders in the sense that the Book of Order speaks of “called and installed pastors.” They are “commissioned” to specific forms of pastoral functions. It is a three-way covenant between the church, the ruling elder, and the presbytery — God is in the mix, always. The commission is to a particular place for a particular time. That commission is reviewed annually. Being commissioned to a particular place means that the CRE can only officiate at weddings, communion, and baptisms that are for that portion of the body of Christ and approved by the session.

    Before that commissioning can happen, the ruling elder needs to be trained. The Book of Order currently leaves this up to each presbytery to set their own standards for its requirements. Training often includes areas such as: Bible overview/how to study Scripture, Reformed theology, worship and sacraments, how to teach/preach, polity, pastoral care, and programs and mission of the PC(USA).

    A CRE is most often a part-time job. You are usually employed somewhere else but have a desire to serve God through the church. What I have said to the churches that I have been commissioned to is that with a CRE we get to be what we say we are: the ministry of the people — the priesthood of believers. The “pastor” can’t do it all! We ALL have to BE the church!

    There was an old commercial for the United States Army that used the tag line, “The toughest job you’ll ever love.” I would say that is true for CREs. It is a privilege and a joy to be able to share the Good News of God’s love through worship, Bible study, and pastoral care.

    Where might your faith journey be taking you?

    by Chris Wolf, for the Office of the General Assembly

    Chris Wolf is a child of God, currently a CP/CRE/CLP, and was first commissioned more than 15 years ago. She previously worked for the Presbytery of Lake Huron as the resource center coordinator/educational consultant/camp coordinator. Wolf has also served as Christian educator in several churches.

    [ 한국어 ] [ Español ]

    Share this...
    Share on Facebook
    Facebook
    Pin on Pinterest
    Pinterest
    Tweet about this on Twitter
    Twitter
    Share on LinkedIn
    Linkedin

    Presbyterian News Service

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Related Posts

    • PPC announces staff realignment

      LOUISVILLE -- The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), official denominational publisher of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has announced changes in roles for several staff, most of which are effective immediately.          Marc Lewis, PPC president and publisher-elect, said, "These changes are intended to recognize achievement and to align staff in roles…

    • Faith leaders call for raising minimum wage

               Let Justice Roll, a national coalition of faith, community, labor, and business organizations, will held Living Wage events the weekend of Jan 10-11, and plan another on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend as part of the “$10 in 2010” campaign and in support of state and local living…

    • COGA recommends Portland as site for 2016 GA

      The decision will be made by the upcoming 219th General Assembly, July 3-10 in Minneapolis. The 2012 and 2014 Assemblies will be held in Pittsburgh and Detroit, respectively.The Assembly last met in Portland in 1967. At that Assembly, the former United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America adopted…

    Current Issue

    • Feb 22
    • Feb 8
    • January 18
    • Dec 28
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Gift
    • Read Online
    • Most Commented
    • Most Popular
    • GA meeting site in Baltimore to be converted into field hospital A decision may be getting closer about whether to hold the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – set...
    • Moving Forward Implementation Commission takes administrative action The Moving Forward Implementation Commission voted June 18 to take administrative action in five areas — with some of the...
    • Debate over relationship between San Francisco Theological Seminary and the PC(USA) may rise at General Assembly  When is a historically Presbyterian seminary no longer a "Presbyterian seminary”? That question is on the docket for the 224th General...
    • Churches go back to the future with drive-in services in the time of the coronavirus (RNS) — When it came time to pass the peace Sunday at Pathway Baptist Church, Senior Pastor Mike Donald didn’t...
    • Advent devotions — 2020 (Year B) Advent time: Devotions for the congregation Are you looking for theologically sound, inspiring and affordable Advent devotions for the congregation? The Presbyterian...
    • PC(USA) General Assembly affirms that Black lives matter; pledges to work against systemic racism The 2020 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted overwhelmingly June 26 to approve a resolution declaring that Black...

    Keep the Faith

    Sign Up for Updates and Breaking News in your inbox

    Facebook

    Tweets by presoutlook
    Follow Us

    View Stories From

    • Presbyterian Hub
      • Editorials
      • Outlook Features
      • Digital Issues
      • Calendar Check
      • About People
        • Anniversaries
        • Ordinations
        • Retired
        • Deaths
        • Transitions
      • Archives
    • Faith + Culture
      • Book Reviews
      • Movie Reviews
      • He/She Said
    • Ministry + Theology
      • InSights Opinions
        • For Church Leaders
        • Faith Matters
        • Multichannel Church Report
        • #amen
        • Commentary
        • Benedictory
      • Liturgical Year
        • Advent
        • Lent

    The Latest:

    DIRECTOR OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY PROGRAM

    March 1, 2021

    PASTOR

    March 1, 2021

    TRANSITIONAL PASTOR

    March 1, 2021

  • Tweet With Us
  • Be A Facebook Fan
  • Our World in Photos
  • Pin With Us
  • CONTACT US:

    1 N. 5th St., Suite 500

    Richmond, VA 23219

    T: 800-446-6008F: 804-353-6369

    [email protected]

    Or ▶ Fill Out Our Contact Form

    © Copyright 2021 The Presbyterian Outlook. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement. Website Design by Poka Yoke Design

    • About us
    • Presbyterian Hub
    • Ministry Resources
    • Classifieds
    • Advertise with the Outlook
    • Submissions
    7ads6x98y