Shepherds’ sought for General Assembly
The Layman Online, April 8, 1999
We rise early, go to bed late and spend the hours in between in an unsung ministry of service for which there is little reward other than the development of life-long friendships and the blessing of having accomplished something exceedingly important for our Lord and his church, said Doug Pride.
If that job description sounds interesting, you may want to be a Presbyterian Shepherd at the 1999 Fort Worth General Assembly.
The Presbyterian Shepherds are a group of Presbyterian ministers and lay people who have organized to support General Assembly commissioners.
In the past, Shepherds have been recruited by word of mouth, this is the first year the group has publicly asked for volunteers.
“The upcoming General Assembly promises to be one of the most difficult in a long time for those of us who hold to a more evangelical/conservative theology. A blizzard of overtures is headed toward Fort Worth that will challenge many, if not most, of our foundational theological principles,” said Pride, pastor of Clearfield Presbyterian Church, Clearfield, Pa.
The Shepherds provide commissioners with pastoral care and prayer support; act as a conduit for timely and accurate information; and work with other renewal organizations to provide links to people who have a practical knowledge of GA rules and procedures.
“From our experience, we have learned that commissioners to the General Assembly are often overwhelmed by the magnitude of their task, a bit uninformed relative to the potential consequences of issues, and unsure of how to effect creative change,” said Pride.
Shepherds make pre-Assembly contact with three to five commissioners, pray for them before and during the Assembly and meet with them regularly during GA to pray, listen, and provide personal support and encouragement.
A ministry of the Presbyterian Forum, each Shepherd pays his or her own transportation, food and lodging. The ministry was organized following the 1993 GA, when several commissioners reported feeling isolated and beleaguered by the frantic pace at which they had to make important decisions with far-reaching implications.
“In response, a number of us committed ourselves to this ministry of support and encouragement,” said Pride. “We believe that we have quietly made an effective contribution at each of the succeeding Assemblies.”
For more information, or to volunteer to become a Shepherd, contact Doug Pride, 119 North Second Street, Clearfield, PA 16830; telephone (814) 765-3081; e-mail dspride@aol.com.