Meet Us
We are Pilgrim Presbyterian Church
The Offices of the Church
There are three distinct offices in the local church: Ministers, Ruling Elders, and Deacons. Each office has a unique calling and function.
Pastor
Casey M. Bessette
The minister is Christ's undershepherd in a local congregation of God's people, who joins with the ruling elders in governing the congregation. It is the minister’s job to feed the flock from the word, and with the other elders, to lead the congregation in the service of Christ. Our minister conducts public worship, prays with and for the congregation, and feeds the flock by the public reading and preaching of the Word of God. He administers the sacraments, declares God’s blessings to the congregation, and trains them to be faithful servants of Christ. He ministers to the poor, the sick, the afflicted, and the dying. Most of all, he faithfully proclaims the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ both to the lost, and to the congregation. The minister is called to preach the gospel, and this calling to preach is a specific vocation to which the minister devotes his life (2 Timothy 4:2, Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:17, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Timothy 5:17). The minister is a preacher who also governs the church. Listen to sermons by Pastor Bessette.
Ruling Elders
Left to right: Galen Boerema, Larry Fatheree, Paul Waddle (inactive), Pastor Casey M. Bessette, Matt Miner, John Sloan, Alan Carroll, and Joe Jager (not pictured)
The office of Elder is established and described in the New Testament in various places including 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-2, Titus 1:6-9. Ministers must have these qualifications as well as a distinct call to the preaching ministry. Ruling Elders are laymen who are primarily concerned with governing and leading the congregation by ministering to the spiritual needs of the church (Acts 6:4). The Ruling Elders carry out this work through visiting, teaching, exhorting, rebuking, comforting, maintaining discipline, and encouraging God’s people to press on to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Deacons
Left to right: Justin Brown, William Cox, and Grant Mericle
The Bible establishes the office of Deacon in Acts 6 and lays out qualifications for the office in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. The deacons serve as the visible hands and feet of Christ. Jesus loves his people so much that he not only provides for the forgiveness of sins and the promise of the resurrection, Jesus Christ even cares for the physical needs of his people in the church here and now (Matthew 6:25-34).
Retired Pastors
Left to right: Dan Osborne and Doug Withington
Church Administrator
Marike Mericle
Church Treasurer
Joshua Walthall