From a Frustrated Pastor

Hello Emmanuel,

No need to beat around the bush:  I’m frustrated.  I wish I could point to just one thing, but that would be too easy.  If it was just one thing, then I can either fix the problem or focus on something different that is good and right.  A half a dozen things hit me even before I left the house this morning and none of them good.  Ever feel like a day is simply going to be a no-win proposition?

As I type this, I don’t even know if you are going to get it (unless you read this via the facebook link to blogspot.com).  The google email is down for anyone that has Emmanuel-umc email.  I evidently cannot send or receive emails.  For anyone that knows me, that is a huge issue in how I make contacts and keep church stuff moving.  Now I feel like I’m in a boat in the middle of the ocean with no motor, let alone an oar.

So how do you cope when you have such days?  Here are some ways I cope, in no particular order.  Warning:  these methods are not necessarily constructive.  Don’t copy what the Pastor does:

1.  When I get these kinds of days, my mind regresses to a place of survival.  In other words, I think about the stuff I have to get done and figure out a way to cope the best I can.  For example, I think about going old-school and actually using a phone.  It slows down how many contacts I can make, but again it’s about survival.  I can’t imagine how long it would take for me to read my Monday Morning Pulpit to all of you, one at a time (though maybe a conference call is in order?).

2.  What I also do is get things in perspective.  I try to see my work as just work and not the life and death of the existence of Creation.  I look at the big picture and try to be thankful that my ups and downs don’t really have a major impact on functioning of the Universe.  If I can minimize my importance, I won’t get so stressed out about my failings.  But this coping mechanism isn’t really constructive.  It leads to low self-esteem….. something I don’t like to revisit. 

3.   I get dangerously sarcastic (as opposed to my normal irritating-but-perhaps-a-bit-humorous sarcasm).  Some would define it as grumpiness.  My wife has another word for it, but this is a ‘church document’.  However, if you have some time, look up Numbers 22:24-31.  Sometimes people can be worse than a talking.. uh.. donkey (NIV version is nicer).  I’ve preached it before.  I may again.

I think I’ll stop my own personal list there.  The rest is reserved for my counselor.  Now let me share with you what actually works for me without dragging people down with me. 

4.   You can only control what you can control.  The reality is that you can control very little.  You can control what you say and what you do.  You can control how you react to the uncontrollable things around you, including the many things you don’t know or understand (like Google email).  The rest is either up to other people or up to God. 

Now you might say, ‘that’s it?  That’s all you got, Pastor Joe?’  But what it reminds me is what God calls us to be and do.  God calls us to love when and where we can.  That’s all.  There isn’t anything more in life that God wants us to do.  It’s really simple.  To think that we have the responsibility or Calling to do more is to make life more complicated than God intended.  Making life more complicated is what many of us are really good at.

So hopefully you receive this document someday.  If not, maybe I will have the opportunity to love you at a different place and time.  If not, I will do what I can for whenever I cross paths with someone else.  I invite you to do the same.  Why?  Because it’s really so simple.

God is Good (but Google isn’t)

Pastor Joe

The Sabbatical, Part 2

Hello Emmanuel,

How awesome was Sunday?  3 baptisms, 4 new members and free helium balloons!  Does it get any better?  Oh… yes… and God’s Holy Spirit was present… so, yes it does!  Congrats to Chris, Ginifer and Emma Swofford on their baptisms.  And, in addition to Chris and Ginifer, Will and Beverly Hatfield joined the church.  It was a great day.

As the news gets around about my impending sabbatical (July 1^st – August 11^th), more questions are being asked.  This is the attempt to answer those questions.  Hopefully it is a successful attempt.  If not, fear not.  Email me at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.  I will answer all questions regarding the sabbatical.  I might even answer other kinds of questions, but you won’t know unless you ask.  Or, if you prefer to get the church’s perspective, you can email Vicki Hensley (sewblessed@fuse.net) or Bill Maskiell (wmaskiell@cinci.rr.com).

