Consistory Retreat Update

An Update from the Consistory Retreat

Discerning Vision & Goals for the Future at the First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains

(FRC Consistory on their winter retreat from left-right: Pastor Stacey, Pastor Dave, Senior Deacon Karen Borduin, Elder Kim Lampe, Deacon Meg Sturm, VP & Elder Judy Reichenbach, Deacon Christina DiBiasi, Elder Mark Halliday, not pictured Elder Mike Patterson who joined retreat virtually.)

Consistory has some exciting news to share! Over the past year we have been praying, listening, and discussing potential goals to focus on in FRC’s ministry for the next 3 years. In this article, we will share with you where we have been, where we are going, and how we hope to add your voices to the conversation.

Where we have been…

It was May of 2023. It was Pastor Stacey’s first Consistory meeting at FRC and the first meeting with Pastor Stacey and Pastor Dave serving in the new Co-Pastor Model. During this meeting, Pastor Stacey asked the Consistory a question: “As you listen with the Spirit, what might be things you feel we might need to focus on as church in the future?”

In that meeting, Consistory listened to the Spirit and to one another as they named the needs they witnessed in our church and our community. Consistory created a list of needs to pray over and in meetings to come, that list was re-visited, and grew.

On January 26th and 27th, the FRC Consistory went on a two- day retreat to Woodstock, New York for the purpose or prayer, team building, and vision-casting for church for the next several years. On the retreat the Consistory worked further to condense the list of church needs and goals.
However, at our Consistory Retreat, before we began our work on discerning which goals we would focus on, we began with thanksgiving. Our consistory first named the “burning bushes” or the places where we have witnessed God’s presence and guiding work among us. Have you noticed in your journey with us at FRC God’s presence and generous power? Our leadership has. Here are some of the things we see and celebrate God doing among us:

• We celebrate the FRC congregation living with an active spirit of welcome.
• We celebrate a new co-pastor model and a collaborative structure of leadership.
• We celebrate the building up of young people in our church through the youth choir and youth group. We celebrate these young ones using their gifts.
• We celebrate the many baptisms over the past year and the growing engagement of our younger families in our church life.
• We celebrate our church staff and their gifts and our affirming and empowering leadership structure.
• We celebrate the generosity of church members in their financial giving and their using of their gifts both in our church and our community.
• We celebrate outreach to community needs such as the response to the recent flooding

Where else do you witness and give thanks to God’s work here at FRC?

The Spirit is moving among us! God is here! And we are so glad you are a part of the journey with us.

Where we are going…
For the future, we want to add your voices to the conversation. Would you be willing to take time in your own heart to ask where you see God at work in our church that you celebrate? Would you also take time to think and pray about where we might have needs as a church and areas you would like to see us focus on in the future? If you have thoughts to share on either of these two questions, Consistory would love to hear your thoughts! Please engage with us how you hear the Spirit guiding you to answer either one of these questions. You can either contact Pastor Stacey, Pastor Dave, or a Consistory member (listed below) or complete the form below with your responses. Consistory will compile what we hear from the congregation (both celebrations and needs) and use this feedback to shape the goals that are rising in the work we have done so far. If you would like to give the Pastors or Consistory feedback on these questions, please do so by the end of May.

Stay tuned for updates in the future from Consistory as we share what we have heard and where the Spirit is leading us. And most importantly, join us in praying for the Spirit’s faithful guidance in this process. Please also pray that God will continue to work through FRC to do more than we can ask or imagine for the Glory of God in the church and in the world. (Ephesians 3: 20-21).

In Christ,
Pastor Stacey
Pastor Dave
The FRC Consistory (VP & Elder Judy Reichenbach, Senior Elder Mike Patterson, Elder Kim Lampe, Elder Mark Halliday, Senior Deacon Karen Borduin, Deacon Christina DiBiasi, and Deacon Meg Sturm)

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to God’s power that is at work within us, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”