Thursday, April 12, 2007

So About That...

So, I was going to write a new poem for every day of Lent. Let's just chalk all this up to the best laid plans of mice and men.

Lent took a few unexpected turns. Things at Montpelier First are going gangbusters... We're starting a youth group, our children's ministries have doubled in size... rooms are beling cleaned out and rennovated the sanctuary is filling up... I have two Baptisms coming up and... I'm moving.

The call came in the middle of Lent and I was offered an appointment. Two appointments in fact. For weeks I couldn't tell anyone and I felt like there was this huge blockade between myself and my congregation. This thing that I could't share with them. The intake meetings, the travel, and now I can finally speak it out loud.

Just when things are taking off here I'm moving to Atwood Indiana to be the Senior Pastor of Aldersgate UMC (1/3 time) and the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at Warsaw First UMC (2/3 time). I'll be on staff at Warsaw first with two other pastors. Its the biggest church I've ever served. Montpelier hasn't had a pastor assigned yet but I'm sure that will come any day now.

Regardless my days have been spent rediscovering my inner youth guy. It's been a few years since I've done youth ministry. I'm excited about the new possibilities and overwhelmed at the same time. Warsaw also has an arts district and a playhouse. I can grow a few more skills there for a future art ministry.

More than that I am happy the Montpelier is filling with hope and I wanted to share the most important thing I've learned here.

I've learned that the biggest part of ministry has nothing to do with me and everything about God. I look around and find I've done so little and can only point towards God. It's his work. Completely and totally.

Not a bad lesson... in the meantime... until the day I move from my house... I am committed to Montpelier. Although it is quite painful that they have already begun the process of pulling away from me.

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