Jesus is in Columbia

Hello Emmanuel,

Our children are going to help build a church in Columbia.

The Sunday School program is embarking on a new journey.  Sunday School students are being asked to bring offering to their class.  It isn’t unusual for Sunday Schools to take up offering.  Traditionally, it is actually a norm.  However, at Emmanuel, we are going to have a focal point for the kids:  building a church in Columbia.

James Pollitt and Paula McCollum are going to join a team of people in the Ohio River Valley District to go to Columbia in February.  This will be James’ second visit and many of you may remember him sharing in worship about his first visit.  The project is to not just build a church, but to rebuild a community. 

Of course there are costs to such endeavors.  James will be educating the kids on the situation in Columbia and the kids will be partnering with him and Paula to help with their trip.  The students will be asked to bring in their loose change each week and to pray for them.  The intent is to help the kids have some ownership in making a difference in specific community like the one in Columbia.

This is a win/win for Emmanuel.  More resources are made available to help make mission trips happen.  It also teaches the students about the gift of giving and the importance of good stewardship.  I encourage all the parents and grandparents to jump on board and help the kids invest in such a Christ-like project.

If you have any questions on this or wonder how else you could help, just contact me (pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com).  Emmanuel is clearly a missional church both locally and globally.  We are always looking for ways for people to meet Jesus.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Just Settle Down

Hello Emmanuel,

Sometimes I have to settle down and remind myself:  A healthy church is fun.

(the following paragraph is confession time)

As a pastor I can get caught up in the nitty gritty of church life.  I can analyze and over-analyze the various elements of what traditionally defines a healthy, disciple-making church.  Average attendance, offering, 1^st time visitors, 6^th time visitors, small groups, volunteerism, invitational ministries, educational programs, baptisms, new members, etc, etc, etc…..  I can agonize over the small failures of ministry and only be cautiously optimistic over the big successes.  I can spend the majority of my time figuring out how to make the numbers bigger and too little time marveling at how God has helped make any numbers at all.  I can knit pick the state of the church’s spirit and fail to celebrate redemption on a daily basis.  On the whole, I can forget…..

A healthy church is fun…..

(the following paragraph is a call to rejoice)

            Other leaders and laity of the church can do the same.  Let me suggest that there is nothing wrong with taking time to be glad regarding who God has made us to be, on both an individual and communal basis.  You have an identity as a disciple of Jesus—your gifts, personality, passions and Call.  We have an identity as Emmanuel UMC—our gifts, personalities, passions and Calls.  We cannot be everything for everyone, but that’s what makes us special and unique.  We offer particular traits as a community of believers that allow us to do well with who and what we have.  We are missional.  We are giving.  We are authentic.  We are the church on the corner.  Take time at this moment to give thanks to God.  We are not perfect.  We are not the mega-church.  We are not the small, dying church.   But can we take a moment to consider that we are generally being who God is calling us to be, nothing more and nothing less.  Rejoice.  And remember….

A healthy church is fun…..

            We are exiting the high seasons of the church calendar (Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost) and entering what is known as ‘Common Time’.  However, we are not common.  God has made us uncommon.  There is no church like us, good, bad or indifferent.  Let us continue to offer our uniqueness in the context of God’s love and grace.  Let’s not lose sight of the big picture and get caught up in what the world says the church should be.  Let’s continue to look and listen to God and be who He wants us to be.  If we do so, we will continue walk the road of disciple-making.  We will continue to consistently grow and give and baptize and welcome and befriend and volunteer and invite and learn.

And every so often, remind your pastor to settle down and remember that a healthy church is fun…..

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Passing The Wind

Hello Emmanuel,

I’m at Lakeside, Ohio…. For the 20^th year!  I’m old.

The West Ohio Conference is in session and I’m sitting at the Pavilion by the pier, watching the flag fly vigorously.  For those who don’t know, this one week out of the year I fly kites.  I bring my 14 kites down to the pier hoping to see the flag fly vigorously.  The conditions are currently perfect for kite flying…..

..and here I sit…. Typing to you.  Why?  Because I love you.  Awwwwwww…..

Yes, I am sacrificing perfect kite-flying weather so that I can write to you for yet another week.  It isn’t for just anyone that I will waste so much wind (I’m referring to kite-flying, not my preaching).  Sacrifice is a part of being a disciple.  Let it be known.  I’m one committed disciple. 

Sarcasm aside, as disciples of Jesus there does come those times when we are called to sacrifice.  It isn’t always as easy to do as I am doing now.  Sometimes sarcasm is difficult and it isn’t always appreciated.  We give of our time and energy.  There are moments when it is noticed.  There are moments when it isn’t noticed.  Either way, it needs to be okay.

I wonder how many good things Jesus did that didn’t get recorded.  We actually know very little of Jesus’ life.  Imagine how much good He likely did and we don’t even get to notice it.  But He did it anyway because he loved.

So please note that the flag is flying vigorously.  If you don’t take note, that’s okay.  I’m going to write to you anyway.  Why?  Because I love you.   Awwwww…..

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Extravagant Generosity

Hello Emmanuel,

I’m not going to lie.  I’m excited about giving.

Over the years I’ve done a few of these blogs on money.  Not many.  Contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t a favorite topic for pastors or churches.  There are many preconceived notions out there that the church is some sort of money-making machine (and in some places deservedly so, I’m sad to admit).  But at Emmanuel we are a disciple-making machine which really gets at the truth as to why I’m so excited.

Our goal for the Building Hope Fund is $110,000 over the next 3 years.  After 2 Sundays of talking and teaching and preaching and praying about it, we are at $106,792.  This is astounding to me.  You would think that, at some point, I would stop being surprised.

One of the core values at Emmanuel is extravagant generosity.  I’m ok with admitting that this core value doesn’t have much to do with me.  The other 3 core values I brought with me 6 years ago and have strongly encouraged us to practice throughout our ministries (authenticity, relevance and excellence).  These 3 I have deeply ingrained within me and we have made it the DNA of Emmanuel. 

Extravagant generosity is a value that I didn’t bring with any passion.  It is a value that Emmanuel taught me, showed me and encouraged in me.  The church teaches the pastor more than many think.  This is assuming the pastor is open to being taught.  I try to be, though ego sometimes gets in the way. 

So I’m not going to lie.  I’m excited about giving.  I truly feel a part of something bigger than myself.  There is a spiritual component to giving.  It is one of a few acts (praying, serving, witnessing, worshiping) that help one feel a part of the Community of Believers.  And it isn’t about how much one gives as much as it is just being a giver. 

And Sunday School is getting on board with it as well.  The Sunday Schools are going to continue teaching and encouraging the spiritual act of giving.  The children are going to be asked to bring in their loose change and begin specifically supporting one area of Emmaneul’s ministries:  Mission Trips.  And there will be presentations given to the children about what we do, where we go and how God is involved in communities beyond our walls. 

So I’m excited about giving and hope you are too.  I hope you can see and feel the Holy Spirit work at Emmanuel as we get the right resources (people, time, money, prayers) in the right places to do the right things so that more and more people can meet and follow the Christ.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe