Pastors Gather to Build Up Their Churches

Several Christian Reformed Church pastors and elders from New York and Vermont have been gathering for the past year or so, with the help of a Sustaining Pastoral Excellence grant, to pray, eat together, and tell the stories of their churches.

In some cases, they talk about how their congregations are charting a new course for the future, while in other instances they are sharing ways in which they are helping to build up leadership in their churches, or discussing how meeting together has enhanced their individual ministries.

“Such a peer group program is critical for us, being spread throughout the state of New York as well as Vermont,” said Rev. Ed Visser, regional pastor for Classis Atlantic Northeast and pastor of Webster (N.Y.) CRC.

“It allows regular fellowship and support beyond seeing each other at classis meetings, and it allows me as a regional pastor to maintain regular connection without having to travel all over the region.”

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) began in 2003 to support and strengthen Christian Reformed pastors so that they can help build vital congregations. The group in New York and Vermont are using a grant from SPE to meet together. They call themselves CANE West, since the pastors are from the western part of Classis Atlantic Northeast.

“A typical meeting takes place in [the vicinity of Trinity CRC,] Richfield Springs, [N.Y.,] a church without the sufficient resources to hire a pastor. Meeting at the church facility, or at the bed and breakfast of one of the members, allows us to encourage and support the church and the elders who minister there,” said Visser.

After traveling up to three hours to get there, the members of the peer group usually gather for coffee.

“Our morning session involves sharing what is going on in our lives, families, and churches, and each member is prayed for individually,” said Visser.

“After lunch, one or two make a presentation on a subject that might be helpful for leadership development within our churches.”

Several of the churches have been in various stages of discerning a vision for the future.

As an outgrowth of the SPE peer group, Visser led three retreats at Webster CRC, focusing respectively on Core Values, God's Vision for Our Church, and Goals.

“During the retreats, especially by mixing up the discussion groups, the congregation learned the importance of listening to each other and learning from members they don't normally spend much time with,” said Visser.

At Goshen (N.Y.) CRC, Pastor Sam Sutter spent time listening to various groups within his church by asking pointed questions. He reported back on those discussions, and then the church began formulating a process of finding a healthy vision for the congregation.

Several of the churches in the peer group have also found themselves enjoying positive momentum in building congregational health, either resulting from new leadership or building on past successes.

Phillip Westra at Champlain Valley CRC in Vergennes, Vt., and Sam Sutter in Goshen are newer leaders who have “helped empower their councils and congregations in some significant changes in attitude and action,” said Visser.

Bill Hanchett at Immanuel CRC in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., is leading new initiatives, including a church "park" and summer program in a church that could no longer afford a full-time ordained pastor. (Lis Van Harten director of the SPE program said that the church has just received a Sustaining Congregational Excellence grant for this program.)

“And Richfield Springs is seeing some new members coming in under the leadership of their elders,” said Visser.

Visser said the involvement with the SPE peer group has been ongoing for more than eight years, with the group re-forming around a different topic or aim every one to three years.

Last year, he said, they had presentations on congregational life cycles and states of development; visioning processes and strategic planning; project management; irrefutable laws of leadership; connecting with people in three dimensions; healthy visioning; and worship toward mission.

Others involved in the SPE peer group are

• Nick Monsma, East Palmyra CRC, Palmyra, N.Y.
• Jantina Cornelison, Rochester CRC, Penfield, N.Y.
• Kurt Monroe, Valley CRC, Binghamton, N.Y.
• Harold Philbrook, Trinity CRC, Richfield Springs, N.Y.
• Alan Arkema, Trinity CRC, Richfield Springs, N.Y.