Hello Emmanuel,
(Begin dramatic entrance music here)
Chocolate Easter Egg production has begun. If you've ever wanted to be 'accidentally' coated with chocolate, here is your chance. Production is taking place pretty much all day, every day (until 8 PM), for this whole week. Help is always needed.
(continue dramatic music here)
It's raining as I type this. Hopefully it won't be on March 30th at 1:00. We have, so far, collected around 7,000 filled, plastic eggs for the Community Easter Egg hunt. Our target number is 10,000 eggs. The altar at church is looking rather colorful as we collect them through the next 2 Sundays. I'm getting excited, hopeful and excited... (did I type 'excited' twice?).
(please don't stop the music yet.... but tone it down a bit... something more mellow, but not so somber....)
While a lot of attention is paid to the previous two ministries (and rightfully so), I have found it challenging to not let it drown out what other things are happening this exciting time of year. When a church gets big enough, it finds itself doing more than one thing at a time (gasp!). In addition, it is expected that no one can be involved in everything at church (double gasp!). Indeed, sometimes a person has to choose what to do and what not to do (gasping, but not hyperventilating). Sometimes it means that in order to invest in one ministry, you might miss out on a different ministry (ok.. now you can hyperventilate).
What is the solution to this? There isn't one because it isn't a problem It is a blessing. When mutiple minstries (and sometimes large events) are happening at once, it means you have multiple people with various Calls being equipped and empowered to help the purpose of the church move forward in different ways at once. If done effectively, it can only speed up the 'making disciples of Jesus Christ'. Consider a few of the following layers of ministries, all happening at once.
(Cue dramatic music again)
Youth Ministry - they are having a dinner theater production. It's gonna be funny! And it will raise funds to help Emmanuel effectively reach youth for Jesus. We have big hopes for the summer. Buy a ticket. Get fed. Be entertained. Equip the Youth for ministry.
Legos, Seeds and Missions - it's all in the lobby. Bring seeds to be donated to Jackson Area Ministries. Hungry people are given the opportunity to grow their own food.
Women's Bible Study starts tonight and is every Monday from 6:30 to 7:30. It will last 6 weeks.
Staff-Parish Relations Team - and if you really want to get behind the scenes, consider the work the SPRC has done the past 6 months or so. They have not only hired a new staff member (Pastor Shawn's 90-day review is coming up), but the part-time secretary position has opened up. They will be looking to fill it shortly after Easter (and if you are able or willing to help us fill the gaps with some volunteer office work and/or cleaning of the church until the end of April, let me know at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com).
There are other ministries in place as well, so don't email me to tell me what I forgot. It's March. My brain is on overload. It's ok. I'm taking a vacation after Easter.
Until then, consider me excited, hopeful and excited. Emmanuel is chugging along at a pace that will certainly continue to bring people to worship and introduce (or re-introduce) them to really Good News and then empower them to be the church with everyone else.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
p.s. Don't end the music. Continue playing it the rest of this Lenten season. Easter is coming.
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