It Is Time For A New Thing!

See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? - Isaiah 43:19

Hello Church,

Quiet time is over.  We were still and quiet.  Leadership did very little to instigate action.  We prayed on Tuesdays.  We listened and learned on Sundays.  We took in Advent with expectation.  Now the waiting is over.

January is a month for building momentum.  Epiphany is here and just as Jesus built momentum toward His Church, we will also.  The leadership of Emmanuel is going to relive church and is inviting you to relive along with them.  So save the date:

Relive Church!  A church-wide retreat will be held on Saturday, February 9th at Loveland UMC, 9:00-4:00.  Lunch will be provided. 

You will be invited and invited again.  It is time we re-ignite our hearts and pick up our feet and put on our thinking caps.  It is time to let God lead us in a strong direction, instilling within us more passion, better intentions and higher hopes. 

You will not want to miss this.  We will bring together old principles with new ideas and, with God's Holy Spirit, help us to live into a refreshed church together. 

Everything I do in January will be leading up to February 9th.  How I talk; how I think; how I make decisions; what I preach on; what I teach about; and how I lead. 

Relive church!  We hope to see you there.

You can RSVP in several ways:
email me at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com
call the church at 732-1400 and leave a message
call or text me at 513-463-7378
fill out an rsvp form on Sunday morning and put it in the offering plate

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Mega Church VS Horse And Buggies

Hello Church,

As I try to stay ahead of a renewal process for the church, I find myself trapped between two dynamics that want to pull me in opposite directions:

Biblical Principles

God wants us to 'make disciple of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world'.  This has been the deciding mission statement of the UMC in West Ohio for years.  I don't disagree.  Disciple-making is the bedrock upon why we are the Church.  We want to empower others to be a better Christian tomorrow than yesterday.  It's hard and messy work.  It isn't attractive or pretty.  It involves the day-to-day grind of missed opportunities, failed actions and misplaced words.  There is lots of energy teaching and learning and being transparent and vulnerable.  It isn't fun, but it is biblical.

Cultural Relevance

To make disciples we need to attract people.  People are attracted to various elements of mainstream culture including the big, bright, expensive, technological, informational, fast-paced, immediate gratification, entertainment-driven communities in which we live.  Therefore we must admit the difficulty of 'making disciples' if the church remains separated from the mainstream culture to which people are attracted.  It's fun to be relevant, but a church that is relevant is in danger of losing its biblical principles.... right?

So I find myself in a polarizing dichotomy.  Stick to biblical principles at all cost and risk losing relevance to would-be disciples..... or be a fun, relevant church at the risk of compromising our bible-based mission to make disciples of Jesus.

I think there might be a balance, but I think it would be a precipitous one.  There are churches that stretch the bounds of one extreme or another.  The Amish stick to biblical principles and throw cultural relevance away.  Current non-denominational mega churches (and some denominational ones) embrace cultural relevance and the random charismatic leader throws away (or ignores) selected biblical principles that he deems too insignificant to follow.  I am comfortable with neither.

I believe the key to a healthy and holy church is to strike the balance.  Stick to the biblical mandates of what it means to be a church, knowing some will not be interested in being a part....... and be relevant and attractive enough to be given the opportunity to usher others into the Christian
Faith. 

But believing it and living into it are two different things.  One is much more difficult than the other.  Pray for the church and pray for Emmanuel.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

 

How To Treat Christmas This Year

Hello Church,

Christmas is polarizing.  The excited become very excited and the sad become very sad.  One might find a few that are apathetic to Christmas, but I doubt that there are even as many as there claim to be.  Christmas evokes emotion of one sort or another.  For some it recalls that nightmarish day when Dad made one sit on Santa's lap.  For others, it recalls that day when one finally got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him everything!

We miss loved ones or we embrace loved ones.  We look forward to company or we dread the loneliness of a full room of people.  We gladly put up the 47 year-old Christmas ornament or we lament how much better things were 47 years ago. 

Christmas is polarizing. I suggest it should be, but not as we typically treat it.  Christmas should be polarizing in the divine sense.  Jesus is coming.  That should be very exciting for some and very sad for others.

For the oppressed and diseased and poor and down-trodden, the revelation of Christ brings an eminent sense of hope out of a life filled with despair.  For the powerful and egotists and narcissistic rulers of this world, the revelation of Christ brings them insignificant existences.  Jesus levels the playing field for all to see and experience.

