I will be on vacation Sept 26-Oct 2. You can call Muriel Cunningham with any church issues 513-284-3169. Otherwise, I am always available to set up any appointment if you need to talk about anything. You can call me at 513-463-7378 or email me at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.
Hello Church,
I am taking a little time off to travel to the great city of Pittsburgh. I have been there a couple of times before. Aside from the confusing maze of bridges, I find it a nice place. I'm looking forward to it for some unique reasons.....
First, the schedule lined up so that I can see the Reds and the Bengals in the same weekend. The Reds finish their season against the Pirates. The Bengals finish their hopes against the Steelers. Yes, I know... not a great baseball team and not an average football team... which leads me to another unique reason....
I will be with my brother.
We have a history, John and I. We have traveled to the likes of San Diego, L.A., St. Louis, D.C., New York and other places. There are stories to be told that you will never read in this blog. Suffice it to say that I am his brother and not his pastor. The lack of label changes expectations a bit. Regardless, if I ever acted like a pastor in front of him he would either laugh at me or chastise me or both. He won't hit me. I'm the older. He knows better.
While specific stories won't be shared here, there is an interesting dynamic between him and I that I have with no one else. When it is time for vacation, it is only time for vacation. We channel the inner I-have-no-job-for-a-week mentality and live as though we don't care. Truth is, we care a lot (maybe too much). His IT job has many similarities to mine.... people coming to him with concerns and problems and issues. He faces pressures in the corporate world while I face pressures in the non-profit world. However, we can pretend for short bursts of time that we just don't care.... which usually ends in a story that we laugh about for years later.
We should remind ourselves that we are human from time to time. We are not superhuman. The weight of our responsibilities can take its toll. Mental and physical and spiritual health can be affected if we forget that all of our labels and tasks and jobs and obligations do not define us. We are defined by who God created us to be. Period.
John knows me like very few people do. To be reminded that I can be normal helps me when I am with other normal people who come to their pastor for counsel. I feel like I can relate with you instead of looking down at you like some supernatural... ummm... Divine Being?
So remember that you are normal and that God is not. And yet God relates to you because He came to this world to be normal.... so that He could relate with you instead of only looking down at you.
And pray for John and I.... we are going to be in Pittsburgh.... with Steeler fans... wearing orange and black.... hopefully this story will have a good ending.... or at least a funny one.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, September 23, 2019
Monday, September 16, 2019
Over-Reaction Monday!
Hello Church,
It's over-reaction Monday!!!
As a life-long Bengals fan, I know many of you can appreciate my life-long angst, every September through December. However, over the years I have become more than a Bengals fan. I have become an NFL fan. As such, I also have become pleasantly entertained every Monday, September through December.
Every Monday, many fans either proclaim that their team is going to the Super Bowl or that their team is the worst team ever. This largely based on what the team did the day before. This sets the tune for the whole weak. Proclaiming domination or lamenting absolute disaster.
This is called Over-Reaction Monday.
Why? Because the NFL is so full of parity that the one team that got crushed one week can eek out a victory the next and visa versa. By the end of the year, most teams are somewhere between 6-10 and 10-6, defining the mediocrity of the league as a whole.
And yet we don't learn. We allow ourselves to ride this ridiculous, emotional roller-coaster. Which leads to a rather significant spiritual lesson.....
The God who leads us in the Faith is as consistent as they come. Ideally, there should be no roller coaster in the life of the Christian. The God who 'was and is and is to come' remains steady. Realistically, however, there is an up and down to our lives even in the context of faith. Some of us even get caught up in it an make it more up and down than is necessary.
I've been caught calling myself 'even-keeled Joe'... not too high, not too low. This isn't always true, but I have frustrated others because I didn't express as much joy as they thought I should nor was I as distraught as the situation should have warranted.
My experience has shown me that at least trying to be more even-keeled is healthier. To me, it is a Faith lesson. If God is consistent, then shouldn't I live as though I believe in a consistent God? Even if my circumstance go from great to terrible, God is the same God in the midst of it all and I rely on Him... right?
Think about it. In the meantime, the Bengals lost in an embarrassing game yesterday. They just might be the worst team ever.... until next week... when someone else gets beat worse than them.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Pastor Joe is available Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu and Sat for appointments. You can call/text him at 513-463-7378 or email him at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com to schedule.
It's over-reaction Monday!!!
