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Why Should You Serve on the Parish Council?
Department of Stewardship, Outreach, and Evangelism/Fr. Jim Kordaris
What will you say when someone offers to nominate you to serve on the parish council? Why would anyone take time to sit through monthly meetings, in addition to the likely committee work that it would entail?
WHY NOT?
It is best to start with the reasons not to serve on the parish council. Don’t join the parish council to build your resume. Don’t join the parish council to network for your business or career. Don’t join the parish council because you want your opinions to be heard. We don’t serve the Church in order to get something (it’s not about us). In serving, we give ourselves in service to Jesus Christ and his Church, always pointing to Him and giving glory in all things to Him. We offer our gifts, talents, education, training, and experience to make our local parish a truly welcoming spiritual home for all, leading people to Jesus Christ.
WHY?
What is the purpose of the Church? What is our calling? What is our Why? Our purpose in serving the Church comes from the final instructions –the Great Commission – of Jesus as He was leaving His disciples at His Ascension. As with anyone’s last words, Jesus left his disciples – and us – with the most important thing that He wants us to do: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη), baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (MT25:32). Then He promised to be with us forever.
THE CALLING TO SERVE
The calling to serve on the Parish Council is a calling to serve God, His Church and your fellow parishioners. For a few years, you will offer your time in order that others may worship freely. You will welcome, assist, fix, organize, evaluate, implement, and cooperate, in service to your church. Most of all, you will love. You will love God. You will love those with whom you serve. You will love those who enter the doors of your church – those you know and those who may enter for the first time.
INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY/FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Should the parish council be filled with experienced, long-term members or is a fresh perspective needed? The answer is both. We need our long-time members who, along with our priest, provide institutional memory and continuity. We also need new members to bring fresh eyes to our situation and to offer new solutions. This requires mutual respect for what each brings to the parish council.
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE (SABOTAGE?)
Resistance to change is the greatest impediment to church growth. We need to be open to new ideas and allow for change. “That’s the way we’ve always done it” and “We’ve never done it like that before” are not the basis for good decision-making. We have all heard the saying, “doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.” In the words of Fr Evan Armatas, “We need to change without changing the unchangeable” (Reclaiming the Great Commission, Ancient Faith Press). Resistance to change in its worst form can actually be called sabotage. Rather than resisting change, some may actually sabotage new ways of doing things.
THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR ONE PURPOSE ONLY
Are we in the business of staying in business or are we leading people to Christ? The Church exists to bring people to salvation in Jesus Christ. If we carry out this leadership ministry correctly, engaging people in the life of the church, stewardship will thrive naturally as a result.
SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ON CHURCH LEADERSHIP
“The most basic task of the Church leader is to discern the spiritual gifts of all those under his authority, and to encourage those gifts to be used to the full for the benefit of all.” St. John Chrysostom is telling us that, as leaders, we need to know our people – their skills, talents, interests and abilities – and engage them in the life of the church. He concludes that only a person who can do this is fit to lead the Church.
SUGGESTED READING:
Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger is a book on church leadership that uses the explorers Lewis and Clark as a metaphor for church leadership. Lewis and Clark were looking for a waterway to the Pacific but found nothing but mountains. They found that what lay ahead of them was nothing like what they left behind them. They had to leave behind their canoes and paddles and find new navigational tools. The same is true in church leadership. What lies ahead is very different from what we leave behind us.
Reclaiming the Great Commission by Fr Evan Armatas
In his book on Orthodox Christian parish leadership, Fr Evan Armatas guides parish leaders in re-thinking their role for developing a healthy parish. Fr. Evan reminds us to see our parish with fresh eyes, discerning and removing impediments, while providing opportunities for growth in the faith. Reclaiming the Great Commission is something God does with all of us – clergy and laity – together. Immensely readable, practical, and inspiring, this book from Fr. Evan guides leaders to create healthy parishes that are engaging, welcoming, serving, teaching, and growing.
CONCLUSION
Article 24, Section 1 of the Parish Regulations states, “To serve on a Parish Council is a ministry and all those who serve are called to represent Christ and the Orthodox Faith to all whom they meet in all aspects of life.” May your ministry be blessed, so that when you have completed your time of service on the parish council, others will be inspired to build upon your excellent work.
Fr Jim Kordaris serves the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America as Director of Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism, and leads the parish of St George in Kingston, New York. Fr Jim has BA and MBA degrees from the University of Minnesota, and received his MDiv from Holy Cross. Prior to attending Holy Cross School of Theology, Fr Jim served the parish of St Mary’s (Kimisis) in Minneapolis in many capacities, including Parish Council President, Treasurer, Stewardship Chair, Festival Co-Chair, Bible Study Leader, Camp Counselor and more.
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