As a result of my approach to pastoring a church, only a small percent of what I do is out in the forefront (I’d rather have a strong Vision drive a church rather than a pastor or personality drive the church).  While my preaching and teaching and Sunday morning presence is for all to see, much of my work is in the background equipping leaders, leading meetings, resolving any conflict, counseling couples/families and managing the overall structure of Emmanuel’s leadership.  While there seem to be an infinite number of different ways to lead a church, this is how I have felt called to do so and it seems to be effective.  It is one of the reasons why I believe Emmanuel and I are a good fit for one another.   I feel blessed.

The 6 week sabbatical will, in part, be a time to figure out how to re-approach much of the work I do in the background.  The congregation will not likely see any drastic change in what I do during Sunday mornings.  What is likely to happen, however, is how I approach leadership structures in the church.  While this may help the worship attender relax a bit, it may put leaders in the church in near-panic mode.  Few things are as enjoyable as panicking leaders (but it isn’t really all that bad).

Without boring most of you, let me try to put this as simply as possible.  The current Vision Team structure is getting too small.  Our monthly Vision Team meetings are getting too busy with all dreaming, planning and evaluating of ministry.  In addition, the ministry teams are showing signs of needing more help beyond the scope of the team.

So what do we do?  We can’t keep doing the same thing or ministry will stagnate.  The sabbatical will give me time to figure it out by visiting churches which have gone through the same sort of issues.  My plan is to visit 3 to 6 churches that are busier than Emmanuel to see how they are structured and if it is something we can duplicate. 

In a future MMP, I will discuss 2 other aspects of my sabbatical:  rest and spiritual renewal as well as what Emmanuel is planning for while I’m gone.  Fear not!  I’ll try to make them funnier and less political-science-like.  In the meantime, you can look forward to Shawn’s OMLETTE next Monday.

Maybe he can describe the tediousness of designing the new website, making my MMP’s look ridiculously exciting.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Thanks Barb!!!

Hello Emmanuel,

Today I get to be a bit more serious.  Pentecost is this Sunday (don’t forget to wear red) and the Holy Spirit will be looking to work through us.  So consider the following need at Emmanuel.

Barb Hattar will be stepping back from teaching the pre-school Sunday School class at Emmanuel at the end of May.  For those who don’t know, Barb was instrumental in helping Emmanuel get a pre-school Sunday School class started.  As the Sunday School program grew dramatically from '09-'11, we saw a definite need and Barb stepped up.  It was such a blessing.  We thank Barb for all the work she put in to help and serve.

Though Barb will be stepping back, the need is as strong as ever.  Miss Barb (as the kids refer to her) can have anywhere from a few to 10 kids in her class.  The class time (Sundays, 10:30-11:30) allows the kids to learn the very basics about God.  What has been just as valuable is that the parents have the opportunity to focus on their own worship experience during that same hour.  This has allowed Emmanuel to provide an important ministry to young families, a demographic that has been a big part of disciple-making at Emmanuel.

So Emmanuel is looking for a pre-school Sunday School teacher (or a couple of people to tag team the class).  I’m not going to lie (because Pastors never lie), this takes someone who has a Calling to be a teacher/mentor/guide to pre-schoolers.  On the other hand, being a Sunday School teacher to pre-schoolers has its very unique rewards as well.  It’s awesome to hear their perspective on the world.

So if you feel the tug from the Holy Spirit and want to explore the possibility or have any questions, let Shawn (shawn.young@emmanuel-umc.com) know.  You will not only make his day, but likely his season.  In addition, he and I can have less stressful staff meetings…. always a plus.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

The Sabbatical, Part 1

Hello Emmanuel,

Before I get into my topic for this week’s MMP, I want you to know we have a lot of stuff coming up in the next few weeks.  Mother’s Day is Sunday and while it is important to celebrate the gift of motherhood, it is also appropriate to understand the difficulties this day represents for many women.  We will explore both sides because… well… God is on both sides.

