"sustain them with your daily prayers"

Today at Hope we witnessed the installation of our brother Ralph into the office of elder. As the pastor read the form, different things stood out to me:

"The office of elder is based on the kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when He ascended, left His Church in the world and provided it with officers who should rule in His name." Isn't it powerful to think of their work as "that of ruling in the name of the ascended King, and as servants of the great Shepherd, caring for His flock"? The form charges them to be faithful watchmen over the house of God, taking heed that purity of doctrine and godliness of life be maintained. The elders and deacons both are to serve in love and humility.

And I found the charge to us, the congregation, a good reminder:

"I charge you, beloved Christians, to receive these brothers as the servants of God, sustaining them with your daily prayers. Render to the elders all honour, encouragement and obedience in the Lord. Provide the deacons generously with the necessary gifts for the needy, remembering that in so much as you do it unto the least of these His children, you do it unto Him. May God give us to see in the ministry of the elders the supremacy of Christ, and in the ministry of the deacons the care and love of the Saviour."

I am very thankful for the wonderful, godly council we are blessed with at Hope!! And I will endeavor to be more faithful in prayer for them.

ps. it has come to my attention that we should all be more diligent to take pictures of a certain individual with the initials M.V. (that was the best I could find on his own family blog!! and I have some pics of him on my desktop but it is currently out of commission so I am stuck with the laptop...SORRY m.v.!!)