The Stockholders Meeting

Yesterday we met for our Annual Meeting, a gathering mandated by the church Constitution. Each year in January we must receive the reports of the pastors, officers and various committees and organizations, testifying to their stewardship of their responsibilities in the previous year. The budget for the new year must also be approved as well as the election of persons to provide leadership for the Church Council and the Board of Christian Education. Other business may also be conducted such as approval to spend monies not covered in the budget, adoption of changes to the Constitution or By-Laws, etc. Usually such meetings have a predictable rhythm, with modest expectations and the hope that the meeting will not last more than an hour.

In a sense, this is a stockholders meeting in which those who have not occupied positions of decision-making and responsibility can question those who do. The so-call “outsiders” can look over the shoulders of the “insiders” and question the choices and decisions made on their behalf. Pertinent information is shared and usually there is appreciation and gratitude for those who have attended all those meetings in the previous year and acted responsibly. We give thanks to those whose terms are ending and welcome those who will begin serving. We begin with prayer and end with prayer, fitting bookends for the work of the church.

I have attended some pretty awful “stockholder meetings” that have been most unpleasant. Some have challenged and vented and accused in a manner that sowed seeds of distrust, anger and animosity. Such gatherings are not very compatible with serious group analysis, with stronger voices prevailing over weaker voices and little sense of the reasoned common ground. Thank God our meeting yesterday had none of those ingredients.

So the mission plan for the year of 2008 is now in place, with leadership established and monies allocated and a common sense of direction agreed upon. All we need is our willingness to move forward and support those who will lead with our encouragement and prayers. We will also need to fund this project, with offerings joyfully given for the future strength of St. John’s United Church of Christ. God has blessed us richly, and we are asked to pass on our personal blessings through this church. This is a high and holy calling and one we each can adopt as our gratitude for God’s goodness to us. Peace. John Krueger