Minnesota Classis
Interim Leader Report
April 2018
The Classis voted on March 8, 2018 to hire a full-time Classis Pastor! A Search Team is being formed and the Executive Team will appoint that team on April 5th. Applications are now being received and the interview process will unfold over the balance of April and May. It is hoped that a choice will be made as soon as possible with that person starting their service as Classis Pastor no later than July 1, 2018. My contract ran through March 2018, and I have agreed to extend my service on a month-to-month basis through June.
We celebrate the fact that three of our five churches without a pastor have now or soon will have their next pastoral leader. Clara City has installed Rev. Matt Miller. Michael Merry, has been granted a provision of a call by Hope Reformed Church in Montevideo pending his successful completion of exams with MN Classis on April 10th. Bethel Reformed in Leota will be contracting with Reuben Sinnema (a seminary student coming under the care of MN Classis) to serve as their student pastor. Note: we worked diligently with the Leota Consistory to develop a contract that commits the student, the Consistory, and the Classis to a four-year partnership that supports the completion of Reuben’s studies, and builds in regular evaluations and accountabilities. Both Chandler Reformed and American Reformed in Woodstock continue in their search process.
I will be meeting with the Consistories of Slayton Reformed Church (April 10) and Our Savior’s of Brooklyn Park (April 11) to discuss the current state of each of their ministries. Each has experienced a significant decline or stagnation of their ministries and are contemplating the options that they face including whether they need to consider closure which is a very difficult consideration! On April 15th, I will lead a special worship service with the Chandler Reformed Church around “All Things New” that will encourage them to begin “revisioning” their ministry. Even though two of these meetings will have taken place when you meet, please pray for our churches’ leadership teams who are striving to discern God’s leading and will need to exhibit boldness as they seek wise decisions.
Recently, I did some data analysis of the worship attendance across the 20 churches of Minnesota Classis. As a Classis, we have declined by 70 worship attendees annually over the past eighteen years! Projecting that trend over the next five years paints a picture in which 50% of our churches would have less than 100 in worship with four of those churches having between 26 and 50 in worship; and 2 of those ten churches would have less than 25 in worship. If the trend is not changed, then in ten years 65% of our churches would have less than 100 in worship with two of those 13 having 26-50, and 4 would have under 25, and one would be gone! Clearly our Classis stands in need of revitalization and regeneration!
I met with the Willmar Reformed Church during its congregational meeting to help their members better understand the role and responsibilities of the Classis. It’s been a blessing to preach at several of our churches during this interim period. The Greenleafton Church has invited me to lead them through a congregational sabbatical while Rev. Roger Lokker takes his sabbatical from mid-May through July. I will be preaching on eight Sundays and Rev. Josh Johnson on three Sundays around a theme we’re calling “Small Words that Make a Big Difference.” I led this type of congregational sabbatical for the Baldwin Reformed Church (WI) in 2016 which proved to be a significant spiritual renewal process for the church (and for me).
I’ve done a Leadership StrengthsFinder session with the Consistory of Peace Church, Eagan and will with Baldwin’s Consistory. We are putting the final touches on a similar two-hour workshop on either May 22 or 23 for several Consistories in the Willmar area of the Classis which is being coordinated by Rev. Jacob Van Steenwyk. As long as I’m in this role, a very small investment of time (just two hours on an evening) and money (just $10 per person) can help a Consistory gain an understanding of the “best” that each has to offer its ministry and how to leverage their strengths as they work together as a team which leads to greater effectiveness (and fun!).
It’s been a privilege to support the work and ministries of Minnesota Classis over this relatively brief period. I pray that the Lord will guide the Classis to the person with the right gift-mix, passion, and spirit to serve as the full-time Classis Pastor. A new chapter is waiting to be written for our region!
Grace & peace,
Marlin Meendering
Interim Minnesota Classis Leader
612-816-9515