A WORD FROM YOUR PASTOR
Our “Celebration of New Ministry” this past Sunday afternoon was a splendid occasion all around and a day that Pat and I will not forget. There was a great spirit in the church and, as I said in one of my remarks, I can’t wait to see what new and wonderful things God has in store for us as we move forward with this holy partnership! Thank you again to everyone who worked so hard to make it a special day.
As I now sit down to make a list of all the possible new projects that we could embark upon, it is easy to get carried away with an ambitious enthusiasm. Each one of us, I’m sure, has his or her own “wish list” of new ministries to pursue or existing ministries to grow and improve. The list gets long really quickly, I’ve discovered!
Part of being a good steward, however, is learning to proceed deliberately and thoughtfully, making sure that we don’t get out ahead of one another, and taking the time to listen and pray before we embark upon a new course of action. Eager as we are to “get going,” taking on too much too quickly—before we’ve even gotten to know each other—is a recipe for disappointment, or worse.
So, as we get started in this great adventure of shared ministry, I would ask you to please be patient with your new Pastor, with our Council leadership, with your great staff, and with each other.
In this same vein, upon hearing about my new call as your Pastor, one of my Episcopal priest friends sent me a poster with these words on them:
Spoiler Alert:
Ministry is messy.
The Church isn’t perfect.
We are all a little crazy.
God is really good.
You are incredibly loved.
This strikes me as such good advice that I’ve taped it to my office door. It’s a call to humility, a call to laughter, and a call to trusting in God’s goodness and love above all else. If you ever see me frustrated or overwhelmed or losing my patience, please just point me to the sign on the door. And I promise to do the same for you.