Church politics

I am not a political "animal." Although I try to know the issues in order to be an informed voter, I tend to stay out of active campaigns. I have a friend who is serving, for the second time, in the US House of Representatives. He served his "limit," ran for Senate against our "Junior" senator, and sat out for six years. He easily won re-election, swearing off "term limits" as a cause.

My upstate readers know who this is, and I am sure that anyone can google enough from the information above to figure it out anyway. But that is for another post. The point is, I didn't help him get elected, nor did I help in his bid for the Senate. I may have given a little money, but not much.

It comes down to the same thing in church politics. I don't really see any "political" moves in our church, but my wife assures me that there all kinds of motives. I suspect it is because women talk more with other women, but I may be wrong. I know we men tend to talk about sports or maybe national politics. But even in Deacon's meetings personal politics don't seem to get mentioned.

Last Sunday we had a meeting to elect a search committee. Three members of that committee were already nominated and were easily approved by voice vote (no nayes). However, two members had to be nominated from the floor. Surprizingly, out of about six women nominated ONE lady won the majority. Out of about as many men nominated, there was a second ballot. A deacon came out ahead of a very popular elder. There had been no "campaigning" for these nominations that I know of. but the congregation had done its part in the Presbyterian system (a representative republic!)

I assumed so many nominations were just because the nominators wanted to honor their friends (who had to accept to be "on the ballot"). My wife says there were definite motivations behind most of the nominations. She sees politics, I just see people.

I am not a political animal.