Hello Emmanuel,
Someone took my wife's coat. I'm sure it was accidental. Kim hung her coat on the rack in the lobby of the church. After worship she discovered it was gone. It's a dark, navy blue coat. A similar coat was hanging on the rack after worship. Therefore we deduced that somone took the wrong coat by accident. The coat that was left, however, disappeared later that evening. Hmmmm.....
For that person who, I'm sure, accidentally took the coat, no ransom amount would be paid. True, there are gloves in the pocket, but we don't negotiate with accidental coat-takers. Simply put the coat back on the rack and all will be well. You could even do so anonymously. The only eye that might catch you is the hidden camera in the lobby (we use it to catch people mocking the pastor by talking with their hands).
On the other hand, if you needed a coat and the coat keeps you warm, then keep it. That's what Jesus would say. Indeed, Emmanuel is so passionate about missions that, I'm sure, the church would agree. Which leads me to my point for this week's MMP:
This is a time of year that Emmanuel really can shine Christ's light. It isn't just about giving away coats. This is a time of year that we do enourmous ministries that set the stage for the whole year. But it will take you to make it as enormous as it can be.
The community Easter Egg hunt is March 30th at Batavia Township. Our goal is to get 10,000 plastic easter eggs filled and turned in to the church before then. We will be gathering them around the altar. How can you help? We are asking you to buy as many plastic easter eggs as you would like, from wherever you would like. Fill them with candy and bring them to the church and place them at the altar. If we can get 100 people to fill 100 eggs each, then that would be 10,000. If you want to do more, then do more. If you want to do less than do less.
Why 10,000? We are preparing for as many as 1,400 people to attend the Hunt (we had 750 last year, doubled from the year before). Maybe we only get 1,000. Depending on the weather, we may get even fewer. However, we don't want to be surprised by what God may do. If 1,400 come, then we want to be prepared to help them feel welcomed--- to show them we are glad they came. There will be food and other games as well. It is a prime time to let them know that Emmanuel wants to be relevant in their community. We will take the opportunity to invite them to worship. It is a grand time for Radical Hospitality. We invite them to 'keep the coat'.
Secondly, the Chocolate Easter Eggs are on sale. We want your help to get orders in. Last year the women did very good with the eggs, but not as good as hoped for. Sales have been down and we want them to go up. Why? Because every dollar profited for the eggs goes toward missions. If you want to help gather orders, there are forms in the lobby. We want to help others. We want to 'give away the coat'.
Thirdly, there is also a time for people who are already a part of Emmanuel to be nurtured. A new long-term Men's group is under construction. Pastor Shawn will be sending out his newsletter next Monday and may have something to say about it. There will also be a short-term women's study coming up, starting in March. It will be on Monday nights and run for several weeks. We want to learn how to be inspired to 'give away the coat'.
So if you are the one who accidentally took Kim's coat, it really isn't a big deal. It's sort of how we roll. In fact, if you need a coat to stay warm, then take any coat from that rack that you would want......
.... just leave the Cincinnati Bengals coat alone!
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, February 18, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
God of Dreams
Hello
Emmanuel,
I’m in
such a good mood today, I can hardly stand it.
I just spent two hours sitting with a mentor of mine (Rev. Dan Glover,
Tipp City UMC) and talking and dreaming about the future. If this makes some of you nervous, it
should. A pastor who gets the opportunity
to plan and dream about the future can make many people nervous.
It has
been too long since I have had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with any of
my mentors. It has caused me to consider
the vast advantages to having a relationship with a peer that has more
experience and more insight than I.
While I am grateful for what I was able to do today, I am also making a
mental note to do more of it in the future.
How
about you? Do you have someone with whom
you can dream with---someone with you whom you highly respect and yet someone
who is willing to push you to go further and do more than you think you can?
As I
consider my role as an equipper and encourager of leaders, I must also remember
that I need to be equipped and encouraged as well. I walked into my time with Dan with a few
questions. I walked away with hope…. Even
more hope for Emmanuel. We have gone to
great places together as we introduce people to Jesus and nurture discipleship
relationships. Dare I say that we have
only begun?