I hope you can hold on to the true polarization of Christmas.  If you are insistent on making Christmas about you, then you will be surprised to find out that it is not about you.  It could make you sad.  But if you allow Christmas to be about Christ.... then... well....

....sitting on Santa's lap--be it wonderful or traumatic--isn't nearly as glorious as sitting with a Savior.  Missing loved ones isn't as problematic when we discover that Christ re-unites you with them.  And 47 years ago.... as good as it may have been... isn't comparable to how good it will be that one day in the future when the angels sing and the heavenly gates open. 

Let Christmas be about Jesus this year.  Sit still and let Him happen.

Be at Peace,
Pastor Joe

Finger Pointing, Martyrdom And Somewhere In-Between

Hello Church,

What do you own?  Your answer likely includes things you have laying around.  Let's forego those answers for now.  What do you own that are not physical things?

Do you own your words, actions, and thoughts?

What comes out of my mouth is mine.  If I speak unkind words, then I did that.  No one else did.  I should own it.  If I speak kind words, it was me.  My brain told my mouth to convey such words.  No one else did that.  If I speak in the tongues of man or angels but do not have love.... that is my fault. No one else's.

The issues of ownership has been a hot topic in my life lately.  What do I own?  What don't I own?  What does the church own?  What doesn't the church own?  What shouldn't I own?  What is healthy to own?  Where do I draw boundaries of ownership?

Issues around personal responsibility can really get my heart pumping.  Maybe I am just getting old and crotchety, but it seems that when something goes wrong it is always someone else's fault.  There is no sense of accountability.  The idea that you can 'face adversity and overcome it' is replaced by 'if so-and-so would just do such-and-such, then I wouldn't have such a difficult time'.

I go a step farther and speak to corporate responsibility as well.  The church as a group has a responsibility as well as the individual.  God doesn't just call you.  God calls you as part of a larger community. 

Does the church own their words and actions and thoughts?

As I get more excited about what comes next, I am deeply involved in these questions.  What does God want us to own?  Are we willing to invest in God's Will?  Will we put forth the energy, money and time to invest?  Are we willing to let go of what we won't own?  What shouldn't we own?

I hope you sit back and listen this Advent.  A time is soon coming when we will be asked to speak.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

God Beat Me With A Turtle

Hello,

I want to expand on a moment of epiphany I had this Summer.  It was a moment I will likely remember for the rest of my life.  It happened while I biked through the Cuyahoga National Park.

My conversations with God were fierce on my 8-day bicycle trip from Cincinnati to Cleveland and back.  Too many things were going wrong and a lot of it wasn't my fault.  I was angry about it and had been for a very long time.  So we argued.  I don't often win, but I do have a history of lengthening the conversation beyond its necessity.  It probably amuses Him.  I'm okay with that. 

It took an entire day to bike through the National Park.  It was a dirt path, not conducive to my type of bike.  As I persevered--grumpily going much slower than I preferred while arguing with an omnipotent God--I continued to argue about all that had gone on around me for many months and how it was all wrong.

Then I saw a turtle.

It was slowly making its way across the path.  It didn't seem to care that it was in my way nor that I was approaching.  It didn't even look at me.  It just lumbered along... as if I didn't exist... as if it was only focused on one thing... to get across the path.  It didn't look anxious or fearful or worried.  The world around it would go on as it would without phasing this turtle.  I could rain or snow or blow... or a bicycle could come zooming by.  I don't think it cared.  How wonderful!!

What would happen if I could focus in such a way--to dismiss any and all matters that I have no control over and simply focus on the one thing that was in front of me.  Life would be simpler!  I would have less stress!  And I would be much more likely to complete my task!

Let the world be the world.  I am going to be me.  Let people be mean or nice or indifferent.  I am going to be me.  Let others do what they will do, holy or unholy.  I will be me and try to be holy.  Let others meet God with me or not.  I will meet God, alone or not.  Let other hear or ignore their Call.  I will follow mine.

It was a surreal moment.  God ended the argument much as he did with Jonah.  The turtle might have well told me the words:  'Do you do well to be angry?'.  The turtle meandered across the trail as if it knew the story.  I grumpily trudged down the trail as if I forgot the story.

