Hey there Vineyard people. March 21 will be the final stage of the New Elder process we’ve been on since September. You’ll remember that we began by praying and asking, “who is eldering in the community already?” and “who is God inviting into formal eldership for this season?” We were looking for people who were recognized in the community and those who would fit with the current elder team (along with the other biblical traits of elders). You can read about this process here.
This process clearly identified Cliff and Krista Heide and in November we invited them to be prospective elders. This 4-month stage enabled the broader community to get to know the Heides and gave Krista and Cliff an opportunity to give it a test drive. We are pleased to say that Krista, Cliff, and the elder team are excited to say this process has gone well. We would like to bring it to a member’s vote.
The vote will happen on March 21 at our regular Outer Circle gathering (5:30pm – 8pm). At this gathering, all voting members are welcome to come – even if you’re not part of the Outer Circle (come for supper too!). In WCV, our formal / voting membership is those who are part of the Outer Circle or an equivalent. If you’re unsure about what “an equivalent” is then, ask yourself, “am I intentionally and regularly pursuing balanced spiritual growth with a small group of people?” If the answer is yes, then you’re doing an equivalent of the Outer Circle, and you can be a voting member of WCV – you just need to let us know (we’re required to keep an annual membership list by the government). You can read about membership here.