I invite
you to consider your walk as a disciple of Jesus. Are you being encouraged enough? Are you being equipped enough? If not, please talk with me. Not every issue is solvable, but I do believe
that many more are solvable if we are willing to have the conversations around
them. Many times we are too afraid or
too timid or too overwhelmed to consider even talking about them. Granted, sometimes the conversations can be
intense, scary, even fierce (albeit it in a Christian way)..... but…..
Many
times I have felt the same way. Today
was one of them. I felt burdened by
issues that weighed heavily, at times.
However, when you realize that you don’t have to be in it alone, the
burden isn’t so heavy even if the burdens persist. And in a best case scenario, you find doors
open and new directions put in place and God is standing their ready to bless you.
As I
continue to be excited about the direction Emmanuel is going, I also invite you
to find a way to get excited (or more excited ) too. Find time to dream with someone else who has
similar aspirations.
It all
starts with dreaming….. God is even the God of dreams…. May you be encouraged.
God is
Good,
Pastor
Joe
Monday, February 4, 2013
Never Too Early....
Hello Emmanuel,
After the Sunday we had yesterday, there is a lot I could write about: cell phones, broken projectors (and frustrated associates who are happy-go-lucky), choirs (who are evidently happy-go-lucky), smiling visitors, a busy Sunday School, on and on.....
But today I proclaim that it is never too early to prepare for a Resurrection......
I know, I know, it isn't even Lent yet. We haven't even got to one of my favorite Sundays of the year (Transfiguration Sunday coming up!). Ash Wednesday is still a week and a half away which kicks off 7 weeks of being reminded why we need God. Even though Easter is early this year, it's still in April and we are barely into February. So what's the deal?
The deal is the Resurrection. We have to always be ready for it. Emmanuel will be ready for it! Why? Because without the Resurrection, the Church has no purpose. We don't worship a dead Jesus. So new life isn't something you pass over lightly. Emmanuel certainly doesn't. Let's consider how we are going to be ready for the Resurrection this year:
1. A new, Mission-oriented Men's group: Over the past several weeks, Pastor Shawn and I have identifiied interest in a new men's group. While this group will take on the components of some of our other Small Groups, this group will have a special focus on mission work. Resurrection is experienced when you find ways to act out of your faith and pass on unconditional love and new hope to others. If you are interested in trying out this group, email Pastor Shawn (Shawn.Young@emmanuel-umc.com). There are already 5 men interested. Pastor Shawn is getting all giddy.
2. Retreats. Sometimes expressing your faith can be as much routine as the rest of your life. A special focus on retreats can help us break out of the mundane. There will be a women's retreat on March 2nd at the church. Kim Royer and Regina Bowman are helping to lead this time together. Resurrection can be experienced when you strengthen relationships with other people of the faith.
3. The United Methodist Women are getting ready to take orders for hand-made, chocolate Easter Eggs. This is a HUGE fund-raiser for the women and one that has lasting effects throughout the year. The thousands of dollars they will raise will go to missions and helping others experience hope through the hands and feet of Christ. Oh.. and did I mention that these eggs are awesome? I encourage you to help missions happen at Emmanuel. One way to do this is to help the women get orders for these eggs. Take order forms to your families and your work (you can get more information this coming Sunday which is the start date to put in orders). They have become rather popular over the decades, not just because they are good, but because the ministry this allows the UMW to do is far beyond what they would be able to accomplish otherwise. Many people experience Resurrection because the women relay the hope in Christ through missions.
4. 10,000 plastic, candy-filled Easter eggs. No, Andrea DeRose is not going to fill them on her own. However, we still need them for the Community Easter Egg hunt to be March 30th at the Batavia Township Park. So here is the plan: we are going to ask you to help. Come March, we will make available bags of empty plastic eggs for you to take home and fill (about 100 per bag?). That means we will need about 100 bags of plastic eggs filled by the last week of March. This event continues to gain energy and popularity in the community. Help us find ways to invite others to come worship with us. We can help others experience Resurrection.