God beat me with a turtle.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

I Am Ineffective

Hello Church...

Nervous yet?  I am. 

I hear people thinking about where we are going with all this 'low-task/fellowship' stuff.  What do you mean about being 'still' and 'quiet' during Advent and Christmas?  Has leadership lost their minds?  No.  There is a plan.  Here is some insight......

Contrary to popular opinion, stagnation and status quo is not a requirement for the Church.  Unfortunately, many United Methodist Churches never got the memo.  The comfort of doing the same things in the same way is far too much of a temptation even when faced with a lack of results and failure to follow the commandments of Christ..... like... you know... 'making disciples'.

I learned many years ago that reinventing myself as a pastor would eventually be needed.  That, after a time, a pastor's rhetoric, habits, biases, stories, etc; would become tiresome and ineffective.  People would begin yawning at my dry sarcasm and become annoyed with my psychological ploys.  My humor would be rewarded with the sound of crickets.  My words of encouragement and inspiration would create numbness.  I was told that I, too, would fall prey to the temptation of doing the same things the same way.

Historically, I have never had to reinvent my role.  My first 2 appointments were 6.5 years and 6.5 years.  I asked for a move after my 1st and the Conference asked me to come to Emmanuel after the 2nd.  I was not at either appointment long enough to become what I considered 'ineffective'. 

But this appointment is different.  9 years have brought me and us to a place to work on our ineffectiveness.  So how do we do this?

First, we become honest with ourselves and God and admit our ineffectiveness.  This is also referred to as 'confession'.  I'm done rehashing the reasons for this, but the honest truth is that we are not growing and, in fact, are declining.

Second, we turn to God and not to each other.  We implore God to forgive and renew us; give us insight and wisdom; bring a new energy to us; give us Vision; a dream; something to strive for.  This means to 'be still and know God'.  It means to squelch your busy body, turn on your ears and pray.  This is what the Leadership Team calling us to do now.

Third, we put our heads and hearts together and become unified in a common divine Vision.  We talk about the hard stuff, gain a Holy Stubbornness, and create a strategic plan (January is coming).

Fourth, we put our noses to the grindstone and get our bodies busy again.  This time to be better focused and less distracted.  (Easter is going to be wonderful!  There WILL be resurrection.  God says so).

So there you have it.  The next Leadership Team meeting is Nov. 19th at 6:30.  You are invited.  The time is quickly coming to get involved if you want to be part of a new birth in the Spirit.  I have no idea what it will look like. 

Nervous yet?  I am nervous... but also excited.....

Because God is Good,
Pastor Joe

A Pastor's Biggest Embarrassment

Hello Church,

The following is Lesson #3 from my Leave of Absence.  Again, this is more of a personal post that I have shared in the District Newsletter.  It is mostly geared toward clergy, but for those of you who struggle with Co-Dependency, this one is also for you.  

I Don’t Need To Be Needed

Before my Leave, I came to learn that my value as a person was tied up into what I do for a living.  People praised me when I did well and it made me feel good about myself.  People admonished me when I did bad and it made me feel bad about myself.  When people didn’t care about what I do, it made me feel unimportant.  My self-value was tied to my profession.  I sought the value of me in others instead of seeking the value of me in how God defines it.  I learned this over 23 years.  It’s embarrassing.  I have preached this many times to others.  God values me.  That should be enough.  It hasn’t always been.

Lesson #3:  I don’t need to be needed. 

I believe Co-Dependency is a major issue among clergy and I was becoming a part of it.  While I might still care about your opinion (or not), it will no longer be tied to my value as a person.  Truth is, a good portion of my congregation doesn’t know much about my person beyond my job anyhow… somewhat because there isn’t much more to know (another sad commentary on my personal life… see lesson #1).  But I also think it has to do with some people wanting the idealistic, picturesque pastoral leader.  Getting to know me as a person would ruin that (I am not ideal nor picturesque).  Nevertheless, like it or not, I realize that, at worst, I fill a role for people.  At best, I fill a relationship for people.  However, my 23 years has taught me that it is usually the role I fill and not the relationship.  I am the preacher, teacher, prayer, care-giver, administrator, etc;  I am rarely Joe Royer who is devoid of any professional pastoral role/label that has expectations tied to it, realistic or unrealistic. 