As a life-long Bengals fan, I know many of you can appreciate my life-long angst, every September through December. However, over the years I have become more than a Bengals fan. I have become an NFL fan. As such, I also have become pleasantly entertained every Monday, September through December.
Every Monday, many fans either proclaim that their team is going to the Super Bowl or that their team is the worst team ever. This largely based on what the team did the day before. This sets the tune for the whole weak. Proclaiming domination or lamenting absolute disaster.
This is called Over-Reaction Monday.
Why? Because the NFL is so full of parity that the one team that got crushed one week can eek out a victory the next and visa versa. By the end of the year, most teams are somewhere between 6-10 and 10-6, defining the mediocrity of the league as a whole.
And yet we don't learn. We allow ourselves to ride this ridiculous, emotional roller-coaster. Which leads to a rather significant spiritual lesson.....
The God who leads us in the Faith is as consistent as they come. Ideally, there should be no roller coaster in the life of the Christian. The God who 'was and is and is to come' remains steady. Realistically, however, there is an up and down to our lives even in the context of faith. Some of us even get caught up in it an make it more up and down than is necessary.
I've been caught calling myself 'even-keeled Joe'... not too high, not too low. This isn't always true, but I have frustrated others because I didn't express as much joy as they thought I should nor was I as distraught as the situation should have warranted.
My experience has shown me that at least trying to be more even-keeled is healthier. To me, it is a Faith lesson. If God is consistent, then shouldn't I live as though I believe in a consistent God? Even if my circumstance go from great to terrible, God is the same God in the midst of it all and I rely on Him... right?
Think about it. In the meantime, the Bengals lost in an embarrassing game yesterday. They just might be the worst team ever.... until next week... when someone else gets beat worse than them.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Pastor Joe is available Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu and Sat for appointments. You can call/text him at 513-463-7378 or email him at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com to schedule.
Monday, September 9, 2019
The Hot Seat and My Evaluation
Hello Church,
My annual evaluation was last night. It was a warm room in more ways than one. And while I'm not a fan of long meetings, this one was quite productive from my standpoint. We talked about a lot of issues and the Resource Team and I seem to be very much on the same page.
Among the issues was how I communicate my availability to you. I want you to know that I try very hard to be available to you as much as possible while also paying attention to my personal boundaries of health and family. There is a balance the we should all strive for between work and family and, in my particular vocation, there are unique challenges in this area.
I am glad to be your pastor. As such, I want to remind you how available I am to be your pastor.
A popular phrase I have heard over the years is, 'I thought about calling you, but you are so busy'. This is somewhat ironic because when I am busy, it is busy meeting with people like you, who want to talk to me (what do you think the pastor does through the week?). When I am not busy, it is because people don't connect with me because they think I am so busy. It's an odd dynamic, but one that I sometimes find humorous.
I feel like I am privileged to offer my listening ear. I am not a clinical counselor, but do have a Social Work background. I don't charge $80/hr (in fact, it's free!). I can give you objective advice; share spiritual and biblical information; and can converse about a broad range of topics (marriage, finances, grief, life/death issues, family drama, job concerns, theological/moral/ethical dilemmas, divine Call, and of course church stuff... etc). I don't always have the answer, but sometimes I do. Sometimes you don't even necessarily want the answer, you just want someone with whom to converse with in a fair manner.
In addition, I am willing to meet anywhere. I have the reputation of meeting over lunches at Panera or the Amelia Kroger, but anywhere that has free wifi is a place I might be. In addition, I am always willing to meet at the church and in my office. Sometimes discussions should happen more privately.
All you need to do is contact me (at least until I develop mind-reading skills... something my wife says I still lack). I am 100% accessible. I have a phone/text (513-463-7378), email (pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com), facebook, and an address (395 Woodside Dr, Batavia, 45103). I even have Snapchat so that my kids think I am cool.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.... 9:00 A.M - 9:00 P.M. (Wednesdays and Fridays are days off for me)... I am available to schedule a time with you to discuss any pastoral need that you have. And if I am busy, it is because people like you want to talk with me.
I am glad to be your pastor.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
My annual evaluation was last night. It was a warm room in more ways than one. And while I'm not a fan of long meetings, this one was quite productive from my standpoint. We talked about a lot of issues and the Resource Team and I seem to be very much on the same page.
Among the issues was how I communicate my availability to you. I want you to know that I try very hard to be available to you as much as possible while also paying attention to my personal boundaries of health and family. There is a balance the we should all strive for between work and family and, in my particular vocation, there are unique challenges in this area.