There will be more ways we will get ready for the Resurrection. The Hospitality team, for example, is already talking about how to make parking more available and how to go about Easter breakfast. However, do you realize that we actually celebrate the Resurrection every Sunday? We don't worship a dead Jesus. Even as we stare the Lenten season in the face, we know how the story ends. It is because we are post-Easter people that we can prepare every week as though it is Easter. Christ is alive!
and God is Good,
Pastor Joe
After the Sunday we had yesterday, there is a lot I could write about: cell phones, broken projectors (and frustrated associates who are happy-go-lucky), choirs (who are evidently happy-go-lucky), smiling visitors, a busy Sunday School, on and on.....
But today I proclaim that it is never too early to prepare for a Resurrection......
I know, I know, it isn't even Lent yet. We haven't even got to one of my favorite Sundays of the year (Transfiguration Sunday coming up!). Ash Wednesday is still a week and a half away which kicks off 7 weeks of being reminded why we need God. Even though Easter is early this year, it's still in April and we are barely into February. So what's the deal?
The deal is the Resurrection. We have to always be ready for it. Emmanuel will be ready for it! Why? Because without the Resurrection, the Church has no purpose. We don't worship a dead Jesus. So new life isn't something you pass over lightly. Emmanuel certainly doesn't. Let's consider how we are going to be ready for the Resurrection this year:
1. A new, Mission-oriented Men's group: Over the past several weeks, Pastor Shawn and I have identifiied interest in a new men's group. While this group will take on the components of some of our other Small Groups, this group will have a special focus on mission work. Resurrection is experienced when you find ways to act out of your faith and pass on unconditional love and new hope to others. If you are interested in trying out this group, email Pastor Shawn (Shawn.Young@emmanuel-umc.com). There are already 5 men interested. Pastor Shawn is getting all giddy.
2. Retreats. Sometimes expressing your faith can be as much routine as the rest of your life. A special focus on retreats can help us break out of the mundane. There will be a women's retreat on March 2nd at the church. Kim Royer and Regina Bowman are helping to lead this time together. Resurrection can be experienced when you strengthen relationships with other people of the faith.
3. The United Methodist Women are getting ready to take orders for hand-made, chocolate Easter Eggs. This is a HUGE fund-raiser for the women and one that has lasting effects throughout the year. The thousands of dollars they will raise will go to missions and helping others experience hope through the hands and feet of Christ. Oh.. and did I mention that these eggs are awesome? I encourage you to help missions happen at Emmanuel. One way to do this is to help the women get orders for these eggs. Take order forms to your families and your work (you can get more information this coming Sunday which is the start date to put in orders). They have become rather popular over the decades, not just because they are good, but because the ministry this allows the UMW to do is far beyond what they would be able to accomplish otherwise. Many people experience Resurrection because the women relay the hope in Christ through missions.
4. 10,000 plastic, candy-filled Easter eggs. No, Andrea DeRose is not going to fill them on her own. However, we still need them for the Community Easter Egg hunt to be March 30th at the Batavia Township Park. So here is the plan: we are going to ask you to help. Come March, we will make available bags of empty plastic eggs for you to take home and fill (about 100 per bag?). That means we will need about 100 bags of plastic eggs filled by the last week of March. This event continues to gain energy and popularity in the community. Help us find ways to invite others to come worship with us. We can help others experience Resurrection.
There will be more ways we will get ready for the Resurrection. The Hospitality team, for example, is already talking about how to make parking more available and how to go about Easter breakfast. However, do you realize that we actually celebrate the Resurrection every Sunday? We don't worship a dead Jesus. Even as we stare the Lenten season in the face, we know how the story ends. It is because we are post-Easter people that we can prepare every week as though it is Easter. Christ is alive!
and God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Adolescent Church
Hello Emmanuel,
An 11 year-old doesn't know what is about to happen to them. Kim and I both agree that the ages of about 7 to 11 are some of the most fun. The child is old enough to interact with you and thinks Mom and Dad are the coolest people on the face of the planet. They come to you for help, hug you with no reservations and share their emotions without trepidation.