This is all the more reason to avoid co-dependency.  If people don’t know Joe Royer, they certainly have no right to dictate my value as a person.  Therefore, your praises and admonishments and apathy of me will be held in the strictest of contexts.  If you think I am a fabulous person because I give good sermons, you can think that.  I won’t.  If you think I am a heartless person because I don’t visit you enough, you can think that.  I won’t.  If you think what I do makes me unimportant, that’s okay.  I won’t think that way.

On the other hand, consider that just because self-value is separate from job performance issues doesn’t mean we shouldn’t deal with job performance issues.  Just because your opinion might be that I am not a good pastor doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to find ways to be a better pastor.  It just means that our interaction and processes doesn’t affect my self-value.  However, I can and should still pursue excellence.

I don’t know if this lesson refers to a ‘boundary’ as opposed to just an attitude adjustment.  Either way, it has vastly improved my self-care.  The last lesson of 4 will delve even further into my psyche as a clergy.  I hope you join me.

Be At Peace,

Joe Royer (who happens to be a pastor)

513-463-7378

Hello Church,

The following is an excerpt from my 4-part series for the District's Newsletter.  It explains some personal lessons I learned from my Leave of Absence this past Summer.  Lesson #2 was in last week's blog.  This week is Lesson #1.

Get A Work Phone

              I am not Pastor Joe.  I am Joe Royer who is a pastor.   I have a personal life apart from what I do professionally… sort of.  Before my Leave, I carried 600 contacts in my phone which was always on my person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  Of the 600 contacts, about 585 of them were either directly or indirectly related to my job.  This is a sad commentary, mostly because it means that I only had 15 contacts that were related to my personal life…. Almost all family.

              So every time the phone made a noise, it was the church wanting my attention.  Phone calls, texts, facebook, tweets, snapchats and emails that I had routed to my phone continued to peck at me all day, every day.  I was spending every minute of every day in my virtual office.  And what about my day off or even my vacation time?  My discipline was poor.  Because it was also my personal phone, I wouldn’t turn it off.  And as you may know, it is difficult to not respond to that text or phone call when it is staring us in the face. 

              My 12-week Spiritual Leave this past Summer taught me lesson #1:  I was carrying the church in my pocket everywhere I went and it was zapping my emotional and spiritual energy.  I was becoming resentful and bitter that church was always taking, taking, taking from me.  It was time for a change.

              I am getting a work phone.  It will be on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM.  It will also be on all day on Saturday and Sunday.  It will be turned off at all other times.  Any emergencies can be referred via voicemail to the one person in the church who will have my personal number.  I can also check the church voicemail during my work hours via my work cell phone. 

              This new boundary is already making a difference for my mental health.  I am on a mission to expand my personal contacts… which means actually making new friends.  And what is the reaction to those in the church?  Surprisingly, very minimal.  Most understand.  A few were wondering why I haven’t done this before.  And, yes, a few are frustrated because I am not at their beck and call.  But I have decided that’s okay.  How?  In this 4-part series, I want to share with you other lessons that help having a work phone okay.  I hope you join me.

Be At Peace,

Joe Royer (who happens to be a pastor)

My new number is 513-463-7378.  I plan to have more energy for the church.  This will help me do that... to give me time to recharge in between the times that I commit to being your Pastor.  

Hi Ho Silver.... Go Away!!!!

Hello Church,

I have been invited to provide a 4-part series for the Ohio River Valley District Newsletter regarding my learning during my 12-week Leave.  I thought I would share part 2 with you.  It gives a bit of a foreshadow on how I will tweak my leadership style moving forward......

Rev. Joe Royer, who pastors Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Batavia, recently returned from a 12-week voluntary leave of absence for rest and renewal. He has four "lessons" from his time away that he shares with clergy colleagues to help with maintaining healthy boundaries.

Lesson #2: Minimize "Lone Ranger" decision-making

Have you ever made a decision that you thought was such an obviously good, sound decision that you didn’t consider that you would have to seek backing and support?  Or thought that the decision was so insignificant that no one would even care?  And then you find out later that you were wrong…. That people disagreed with your ‘Lone Ranger’ decision to the extent that it caused unnecessary discord and even major conflict? 

