As we go, it’s so important to remember who we are.
We are daughters and sons of God.
We are friends and followers of Christ.
And through the power of the Spirit,
the love of God is at loose in the world
through our very lives.”
– Alan Sherouse

These are the words of benediction used by Pastor Alan each Sunday at the end of service. They remind us who we are and whose we are; they connect us to one another; they challenge us to be bearers of God’s love in all situations. These words are also helpful in framing the staff transitions taking place in the coming months at First Baptist Greensboro. Read below and see the chart on the following page for plans related to Dr. Steve Pressley’s June 2018 retirement and related staff transitions.

“As we go, it is so important to remember who we are.”

We typically think of the word “remember” as looking back. We remember what has happened before us, but remembering is about looking forward as well. If we break the word “remember” apart, we get “re” and “member.” The prefix “re” means “again.” And “member” means “part.” As we “re-member,” we are literally putting the parts back together again. As faithful Christians, that means putting ourselves together as the body of Christ and finding our wholeness in the Body.

“We are daughters and sons of God. We are friends and followers of Christ.”

Who are we? We are children of God. We are Christ-followers. We are those striving to be the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that diversity in the Body is appreciated and welcomed, and he encourages us to celebrate the gifts each person brings to the whole.

The staff of First Baptist Greensboro is made up of amazingly talented women and men who have heard and responded to God’s call to serve. God calls each of us in various times and seasons to different types of work. In the coming months, we as a church will celebrate the ministry of Dr. Steve Pressley, who is retiring at the end of June 2018. In November 2016, Personnel shared a transition plan to equip the staff and congregation to move forward faithfully, including a redistribution of core responsibilities currently held by Dr. Pressley. Funding related to the plan was approved in December 2016. As part of this transition, Dr. Pressley’s core responsibilities will be shifted to some of our current talented staff members, and a new part-time Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation will be called in early 2018. Meanwhile, Dr. Pressley’s energies will shift to a writing project that helps us to phase transition and demonstrate our church’s appreciation for his ministry.

As we remember the ministry we have shared with Dr. Pressley, we will also “re-member” our staff as it is put together again in a new way.

“And through the power of the Spirit, the love of God is at loose in the world through our very lives.”

We are not alone in this process. The Holy Spirit is present and guiding the church and the staff through this transition. The Spirit has been present through the conversations and discernment that have happened up to this point, and the Spirit will continue to be present as the church lives into its mission in the coming years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSITION

Alongside our Pastoral staff plan, Personnel is also overseeing a modified structure of our Administrative Staff, best summarized as a shift from an area-based to a function-based model. Instead of specific area support, this model allows Administrative Staff to function across our system, pairing their skills with the administrative support needs of our ministries. Operations Director, Rosemary Kellam, leads our Administrative Support Team and is supported by our Church Administrator, Scott North. As church members have administrative questions related to a specific ministry or area, they can be directed to Rosemary or the minister who oversees that area of the church’s ministry.