Well, after mainly working under the collective radar of the congregation concerning the officer nomination process at my church (posts on these things forthcoming), I made my most urgent concern known to the congregation at large tonight. With my head pounding and a swarm of butterflies in my stomach, I stood up and asked for the floor right before the annual congregational meeting was adjourned. I might have stood up earlier, but the only opportunity given for questions or comments from the members was concerning the presentation of the budget, and I didn't quite feel like that was the right moment to say anything about an unrelated topic.

The agenda for the meeting was published at each dining table in the fellowship hall, and I saw that I would either get the chance to say my piece at the election of the nominating committee, or if not given a chance then, I would have to stand up right at the end of the meeting. In the end, I did have to make myself heard at the end of the meeting, right before motion was made to adjourn.

I requested that the newly elected Nomination Committee consider the following requests:

• To be more transparent to the congregation as to the procedures they follow and standards that they will adhere to while they deliberate as to who they will nominate.
• When they publish the slate of nominees, ensure that the description of each nominee is more in depth than it has been in the past. Instead of just disclosing where they live, what they do for a living, and what sunday school class they go to, they should endeavor to make known the following:
  1. A brief testimony from each nominee about how and when Christ found them and brought them unto himself,
  2. A short description of their current walk with the Lord. Perhaps their current favorite verse or chapter of the Bible, how often they do personal and family devotions, etc.,
  3. A concise statement about their vision for First Presbyterian Church, and how they see themselves working and serving to achieve that vision.

Over the past six months or so, I haven't particularly wanted to do or say anything about this issue, and would rather have left it well enough alone. But I believe that Somebody has pressed it upon me that it is my duty to do to speak up. While I wrote my two letters to the Administration Committee of the Session, I got this nauseated/jumpy feeling that was not that was not terribly pleasant. I got the same feeling when I stood up tonight. But I also have felt that if I didn't say anything, my conscience would continue to bother me until I did say something or do something. Going with my conscience over my feelings, I have resolved to myself and to my Lord to see this issue through as far as he wants me to -- to not be silent when it is necessary to speak and to not be still when it is necessary to act.

To that end, I will be publishing in this space all of my past and future words and actions regarding this matter for anyone who is interested. I don't know how far I will have to carry this, but I will carry it as far as the Lord wishes me to. If you are reading this as a member of 1st Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, I hope that you will be patient with me as I follow the convictions of my conscience, and make known what needs to be made known, and work within the system to make it better for God's glory. Jesus help me.

Posts about past happenings concerning the First Presbyterian church officer election issue are up:

• October -- my first letter to the FPC Admin Committee.
• November -- my second letter to the FPC Admin Committee.
• December -- Providence down to the last digit
• January -- Our meeting with three elders from the Admin Committee.

I am going to continue to document any new developments about this as I have the time.