Then they hit adolescence.
After 11 years, their life changes without their permission. Hormones take over. Slowly, their time and energy are taken up by interest in the opposite gender. Mom and Dad's IQ suddenly gets sliced in half. Parents clearly have no idea what is going on and the pressures of school and an ever-changing social life make being a half-kid, half-adult not much fun at all. Grades become more important; the future becomes more fuzzy; and Mom and Dad clearly have no understanding of the situation.
I wonder if Church life is as similar? Emmanuel is going into its 12th year. How do we know if God isn't ready to change us? And how would we react if we suddenly found ourselves facing different interests in an ever-changing church body? Would we get the snippy adolescent attitude? I don't think so. I think we would adapt just as well as we have over the past few years.
I'm seeing an increase in interest. I've had a few voice interest in mission trips (new voices too). I've seen new opportunities to expand our Care Team ministries. I've watched more step forward to teach. Our bulletin is about to get a new look yet again.... and then our Newsletter will be revamped. Visitors have come over the past few weeks looking for something new and different. Even our computer-crash problem might be solved (I said 'might'. Pastor Shawn is optimistic, but I've seen optimistic pastors before and know it doesn't always end well). If that isn't God speaking, I don't know what is.
How do we know God isn't ready to change us? The trick is to be flexible enough to allow God to guide us, even if it means a change in direction. That is difficult. 11 year-olds generally love life. They don't want to be hit with unexpected change. But sometimes it happens nonetheless. Indeed, it must happen if growth is to take place.
Let the Holy Spirit rage through us. The next 11 years should be rather interesting.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
p.s. Pastor Shawn will be introducing his new newsletter next Monday. He will be writing on the last Mondays of the month. I would say that it will be taking the place of the MMP. But, really, can ANYTHING take the place of the MMP? Just be kind to him. His 90-day review period isn't up yet, so he's still nervous.
An 11 year-old doesn't know what is about to happen to them. Kim and I both agree that the ages of about 7 to 11 are some of the most fun. The child is old enough to interact with you and thinks Mom and Dad are the coolest people on the face of the planet. They come to you for help, hug you with no reservations and share their emotions without trepidation.
Then they hit adolescence.
After 11 years, their life changes without their permission. Hormones take over. Slowly, their time and energy are taken up by interest in the opposite gender. Mom and Dad's IQ suddenly gets sliced in half. Parents clearly have no idea what is going on and the pressures of school and an ever-changing social life make being a half-kid, half-adult not much fun at all. Grades become more important; the future becomes more fuzzy; and Mom and Dad clearly have no understanding of the situation.
I wonder if Church life is as similar? Emmanuel is going into its 12th year. How do we know if God isn't ready to change us? And how would we react if we suddenly found ourselves facing different interests in an ever-changing church body? Would we get the snippy adolescent attitude? I don't think so. I think we would adapt just as well as we have over the past few years.
I'm seeing an increase in interest. I've had a few voice interest in mission trips (new voices too). I've seen new opportunities to expand our Care Team ministries. I've watched more step forward to teach. Our bulletin is about to get a new look yet again.... and then our Newsletter will be revamped. Visitors have come over the past few weeks looking for something new and different. Even our computer-crash problem might be solved (I said 'might'. Pastor Shawn is optimistic, but I've seen optimistic pastors before and know it doesn't always end well). If that isn't God speaking, I don't know what is.
How do we know God isn't ready to change us? The trick is to be flexible enough to allow God to guide us, even if it means a change in direction. That is difficult. 11 year-olds generally love life. They don't want to be hit with unexpected change. But sometimes it happens nonetheless. Indeed, it must happen if growth is to take place.
Let the Holy Spirit rage through us. The next 11 years should be rather interesting.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
p.s. Pastor Shawn will be introducing his new newsletter next Monday. He will be writing on the last Mondays of the month. I would say that it will be taking the place of the MMP. But, really, can ANYTHING take the place of the MMP? Just be kind to him. His 90-day review period isn't up yet, so he's still nervous.
