Presbytery Leader’s Annual Report

From the Presbytery Leader

We have completed our first year as of the day I am writing this report.
On March 1, 2021 we became the Presbytery of the Highlands of NJ.

When I reflect on this past year this scripture came to mind as we began the new presbytery.

Beginning

18 Do not remember the former things,
    or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-20

New things did happen this year.

This was the year of first things. Most presbyteries don’t get to celebrate “first things”.

Some of our first and new things include our first presbytery meeting, new teams with new ways of doing things and first budget and budget process. We had our first pastor retreat and the first time we met in person. Lots of first things and then we came to the middle of the year. Omicron….

Middle

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. Matthew 8: 24

When Omicron started to swamp our boats we took a deep breath, adapted, and did what we could to work together as a community as we faced the next round of COVID restrictions and anxiety. During this time as a presbytery, we continued to set the foundations of our structure, provided resourcing and guidelines, engaged conversations, and supported the work of our pastors and congregations.

The Coordinating Team paused the planning of our discernment process so we all could focus on what was needed for the next season of the pandemic.

Not the Middle nor the end

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”  John8:12

As the Omicron variant cases fades, and we come to the end of our first year as a presbytery we can look back and see that it was a rough year to do a transition of a presbytery. Yet because of all of you we were able to walk into the unknown of 2021 together and learn together how to make things work for us. You all have been so patient with the staff and each other. You have been gracious in asking questions and pointing to those “gaps” in the structure and process with love and kindness. So many of you have stepped up to serve on teams, or come to presbytery meetings and offer prayers for the staff and each other.  I am very grateful that we are on this path together. This last year of pandemic has been made easier and smoother because of this new community learning and growing together.

Not the end…The next chapter

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my[b] God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind.  1 Corinthians 1: 3 -5

We begin our second year as community. Together this will be the year where we continue to learn, experiment and discern where God is calling us as a community. I do give thanks for all that you do in your local church, community and presbytery. By your work and ministry, God’s love and presence is known.  Thanks be to God.