These are necessary and important roles, through which members of the church community can share in the decision-making process of the parish and church. I've noticed that, in Oadby, almost all of the time these elections happen without a vote - in other words, the number of candidates matches the number of vacancies. I've frequently heard people say that they want to stand, but will stand down if someone else wishes to be nominated instead, to avoid a vote.
At first sight, this is a generous and charitable courtesy. But I wonder if it really works for the church, and whether it represents something like settling for less than the challenge which scripture puts before us as a community.
The obvious result of this kind of maneuvering is to spare any pain of rejection that a nominated person may feel if not elected. I understand that, and sparing each other pain is certainly a good aspiration. But it strikes me that a healthy Christian community has sufficient genuine humility and capacity to work through pain to cope with this sort of disappointment. I sometimes fear that the desire to avoid elections might indicate insufficient confidence in this capacity of the community.
In the bible, people are chosen, and some are not chosen, to take specific responsibilities for God's mission. Being 'not chosen' may not be a particularly pleasant experience, but with sufficient grace and love, it can be handled well.
A genuinely Christian perspective understands that courage is required to face the vulnerability that comes from being available, but not necessarily chosen. In the book of Genesis, the jealous brothers of Joseph couldn't handle this kind of thing, but many more examples, especially in the New Testament, show that faithful disciples, apostles and would-be deacons took that risk.
Elections that are contested mean something. They mean that the person chosen, for that moment, and in that role, has the genuine confidence of the Church. Without a vote, only the candidate himself, or herself, has excercised any choice. They are also a safeguard against the inappropriate and inadvertent election of people who aren't suitable.
Please pray for all those who are willing to stand for office this year, for their willingness to take on a specific responsibility and for their openness to vulnerability.
The Methodist Covenant Prayer, adapted by Jo Williams, expresses the openness to risk being not-chosen, in a very helpful way:
I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
Put me to doing, put me to suffering;
Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
Let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things. Let me having nothing.
In my learning and exploring; in my seeking and finding help me to fully and freely yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