Monday, January 14, 2013
I Got A New Job!!!!
Hello Emmanuel,
I'm getting a new job!!! Now before you panic (or cheer), let me assure you I am still at Emmanuel. However, I am STILL getting a new job... or at least I feel like it.
As Pastor Shawn grows into his role at Emmanuel (which he is doing extremely well), I am already feeling my role shift. I want to share this with you because it is important that as I adjust, the congregation also adjusts to the shifting opportunities that we have as a church to minister to others. For some of you, this may not be an easy adjustment. For others of you... well... feel free to jump with joy. So here is how I see the adjustments panning out:
What I Have To Quit: I went upstairs yesterday to help Mary Egan (the GriefShare Co-Leader) figure out the projector/dvd system. Pastor Shawn was already there to help her. I stood around for a few minutes feeling awkwardly unneeded. Then I realized that I shouldn't even be in the room. I have to quit pretending like I know about media stuff (and pretending isn't too far off the mark). If you have media issues, go to Pastor Shawn. If you come to me with media issues, I'll send you to Pastor Shawn.
What I Get To Do: By the end of this week I will have had more one-on-one conversations with people about how they can help be the church than I've had in the previous 6 weeks. This is significant because one of the Lead Pastor's main role is to equip servant leaders to lead. I had 2 approach me just this past Sunday wanting to talk about their role in the church. Awesome!!! If you are looking at how you might fit in the life of the church, let me know. I can put you on my calendar.
What I Have To Quit: I touch base from time to time with Small Group leaders about how their group is going. I recently had a conversation with one leader about curriculum. I had another conversation about encouraging attendance. I had another conversation about adding a new member. Managing 22 groups with this, that and the other is important. What is more important is that I help Shawn be able to do that. This one will take a bit more time because it is a bit more complex than the media ministry. So if you have Small Group/ Sunday School issue, go to Pastor Shawn. If you come to me, I will involve Pastor Shawn.
What I Get To Do: Maybe the most exciting part of my new job is helping you, the church, get ready to grow... uh... even more. I get to help ministry teams find ways to expand how they do ministry. I've already met with Trustees a couple of times, helping them experiment on how to do ministry more effectively. Over the course of this year, I will be doing the same with the Hospitality Team and any other team that needs to figure out how to do ministry in a way that involves more people. So if you are on a ministry team, expect me to meddle. Well, 'meddle' isn't a very good word to use. However, I suppose that a pastor that doesn't 'meddle' is a pastor that is content with the status quo. In case you haven't learned, that isn't me.
What I Might Do Inadvertantly: As I grow into my new job, I will need to apologize up front. Sometimes my excitement of equipping more people to do more ministry will get toes stepped on. I don't intend to be a maverick that just goes around doing my thing, expecting people of the church to move aside when I say. Most of you know I'm all about 'team'. So any 'meddling' I do wil be in tandem with a team of people, especially including any ministry leaders. However, once in a while my excitement propels me to skip the steps of connecting with ministry leaders about any possible changes. This rarely ends well. So I will do my best to help all of us stay on the same page. I'm not perfect at this. I will need grace. But I will do my best.
There is more to the list, but I'll stop now. I pray we can adjust to these changes as we move forward. I truly believe that if we can adjust well, we can live more fully into being the church God wants us to be. 'Making More Disciples' continues to be the end goal. I can't wait to see where the next curve in the road takes us.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
I'm getting a new job!!! Now before you panic (or cheer), let me assure you I am still at Emmanuel. However, I am STILL getting a new job... or at least I feel like it.