May 12^th - Karen Scherra, Executive Director of Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board will speak briefly on the issue of Heroine addiction in Clermont County.

May 19^th is Pentecost.  You are invited to wear red.  We will also be welcoming new members to Emmanuel!  AND we will be blessing the hands of any healthcare workers who are in attendance.  They need their hands blessed.  They care for a lot of people.

May 26^th is Memorial Day weekend.  We will honor those who have fallen so we can have freedom from oppression.  Also, the Youth will be sharing about their 30 hour famine.

Now for my topic:  The Sabbatical, part 1….

The United Methodist Church encourages clergy to take a sabbatical every 4 years.  A sabbatical is essentially a period of time during which the pastor takes off for various reasons.  In many cases, sabbaticals are used for clergy to refresh, renew and get back in touch with their Call to ministry.  Sabbaticals can also be used to pursue education, to help recover from serious illness or other needs that require extended time off.  They can also be as short as a few weeks or as long as a year.

I am in my 17^th year of ministry and have never had a sabbatical.  Obviously I’m not a huge fan of them.  There’s the egotistical side of me that is convinced the church would simply disintegrate if I took extended time off.  I know this isn’t true at Emmanuel, but it helps me feel important in any case.  And, yes, I know the church has been around 2,000 years, most of it happening without me.  Therefore, my argument is a weak one…… so…..

With the encouragement of the Staff-Parish Relations Team (that’s a nice way of saying they are pushy), I am taking a sabbatical from July 1^st through August 11^th.  There are a few different reasons why this is good timing:

First, quite frankly, I need rest.  I don’t admit this easily.  In normal circumstances I would see no need for a sabbatical of rest.  However, the good news is that I’m not in a normal circumstance.  As far as churches go, Emmanuel is a high energy, fast paced church that has a crowded calendar and relatively fast growth in numbers and spirit (i.e. the first few paragraphs of this article which only lists events in the area of worship, never mind the other 11 ministry teams).  Change happened fast at Emmanuel and my work pace has had to multiply in speed to make sure Emmanuel stayed healthy through it all (particularly in the first 2 years of me arriving here).  Emmanuel is healthy.  I am overjoyed.  I am also tired.

Second, it is time to revision.  Most of you are familiar with the Discipleship Pathway (circle chart).  It is a pathway that has allowed us to grow and develop into a healthier church.  We have approached a size in which the circle chart has challenged the organizational structure of the church.  I’ll elaborate on this in another MMP, but to put simply, our leadership structure is being stretched to handle the quantity of ministry that is being implemented.  We need to reorganize how we dream, plan, and evaluate so that we can have room for more growth.  Otherwise, we could stagnate in ministry and a stagnating church is not a healthy church.  I need to figure out how to get this done to give the church the best opportunity to continue ‘making disciples of Jesus Christ’.

Third, and finally, I need to consider how to re-invent myself.  I can only say the same joke so many times or tell the same story so many times.  While I personally have tried to branch out and stay creative and fresh, I have also found that, based on my previous 2 appointments, I have about 4 years-worth of material.  Add to the fact that Emmanuel is entering territory in which I have never experienced.  Emmanuel is about to face challenges I have never helped a church face.  I better stay ahead of the curve.  The effectiveness of my leadership depends on it.  This sabbatical will give me a chance to spend time with other churches and learn from them.

I will be writing and speaking about this impending sabbatical in the weeks ahead because I know it can be a nervous time for us.  Work is being done to prepare for those six weeks too.  However, if you have questions in the meantime, feel free to talk to me or Bill Maskiell (chair of SPRC) or Vicki Hensley (Lay Leader) about it.  They are smart people (and pushy).

