By Brad Redeker
The Consistory met for its first regular meeting of the New Year on January 12th. With the Men’s Shelter in full swing on the first floor, the Consistory gathered in the upper room. We were reminded of the ways in which the Spirit of God is at work, not only through the Men’s Shelter but also through correspondence received from Marilyn Paarlberg, Executive Director of Room for All. Marilyn’s correspondence spoke of how First Reformed Church (FRC) is one of 13 churches that has signed onto the Room for All roster (1 of 16 churches as of 1/27). It is a lonely feeling knowing that the number of churches on the roster is limited. At the same time, it is a testament to the pioneering and inclusive spirit of FRC.
For further information on the work of Room for All, go to www.roomforall.com and hit “Like” on their Facebook page.
Despite the winter that surrounds us, signs of spring in the form of inclusion are springing up in our denomination. Norma shared of how she witnessed a sign of inclusion during a recent visit to Northwest Iowa as a church welcomed Fred, a man from with an African American background, into their predominantly white congregation. It is a reminder of the beautiful diversity among us in this part of the country, which can easily be taken for granted.
Yet we are also mindful of the oppression that still exists. This Lenten season, FRC will participate in a Sunday evening series focused on the issue of hunger and specifically how this relates to our local organization, Elijah’s Promise. Another upcoming series of events will celebrate the 200th anniversary of worship at FRC’s present location – the anniversary team is hard at work organizing, so stay tuned!
The other working committees presented their respective reports. We successfully resolved to accept the pastors’ salaries and allowances for the upcoming year as proposed by the finance committee. The Consistory voted to take me, Brad, under care as a candidate for the ministry. Consistory also approved for the Hall Education Fund to use Fellowship Hall for an event (including a wine tasting!) slated for March 16th; we were able to process some of the logistics concerning this event, including resolving ways to resolve any potential cost issues related to insurance and clean-up.
It was a full meeting as usual. We are thankful for the ways in which God is working. As we move forward, the Consistory has agreed to meet on the 3rd Monday evening for the months of February, March, and April in order to accommodate all the board members’ schedules as best as possible.
