The Why: In this article, I’d like to talk about the practice of family visitation, and by family visitation I am referring to the practice of the elders and the pastor making regular visits to the homes of parishioners. In many traditions, that’s done on an annual basis, but during recent years that practice has […]

Unlike the mother in a television commercial, who can supply all the vitamins and minerals her family needs with one bowlful of breakfast food, there arc no easy ways or shortcuts for elders who would be faithful in their tasks.   In every communion, elders are called upon to exercise oversight of the congregation, to […]

After church was over, the routine was predictable. The adults went outside, stood on the sidewalk surrounding the church on the comer, and talked. The kids ran off energy, chasing around the lot, slowing down periodically when scolded by a watchful parental or other adult concerned about skinned knees and torn “Sunday clothes.” Then the […]

The work of an elder in Christ’s church is a noble and holy calling from God. The elder has reason to rejoice greatly while overseeing professions of faith, baptisms, and celebrations of the Lord’s Supper. It is also, at times, a very distressing and sorrowful task; yet we are comforted knowing that Jesus is the […]