It is Sherlock Holmes AND Dr. Watson

In one of the congregations I served, my long-time clerk of session, “Keith,” was all you could want in a clerk: well-organized, prepared, on time. More or less on the healthy side of compulsive. He also saw the world quite differently than I did, on nearly every issue, inside and outside the church.

Despite that, we made a good team for many years.

People are different and relationships are different, so your experience may be very different. Even so, I hope and pray that you, and the session you serve, benefit from a productive working relationship between you and your pastor/moderator. Because you two are a team.

Keith and I talked before meetings to set an agenda, we prepared as much as we were able and tried to fill in the gaps when the other fell short. We disagreed on many things, but we had each other’s back, even when it meant privately or publicly (when he was also a sitting ruling elder) disagreeing.

Sherlock Holmes may get his name on the book cover or church sign. But he wouldn’t have made it without Dr. Watson. (I thought about Batman and Robin, but Batman seems to be doing just fine on his own.)

The Session Minute Review Worksheet has been revised to be more user friendly and with explanations.  

There are no more confusing asterisks (“*”). If it is on this review form it is important, and so if it is missing, it

is an exception.

There are also far fewer “yes” or “no” options. A page number means “yes,” and no page number suggests

“no,” unless the comment explains something out of the ordinary.

Please download, print and start working with this worksheet as you go forward in minute recording. We are working on a fillable pdf form and will get it out as soon as it is ready.

Did you know that there is a page on the Presbytery website for Clerks of Session?

A Newsletter for the Clerks of Session of Highlands Presbytery

will come out quarterly, in March, June, September, and December. If you have something to share or a question for the community of clerks, please send it to steves@highlandspresbyterynj.org by the last week of the month before.