Secular society and culture in America are working hard to marginalize Christianity. If this continues along the present trajectory, Christianity will eventually be as evident and effective in our nation as Zoroastrianism. The reaction to this from the Christian community is a slow panic leading to survival mentality. On a macrocosmic scale, this marginalization produces the rise of movements such as “Christian Nationalism” which rally around a revival of a United States of America that never was. In microcosm, congregations decry a return to the Glory Days, seen now through the lens of vague and romanticized memories.

All of this is exclusionary. None of this is Presbyterian.

Thanks to the genius of John Calvin, we Presbyterians are connectional, not congregational. We work in concert with one another, not in isolation. And the time to ramp up those connectional efforts is NOW.

All of our churches across the presbytery need to be thinking about each other more than we are. If we have programs, we need to look around and see what close-by congregations could benefit and enjoy these programs. If we have mission projects, we need to look around and see who might be able to help. Bible Studies, Music Programs and Youth Groups are perfect opportunities to join forces – not just around Christmas and Easter, but throughout the year.

But nowhere are the needs greater nor the creative possibilities more abundant for connectionalism than with Pastoral Leadership. Smaller congregations are struggling to maintain full-time pastors or find part-time pastors. Mid-size and larger churches are being forced to rethink and consequently restructure their staffing strategies. Entering into Connectional Covenants with one another provides the best solution to everyone’s challenges. Smaller churches can share a pastor or enter into a multi-staff parish covenant. Larger churches can staff with part-time associates who also provide part-time pastoral leadership for smaller congregations. Our Methodist sisters and brothers are experimenting with anchor churches and satellite congregations. There is a plethora of models that serve to reduce the stress and strain of these complex and demanding times while bringing us back to our true Presbyterian roots.

We need to think out of the box. We need to think connectionally. And we need to think in terms of covenant – not a quid pro quo “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine” contractual arrangement – but true covenants that are founded on loving and genuinely caring relationships.

We are entering into an era in this country that none of us has ever experienced. We can panic, batten down the hatches and hope for the best, or we can return to our roots and let new life spring out of the ground of our creative cooperation.

For further reading: https://pres-outlook.org/2014/06/connectional/

– Edwin Lacy, Associate for Church Care & Advocacy