Yoking vs. The Alton- Godfrey Parish

As you are all aware ESPC is going through a period of change. Our congregation is small and we are all getting older. Many may be confused by Yoking and the Alton-Godfrey Parish, thinking they are one. They are not. They are two separate entities.

YOKING - ESPC is yoking with Alton First Presbyterian Church. Since our resources are limited, we neither one felt like we could afford a full time pastor. Yoking means we will be sharing a Pastor. The pastor's time at each church and his salary is based on each church's membership. This is all we share, we will each have our own Worship services, committees, Sessions, Deacons and activities. We are two separate churches that share a pastor.

You have heard the saying "When will it be finished?" or "Is it done yet?" We all need to have the patience of Job. Talk to one of the Pastor Nominating Committee (Chance, Rich or Lyndal our members on the committee), if you have any questions. They have already completed many things, such as; the Mission Statement, the Churches Information Forms (which Presbytery had to approve). These things have been done and have been put online for pastors looking for positions. Presbytery will be screening the applications and determine those that would be beneficial to ESPC and First Presbyterian Church. Then the committee will review them and go from there. All of this does not happen overnight but takes time. Be patient!

THE ALTON-GODFREY PARISH (four Alton Presbyterian Churches) - This group was started by the Session of Elm Street Presbyterian Church because of our concern for our future. We are mostly an older congregation, a small congregation and with few new members. In July 2005, we invited the Sessions of the Alton Presbyterian Churches and members of Presbytery to meet with us to discuss our concerns. The Sessions have been meeting about once a month since the first meeting. Since our first meeting we have planned and done many things together. We have had joint Christmas and New Year services, shared pastors, had Easter services together, the choirs have sung together, held Vacation Bible School together (88 different youth attended), we also had an Ice Cream Social at the Glazebrook Park. Approximately 100 people attended the Ice Cream Social, more from ESPC would have attended if it had not been on the day that the Encounter Group gave their last performances of the year. As you know three of our young members belong to that group, so they and their families were busy elsewhere. We are also doing Dinners for Eight, which includes two members from each church. These are small groups were you have fun and really get to know about each other. Now in the plans are a Hayride on October 13, a Mission Trip to Houma, Louisiana, November 4 through 10 and a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, November 19,2006 at First Presbyterian Church.

LONG RANGE PLAN - If our numbers become so small do we unite? If so where? Do you remember the few weeks we bad the maps in the sanctuary and asked you to put ~ stick pin on the street where you lived? Most of the pins from all of the churches were in the Godfrey area. Is that the way to go? This won't be today or tomorrow and maybe not in we older one's lifetime but it is a possibility or maybe our circumstances will reverse. God's plan in God's time.

Let us pray for “patience”, the Yoking Committee, the four Alton Presbyterian Churches and their Congregations and changes that are good for the disciples of Christ.