2013 can possibly be a real positive fork-in-the-road for Emmanuel.  Let’s be ready for it.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Introducing Lori Upham

Hello Emmanuel,

I golfed in the church yesterday.  It was a first.  It was fun.  I didn't win.  On the bright side, I got free food.  So I did win.

It was the first of our FamilyFest series.  We will be trying to implement some fun events designed for entire families.  If they are all as creative as the first, it should be interesting.  

As our ministry expands, so does our leadership.  Not only did we hire Pastor Shawn in January to lead our media and Small Group ministry, but we are introducing our new Administrative Assistant to Emmanuel today.  Her name is Lori Upham.  With an exception of a couple of weeks in the Summer, she will be in the church office Monday through Friday, 9:00-12:00.   She is an active member at Clough United Methodist Church and has been very involved in the Emmaus Community.  We will also be introducing her on a Sunday morning, hopefully as soon as this week.

I encourage you to send an email or make a phone call or stop by and meet her.  Her email is lori.upham@emmanuel-umc.com.  Or you can call her at the church at 732-1400.  You will not see her much on Sundays, but she is going to be a vital part of how the church communicates with you and how you communcate with the church.  She is super friendly and thinks I'm funny.  Clearly I'm optimistic about such a great hire.

Lori will be in charge of the 'guts' of how Emmanuel communicates.   She will manage the church's official google calendar, manage website articles, Sunday announcements, edit/print the bulletin and newsletter, keep church statistics/membership records, and do many miscellaneous tasks that are needed week to week (which can be many).  In addition, she will do so light cleaning of the church, especially the lobby, sanctuary and classroom areas.  Indeed, she will have a full 15 hours of work a week.  

But most of all, she wants to get to know you.  She understands the significance of connecting with people, not just with tasks.  This is a ministry to her.  She will be attending our Vision meetings and wanting to know  who is who.  Again, especially if you are leader, I encourage you to find a way to say 'hi'.  

Finally, I want to thank everyone who stepped in to fill the gaps until we got Lori hired.  There is a lot ot do at Emmanuel during the week, much of it administrative.  And while 'administrative' sounds boring and 'red-tapish', I assure you that everything that is done is pertinent to sustaining the health of Emmanuel long-term.  God has given us a church that is becoming more complicated.  But that is what we get when we follow His Call and make more disciples of Christ.  People always complicates things.  Lori will help keep things straight.

So welcome Lori to Emmanuel and encourage her.  She likely doesn't know what she has got herself into, but that's okay.  Most of us didn't know what we were getting into either.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Carry the Momentum

Hello Emmanuel,

Yes, I know.  It isn't Monday.  It is Tuesday.  I wish I could say my inbox was flooded with concerns over how  the MMP wasn't sent yesterday.  It wasn't.  My feelings are hurt.  Excuse me while I have a moment.....

......

... ok... I"m good now.  Aside from the hurt feelings, I can't tell you how excited I am about the direction Emmanuel is going.  We are 'making disciples of Jesus Christ'.  The evidence is clearly seen in how our principles are being lived out (Hospitality, Worship, Faith-Forming Relationships, Missions, Outreach and Care).  Attendance is up.  People are giving their prayers, gifts and services with due diligence.  There is an energy about the church--an enthusiasm--that what we are doing is truly benefitting the purposes for which God has placed before us..... to make his Kingdom known and to help people be a part of it starting right now.

So what do we do with this momentum?  We do the same as we've done the past 4 years.  We find ways to extend our reach in ministry so that more people can hear the Good News of Christ.  Our work is never done until that day when Jesus says it is.  So here are just a few ways we are going to carry the momentum forward:

- more family-friendly events:  The Church can get in the habit of splitting families up when it's time for church stuff.  The toddlers go to the nursery; the youth go to the youth group; parents go to adult stuff; etc.  One of the ways we are going to extend our ministries is provide quarterly events designed to allow families to do family stuff together.  This coming Sunday we are going to play putt-putt golf in the church--a family event (2:00).  Coming this Summer?  Maybe some good 'ol fashioned, home-made ice cream?  For the whole family?  It's an idea in the making. 

