Maine Conference

I went to the Maine Conference today. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is divided into Synods. The church I go to belongs to the New England Synod. Each Synod is divided into Conferences. The church I belong to belongs to the Maine Conference.

Today the Maine Conference had a meeting to discuss the election of our new bishop. Our current bishop is retiring after two six-year terms. Even though there aren’t any term limits and she could run again, she is choosing to retire. So we need to elect a new bishop at the Synod Assembly in June. In preparation for this, there are a series of meetings to help prepare people for the process of electing a bishop.

We worked today on what qualities would make a good bishop and what kind of person would best fill that job. It was interesting to think about. What sort of personality and ability do we want for the person who will lead the Lutheran church in New England for the next six years?

Several ideas and characteristics were discussed and noted down on the largest, stickiest post-it notes I have ever seen (about 3′ x 2’…or something like that). Those large post-its will be taken back to the Synod offices and compiled and be used for the next meeting in March.

I could go into more detail about what was discussed and the ideas we came up with but I think instead I will note the revelation I had during the day. WE ARE SELECTING A NEW BISHOP!

Yes, I already knew this. Yes, I have known this for a while. But the enormity of the task at hand really hit me. We are picking the leader who will guide the church in New England for the next six years. If we pick the wrong person, it could lead us in the wrong direction and that could be a deterrent to so many people’s spiritual lives. There is more at stake than picking a new bishop. We are starting the process of the direction we want the church to head for the foreseeable future.

It made me think about the church I used to belong to in Nebraska. The church was absolutely huge! Contained 1% of the population of the city. Our beloved pastor was a great leader, inspiring preacher and a wonderful person all the way around. The church grew and thrived under his gentle guidance. Then he retired.

The pastor they called was a strong personality and very sound theologically. It wasn’t until after he was hired and started the ministry that he informed the leaders of the church that he really isn’t much of a people person and wouldn’t be doing any calls to shut-ins or any other pastoral support for his flock. It just wasn’t his thing.

The population of the church gradually drifted away. There was a new Lutheran church started in the southern part of the city and people began going there. Including my parents. The HUGE church that had membership numbering 1% of the city slowly dwindled down. Because they called the wrong pastor.

During the day today I thought about that. We need to pick the right person to be our Bishop. We need to pick the person who will help the church grow and thrive in New England. Since this area of the country isn’t known for a church going population, this is a mighty task for anyone. We need to find the person who is not only willing to take on this task but will be very good at it. We need to prayerfully consider who God wants us to pick. This is a solemn, serious process and something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

I’m looking forward to the next meeting and looking forward to the Assembly in June. I feel blessed that I am part of this process. I will do my best to fully participate in the process and follow God’s guidance.