I am glad to be your pastor. As such, I want to remind you how available I am to be your pastor.
A popular phrase I have heard over the years is, 'I thought about calling you, but you are so busy'. This is somewhat ironic because when I am busy, it is busy meeting with people like you, who want to talk to me (what do you think the pastor does through the week?). When I am not busy, it is because people don't connect with me because they think I am so busy. It's an odd dynamic, but one that I sometimes find humorous.
I feel like I am privileged to offer my listening ear. I am not a clinical counselor, but do have a Social Work background. I don't charge $80/hr (in fact, it's free!). I can give you objective advice; share spiritual and biblical information; and can converse about a broad range of topics (marriage, finances, grief, life/death issues, family drama, job concerns, theological/moral/ethical dilemmas, divine Call, and of course church stuff... etc). I don't always have the answer, but sometimes I do. Sometimes you don't even necessarily want the answer, you just want someone with whom to converse with in a fair manner.
In addition, I am willing to meet anywhere. I have the reputation of meeting over lunches at Panera or the Amelia Kroger, but anywhere that has free wifi is a place I might be. In addition, I am always willing to meet at the church and in my office. Sometimes discussions should happen more privately.
All you need to do is contact me (at least until I develop mind-reading skills... something my wife says I still lack). I am 100% accessible. I have a phone/text (513-463-7378), email (pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com), facebook, and an address (395 Woodside Dr, Batavia, 45103). I even have Snapchat so that my kids think I am cool.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.... 9:00 A.M - 9:00 P.M. (Wednesdays and Fridays are days off for me)... I am available to schedule a time with you to discuss any pastoral need that you have. And if I am busy, it is because people like you want to talk with me.
I am glad to be your pastor.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, September 2, 2019
Paying Others To Take My E-Junk
Hello Church,
My wife occasionally gives me tasks to do... and then puts a deadline on those tasks. We both know why. One of those tasks was to take our old electronics to a e-recycling facility by the end of the Summer. For those of you who are not in the know, there are places that will take your old computers, printers, phones, etc; and recycle them in order to keep them out of the landfill. We have a lot of e-junk.
The one place I know of is Best Buy. I loaded up the car and hauled it to Eastgate. What I found out is that they do indeed take me e-junk. What I didn't know is that there is a $25 fee associated with anything that has a screen. This would include my Dell monitor and 2 small tv's. (btw, anyone want a free Dell monitor or a small tv?).
Needless to say, I am not going to pay someone $75 to take my e-junk. So I am in search of anyone that will take it for free. Anyone? It's close to the end of Summer. My deadline is approaching. Kim is becoming impatient. And since we are on the subject, I am also not paying someone $300 to haul away an old, broken piano. I won't lower myself to ask if anyone is interested.
I'm glad I don't have to pay God to take away my junk. That would be much more expensive than $75. Additionally, my deadline isn't so clear... it could be tomorrow or 4 decades from now. Either way, my thankfulness to God for Christ is very clear. The junk that really counts is gone and my soul is relieved. And when I am broken down, God will still come and haul me away. Why? Because He has lowered himself to let me know that he is indeed interested... more than interested.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
My wife occasionally gives me tasks to do... and then puts a deadline on those tasks. We both know why. One of those tasks was to take our old electronics to a e-recycling facility by the end of the Summer. For those of you who are not in the know, there are places that will take your old computers, printers, phones, etc; and recycle them in order to keep them out of the landfill. We have a lot of e-junk.
The one place I know of is Best Buy. I loaded up the car and hauled it to Eastgate. What I found out is that they do indeed take me e-junk. What I didn't know is that there is a $25 fee associated with anything that has a screen. This would include my Dell monitor and 2 small tv's. (btw, anyone want a free Dell monitor or a small tv?).
Needless to say, I am not going to pay someone $75 to take my e-junk. So I am in search of anyone that will take it for free. Anyone? It's close to the end of Summer. My deadline is approaching. Kim is becoming impatient. And since we are on the subject, I am also not paying someone $300 to haul away an old, broken piano. I won't lower myself to ask if anyone is interested.
I'm glad I don't have to pay God to take away my junk. That would be much more expensive than $75. Additionally, my deadline isn't so clear... it could be tomorrow or 4 decades from now. Either way, my thankfulness to God for Christ is very clear. The junk that really counts is gone and my soul is relieved. And when I am broken down, God will still come and haul me away. Why? Because He has lowered himself to let me know that he is indeed interested... more than interested.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
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