I am not the church.  I am an employee of the church.  I should stop making decisions that the church should be making, no matter how small or insignificant the decision seems. 

Now, for sure, there are times and places for executive decisions to be made by the pastor.  I won’t go into these few examples here as that is often between pastor and SPRC.

But I am not the church.  I am an employee of the church

I preach, teach and encourage good decision-making.  I communicate what it means to practice Christian behavior.  I administer the Sacraments.  I oversee the leadership structure of the church.  I will even review with the church the many possible decisions a church can make and possible consequences of such.  However, I will no longer take on the burden of most decisions that the church may not have any intention of backing.  This created frustration and discouragement in me and others.  It also created division between the pastor and church leadership.  Let the church be the church while you be you.

To be sure, there are issues of egos and power plays involved here.  I can’t control other people’s egos.  I can control mine.  And, yes, there are times when I KNOW what the right decision is… especially when it comes to spiritual and theological expertise.  I have a Masters of Divinity for crying out loud!  However, even when I am right, I am not right.  In other words, the battles that are created by contesting egos who think what they KNOW is right is rarely worth being right.  So…….

I rearranged the size of my ego.  If any decision can be deferred to a team of leaders, it is.  Anyone asking me for ‘permission’ to do such and such is referred to the appropriate ministry team.  If it takes 6 months of meetings to reach a decision, so be it (another decision church’s make is how to make decisions).  The church will be the church.  I will lead the church, but I will not be the church.

Yet another boundary drawn that has helped improve my self-care.  I am more at peace.  How did I do this?  Lesson #3 will dive deeper into the issue.  I hope you join me.

~ Rev. Joe Royer

Who Is That Stranger At Emmanuel?

Hello Church,

We want to set an objective for each of you:  make a new friend at Emmanuel.

We know some of you have many friends at Emmanuel.  We want you to make just one more.  Here is why:

We had a good Leadership Team meeting on Monday.  Our mission continues and most of you are getting it.  Our attention has shifted.  For the rest of the year, we want us to focus on relationships within the church.  We want to create an environment where we can be more tight-nit.  We want more genuine friendships to emerge.  We want love to flow... not just in a biblical because-Jesus-says-so kind of way, but in a I-can't-wait-to-see-my-friend-on-Sunday kind of way.

Here is the tricky part:  it can't be forced.  It should be organic.  Making a friend because church leadership says so isn't authentic.  It becomes just another task.  And tasks are things we are trying to get away from... at least until next year.

So our encouragement to you is to bring out your authentic self at church and be conversational with others.  Be yourself and don't be afraid to get to know each other.  I bet there is at least one person at Emmanuel you don't know.

I tighter-nit church will have advantages when the time comes to get back to being busy.  Yes, we have an agenda.  We have a vision.  I have a plan.  It will be in accordance with the church and the Holy Spirit.  Part of that is, for now, to be still and just know each other... .and know God even better.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Please Don't Be Mad At Me... But...

Hello Church,

Do you get it yet?  Emmanuel's Leadership has decided on a 3 month renewal time.  Do less.  Connect more.  Stop being busy.  Start being relational.  I'm going to keep preaching and teaching it.

Why?

We need a fresh start.  We need to erase the board and start with a blank look.  We need empty space, but more than that... we need to have energy to start filling the board again. 

We don't currently have nearly enough energy.  There are individuals here and there that are still chugging along, but as a whole, the church is not motivated to expend energy.  This is clearer to me now than ever before.  For the love of God, we need to gas in our spiritual gas tank.... literally for the love of God.

So I am going to be saying 'no'.  I am going to encourage our Leadership to say 'no'.  Please don't be mad at me.  I am semi-desperate to get this message out.  I am so convinced of this strategy.  We need a buffer between what was and what will be.  God wants us to be still and to know that He is God. 

A time is coming soon when we will have a whole new list of tasks to accomplish.  But it isn't now.  Now is the time to fill ourselves with the love of one another and God.  Now is the time to just be in Christian Fellowship and be friends and learn that we all have the same cause... to be the church.

Do you get it yet? 

If we don't, we will not be ready to move forward together come 2019.  And if we do not move forward, it will be painful to be the church. 

