Installation of Office-Bearers
In the Reformed mission congregation "Divino Salvador" in the center of the Ecuadorian provincial city of Quevedo, four men were installed in the office of elder on Sunday, January 23. The mission congregation "Divino Salvador" is part of the mission work carried out by the William Carey Missions foundation. The Fris missionary couple works in that congregation. Mr. P.J. Fris (Peter) has been the congregation's pastor since October 2021. Before that, he served the mission congregation "El Camino" in the same city and spent a year assisting in the "Divino Salvador" congregation.
Together with the members of "Divino Salvador," there has been intensive reflection in recent months on biblical leadership in the congregation. In a number of members' meetings, it was decided to elect elders and appoint a church committee.
Peter led the installation service and preached from John 10:16, about the Good Shepherd who Himself cares for, and will continue to care for, the gathering of His sheep. The installation of the office-bearers was performed by Rev. D. Hahlen, a Swiss pietist mission pastor who works in the vicinity of Quevedo.
It was a special and joyful day in the already long history of the congregation that we were able to proceed with the installation of office-bearers, chosen by the members while prayerfully looking to the Lord. These couples grew up in the congregation or have already been members for decades. It is unique and special within Ecuadorian culture that they, as married couples, are able to devote themselves to the congregation's work.
In addition to the four elders, their wives also made promises to support their husbands in their office work. An active role in the congregation's work awaits them as well. In pastoral care in Ecuador, it is culturally undesirable for only men to carry out pastoral care, especially given the many marital problems that exist. For that, couples are needed who know a stable, Christian married life and who can provide pastoral care from both a male and a female perspective. We can compare this to Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18), who also worked together in the early Christian congregations.
The work of Peter and Marije in the "Divino Salvador" congregation is now focused on further equipping the office-bearers and leading the newly formed church council, and on setting up the various activities in the congregation together with them. That process takes time, and above all, prayer. It is important that the office-bearers, together with their spouses, can gain experience in the practice of congregational life and be intensively guided in doing so. For theological training, we also draw on the knowledge of other organizations, such as the NET Foundation.
