I've moved!

Hey all.... long time no type.

In any rate, I've moved. Not just to St. Marys, but also to a new online locale. You can find me here. You'll find some interesting information about me, some mission pictures and my sermons will be posted online as well for your listening pleasure.

Blog you later!

Do you stop to recognize God's work?

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Let me splain....

... no, no. Take too long. Let me sum up. (any guesses from which movie that quote comes from?)

Wow... life seems to continue to move at full speed. There have been so many things to share that I really have no idea where to begin, so let me try to sum up. 

On March 29th, I shared with my church family that Jan, Sophia and I were being reappointed this year, but were unable to share where yet. 

On April 4th, Jan, Sophia and I meet with the PPRC of St. Marys UMC. Everything went well, and we were pre-appointed to be the next pastoral family of FUMC (the appointment does not really become final until the Bishop reads them at Annual Conference).

On April 5th, we were able to share with Concord where the Lord was taking us. 

On April 12th, we celebrated Jesus! It was an awesome day, but bittersweet in that it would be our last at Concord. 

On April 13th - 23rd we vacationed with Jan's parents in sunny Florida. We got to see Sophia learn to swim and we experienced Disney for the first time as a family. 

In May, I had two funerals for long time Concord members. How wonderful it is to worship at a funeral, knowing that those who have gone are with the Lord celebrating. 

May 8th was the two-year anniversary of gotcha day! We hiked and had a picnic. 

May 14th, Jan and I celebrated 14 years together, albeit separately.  I was visiting the kind folks of St. Marys and Jan had dinner with her dad. 

That about catches you up. I am going to try and be more faithful in my blogging, especially as I enter into ministry in St. Marys. Blessings to you all!

A Day I'll Never Forget

Have you ever uttered a phrase like, "Is it Friday yet?" or "I can't believe it's Monday" (I have a love-hate relationship with Mondays...). The in between days don't add up to a whole lot... they are just normal everyday type of days. 

But I am sure that you have days that you will never forget. Today, May 8th, is one of those for me. Two years ago today Jan and I woke up knowing that our lives were about to change forever. It was the day that Sophia entered our family. 

Thank you Father, for giving us Your Son, and thank you for giving us our daughter.  

Is Jesus more than just a Facebook friend to you?

Listen Here

New Blogger...

... has been added to the the WPAUMC Blogroll. Stephanie Gottschalk of Foolish Wizdom is a self-described Jesus lover, coffee drinker, blessed traveler, young pastor, Steeler fan, Netflix subscriber, habitual thinker, grateful friend, Pennsylvania native, language enthusiast, culture collector, quiet questioner, gentle instigator, sarcastic conversationalist and joyful jokester.

Be sure to check her foolish wizdom out!

Mondays...

Signs of Life

When I left the house this morning I was greeted by some wonderful weather. It was beautiful out; the sun was shining, the air was warm and smelled of spring. It was enough just to breathe deep and and give God thanks for just such a wonderful morning.

I love the signs of life that surround us in early spring. The birds that are busily looking for food, the squirrels that have nuts to find. From buds that are appearing on tree limbs to the tulips and daffodils that eagerly await their debut.

There are signs of life in the church as well.

I was recently at the hospital doing some visitation. As I always do when I am at the hospital, I check the clergy records book to see if someone else from Concord happens to be in and I hadn’t heard yet.

As I was checking the book, there was a name that I didn’t recognize listed under my church. I wrote the name and room number down, planning to stop in after I made my other visits. When I stopped by the room, I introduced myself to family in the room, explaining why I was there. We talked for a while before I asked about their connection to Concord. She told me that they lived in the area, her kids attended the local school, but that they did not attend any church.

Why did she put down Concord as her church? She had come into contact with people from Concord and they had left an impression on her.... wow!

It reminded me a scripture passage that a friend shared with me recently...

.... since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV

It is so powerful when men, women, youth and children choose to live out Jesus’ love in everyday life. That’s a sign of life if I ever saw one.

Go Stillers!!

Excape-Proof Toddler Beds and such

Sophia recently moved to a big girl bed and has a wonderful transition… an amazing transition really. I had all sorts of fears about her moving to a toddler bed – and my number one fear was that she would get out and wonder around. And by wonder around I mean wonder into my much-needed beauty sleep. Much to my surprise though, she would stay in her bed until mommy or daddy came to get her out.

And then it happened.

One night shortly after putting her down for the night, as Jan and I were in the midst of deep conversation, out runs the cutest toddler you have ever laid eyes on and promptly tells us that she wants to hang out with us.

I imagine that as she lay there this thought slowly crept through her mind (along with the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey) “Wait a minute… you mean I can get out?”

Yesterday at our staff meeting, I had the opportunity to share a little bit from the book that I have been reading, Essential Church? by Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer III (see also here and here for common posts). I shared a phrase that caught my attention, “It should be harder to leave a church than to join a church.” Much like Sophia and her new toddler bed, isn’t the goal to remain inside? To enjoy the comfort and warmth that they each can provide?

I don’t think that Thom and Sam are saying that our membership requirements need to be relaxed – I actually think they feel the opposite that we make it too easy for people to get on the rolls. It is more about how easily people can break into the culture that exists at the local church.

What an awesome question for the SPRC to deal with (staff parish relations committee for all you non-Methodist types). How can we make it more and more difficult for people to freely leave our church? To exit via the back door, stage left or whatever?

But here is what hit me as I was leaving for lunch… this question just isn’t for the SPRC. It’s a question that the trustees should be wrestling with. The Christian Education committee should be challenging themselves with too. In fact, what aspect of our church shouldn’t be? How can we, as Thom and Sam might ask, make our church so essential to those that go here, that they cannot leave?

Good questions, tough questions, exciting questions. Now you’ll have to excuse me while I go chase Sophia down and put her to bed.

Prayer for Barack Obama

Lord of us all, we come to You in prayer on behalf of our new president, Barack Obama. 

• We pray for Your leading in his life; may he seek You out in the midst of leading our country. 
  
• We pray for his family, that they may be protected from the hurtful words of those that choose to attack the person, rather than the policy. Keep Sasha and Malia in Your protective hands. 
  
• We pray for Michelle, that she would be the helper that You created her to be. Thank you for placing her in his life. 
  
• We pray for safety on this inauguration day. Protect our new president and our country from hate in the form of physical violence. 
  
• We pray for four years that would be glorifying to You. 
  

We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.