So please don't be mad at me when I say 'no.  I want to get you ready for something new.  God has plans.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

A Different Pastor

Hello Church,

It's official.  It's October.  My mission begins!  I am encouraging you to renew yourself.  I am meeting with anyone and everyone and preaching it and teaching it.  Ready?

Relax.

Chill out.

Reconnect.

Talk with one another.

Fellowship.

I will be all about this for the next 3 months.  My desire to talk about tasks has gone away.  I want us to sit back and think about how we know one another.  I want us to prayerfully contemplate who we are and how we relate with one another. 

I think some haven't taken be seriously enough yet.  It's okay.  I understand.  As a pastor who has been task/results oriented, I have minimized the significance of fellowship.  That pastor no longer exists. 

So if you come to me because such n such needs to get done, understand that I will seriously consider as to whether or not it is a task that the church NEEDS to get done.  If it can wait 3 months, then it probably will. 

We are a tired church.  We need to rest.  Don't worry.  It's only 3 months.  It goes fast. 

So everything we do, I will try to turn it into a fellowship time with minimal tasks.... everything..... worship, ministry team meetings, special events, study time, etc..... 

We can't move forward if we are too tired to move forward. 

3 months.... October... November... December.... and then January is here.  Get rested.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

The Crossroads Lobby

Hello Church,

Office hours is an interesting topic for Pastors and churches.  On one hand it is a nice concept to have office hours because the church can know that the pastor is available to meet and talk.  On the other hand the pastor can feel productive in that he/she has made themselves available, willing and waiting to counsel those who are in need.

I have tried having official office hours a half-dozen times in my career.  It ends up the same.  No one comes and sees me (insert sad face).  I then spend several hours a week in the church by myself and feeling quite isolated and sometimes lonely.  That is not good for me.  So I discovered another solution.

Panera.  Kroger.  Starbucks.  Zoup.  Libraries.  .....  the Crossroads lobby.....

All kinds of people go there.  It has wifi.  And though none stop to talk to me, I don't feel isolated.  I feel a part of the community... a part of a working world.  At the same time I am still available to talk to you. 

Generally speaking, I spend 3 days a week at one of the above locations (the Amelia Kroger/Starbucks has been my favorite lately).  I want you to know that I am available to meet.  Just let me know.  You can email me at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.  Or you can call the church phone (732-1400) and leave a message.  Voicemails go directly to my cell ( a cell that will likely be changing in a couple of weeks.)

I want to talk with you.  I care about your life.  Stop by.  I would be glad to see you.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

How Are You Today?

Hello Church,

My post-Leave journey is beginning.  I am intent on getting better focused to be you pastor.  Two particular issues at hand:  Reconnection and Communication.

You've heard it said that 'idle hands is the devil's playground'?  Well, in the church, isolation can be just as dangerous.  Not being connected to one another allows negative feelings to inflate.  A lack of support and love and fellowship causes discouragement and frustration to be much more problematic.  I have personally experienced this.  Maybe you have too?

After meeting with leadership, we have decided to declare October, November and December as a time of Renewal.  The focus is going to be on nurturing one another in the Faith and getting to know one another in an environment of encouragement, support and love.

I hope you consider diving in with us.  A church that is knitted together with Christ's love is a church better equipped to move forward for the betterment of His Kingdom.

God is Good....
Pastor Joe

A Brand New Start

Hello Emmanuel,

Well it has been a long, long time since I last posted a blog.  Much has happened since and the reason for the delay will be the subject of the blog over the next couple of posts.  I have had many challenges as has the church.  This blog will be a trampoline into the coming weeks as I share with you many issues around being a Christian, being a Church and where God is in the midst of it all.

Some upcoming issues:

Frustration, Discouragement and Failure
Encouragement, Peacefulness and Success
Being spiritually exhausted and being spiritually renewed
Healthy boundaries.... and unhealthy...
Preparing yourself for change (hopefully for the better)
Being connected to each other

I want you to know that I am not going to be the exact same Pastor Joe moving forward as I will discuss in the above topics.  I will be mostly the same, but the tweaks I am making in my lifestyle will have some impact on the church and, I believe, in a healthy way.... both for you and for me.  God wants us to experience the joy of being His people.  It is going to be my intent to help us do just that.

I want you to be a part of this journey.  Emmanuel means much to me and I want you to walk along side of me as I know God does each day. 

God is Still Good,
Pastor Joe