- More Intentional Care:  As Emmanuel grows, we don't want to let up on how we show care to the people.  The Care Team will be experimenting on how to care for the members of the church in a more intentional way.  We don't want to get lost in numbers.  We want healthy relationships to remain in the forefront of why we do what we do.  It's always a challenge to stay on top of care issues in a church that is continually growing, but caring is part of what God calls us to do.  

- Visitor Follow-Up: The number of first-time visitors has increased signficantly in 2013.  As a church that believes in Radical Hospitality, we will be looking at how to extend our hospitality ministries to stay in line with the increase of visitors.

- Problem-Solving Growth Challenges: When a church grows, problems... er... I mean challenges develop.  And when a church grows as consistently as Emmanuel has, these challenges come quickly and consistently.  I welcome these challenges as we all should.  It is evidence that God is doing amazing things and that we need to adjust to allow God to continue to do amazing things.  The good news is that Emmanuel has been awesome in how we have adjusted to challenges.  Growth has continued for the right reasons because we have stayed focused on God's purpose for us.

Some of the current challenges for the next several months include:  space for parking (first and foremost on our list); re-launching a Saturday worship service this Fall; becoming equipped to allow for growth in our Youth program; reducing our building debt faster; re-organizing our current leadership structures; .... to name just a few.

If the list looks daunting, welcome to Emmanuel.  :)  It's almost like we are use to it.  It could be worse.  We could have plenty of parking, not need a 3rd service, be content with our Youth program, not be able to reduce our debt and have leadership that has nothing to talk about at meetings.....  So don't be stressed.  Be excited.  

I will do my best to equip us to extend minsitries and tackle probl... er... challenges.  But if we have learned anything over the years, we have learned that, if we allow it, God finds a way to wiggle in and bless us.  Thanks be to God.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

I Call A Do Over!

Hello Emmanuel,

I'm back from vacation and I understand that Sunday services went ok?  Or should I ask?  Did Pastor Shawn scare away any visitors?  Did Joey jam too hard on the piano?  

Anyhow, I'm back from vacation and I wish I could say it was a good one.  A visit to the Urgent Care was only one moment of a week full of downsides.  The total bummer of the week, though, was with the Treadway family who lost their son Jack at 14 weeks.  It clearly was not a good week for many people.

On a much lighter note, the website is resurrected after being dead for ---longer than---3 days.  This is proof that new life is possible.  Sadly, not all issues are fixed as I am sending this MMP through my gmail.  Shawn helped me figure out all the techno stuff in order to make it happen.  So if he did scare anyone away Sunday, I'm calling it even.

I spent way too much time in bed with a 102.5 temperature and list of symptoms that I won't make you read.  I can only count a couple of times in my life when I actually asked myself the question, 'should I go to the hospital?'.  One was in 2000 when I had a needle imbedded in my foot.  The other was 3 days ago.  I'm feeling much better now, though.  One of the great things about bad vacations is that it helps you get excited about going back to work.  And I am always excited to work with all of you lovable people in any case.  So now I'm super-excited!

As I recover from a Winter I can't forget soon enough (have I wallowed enough yet?), I must be sure to celebrate with you the wonderful Easter that we had.  In addition to the 1,200 that showed up to the Community Easter Egg Hunt, we had 374 people worship together on Easter morning (an attendance record).  Many of them had free food.  AND we evidently had enough parking as there were 2 entire spots open during the 2nd service.  Most of all, we got to hear the story again:  Jesus is alive and because Jesus lives, you can live also...... starting right now.

So no matter how sick you might feel (like me) or how sad you might be (like the Treadways) or how broken you are (like the website), know that Easter still happens and new life is still present and promised.

Christ is Risen,
Pastor Joe