As Pastor Shawn grows into his role at Emmanuel (which he is doing extremely well), I am already feeling my role shift. I want to share this with you because it is important that as I adjust, the congregation also adjusts to the shifting opportunities that we have as a church to minister to others. For some of you, this may not be an easy adjustment. For others of you... well... feel free to jump with joy. So here is how I see the adjustments panning out:
What I Have To Quit: I went upstairs yesterday to help Mary Egan (the GriefShare Co-Leader) figure out the projector/dvd system. Pastor Shawn was already there to help her. I stood around for a few minutes feeling awkwardly unneeded. Then I realized that I shouldn't even be in the room. I have to quit pretending like I know about media stuff (and pretending isn't too far off the mark). If you have media issues, go to Pastor Shawn. If you come to me with media issues, I'll send you to Pastor Shawn.
What I Get To Do: By the end of this week I will have had more one-on-one conversations with people about how they can help be the church than I've had in the previous 6 weeks. This is significant because one of the Lead Pastor's main role is to equip servant leaders to lead. I had 2 approach me just this past Sunday wanting to talk about their role in the church. Awesome!!! If you are looking at how you might fit in the life of the church, let me know. I can put you on my calendar.
What I Have To Quit: I touch base from time to time with Small Group leaders about how their group is going. I recently had a conversation with one leader about curriculum. I had another conversation about encouraging attendance. I had another conversation about adding a new member. Managing 22 groups with this, that and the other is important. What is more important is that I help Shawn be able to do that. This one will take a bit more time because it is a bit more complex than the media ministry. So if you have Small Group/ Sunday School issue, go to Pastor Shawn. If you come to me, I will involve Pastor Shawn.
What I Get To Do: Maybe the most exciting part of my new job is helping you, the church, get ready to grow... uh... even more. I get to help ministry teams find ways to expand how they do ministry. I've already met with Trustees a couple of times, helping them experiment on how to do ministry more effectively. Over the course of this year, I will be doing the same with the Hospitality Team and any other team that needs to figure out how to do ministry in a way that involves more people. So if you are on a ministry team, expect me to meddle. Well, 'meddle' isn't a very good word to use. However, I suppose that a pastor that doesn't 'meddle' is a pastor that is content with the status quo. In case you haven't learned, that isn't me.
What I Might Do Inadvertantly: As I grow into my new job, I will need to apologize up front. Sometimes my excitement of equipping more people to do more ministry will get toes stepped on. I don't intend to be a maverick that just goes around doing my thing, expecting people of the church to move aside when I say. Most of you know I'm all about 'team'. So any 'meddling' I do wil be in tandem with a team of people, especially including any ministry leaders. However, once in a while my excitement propels me to skip the steps of connecting with ministry leaders about any possible changes. This rarely ends well. So I will do my best to help all of us stay on the same page. I'm not perfect at this. I will need grace. But I will do my best.
There is more to the list, but I'll stop now. I pray we can adjust to these changes as we move forward. I truly believe that if we can adjust well, we can live more fully into being the church God wants us to be. 'Making More Disciples' continues to be the end goal. I can't wait to see where the next curve in the road takes us.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, January 7, 2013
New Staff? Now What?
Hello Emmanuel,
Yesterday was exciting! We welcomed Pastor Shawn and his family as a new addition to Emmanuel. Now what? What new potential does this bring to Emmanuel? 2013 has much in store for us. As we expand in staff, we intend to also expand in ministry. I thought I would share my thoughts as to what I see 2013 might bring us. Here are the plans anyway... (and we all know about 'plans').....
1. More retreats! We intend to provide 4 retreats a year for various demographics. There are 2 retreats already scheduled. There will be a couples retreat on February 9th. You'll hear more about it starting Sunday, but I am guaranteeing that it will be a time and place for couples to learn more about each other, more about God, and more about what can make a relationship more loving, more vital and, yes, more fun than it already is. Whether you are struggling in your personal relationships or not, come join us. Whether you've been together for 1 year or for 51, it doesn't matter. It will be a good, enriching time.
Also, there is a women's retreat scheduled for March 2nd. All women are invited to this event. Plans are still in the works, but put it on your calendar.
2. Re-launching the Saturday worship service. Now that we have more staff, I'll be working my behind off to get more leaders equipped so that Emmanuel can sustain a 3rd service. My hope is that we can re-launch by at least the Fall. Stay tuned. And pray.
3. More Radical Hospitality. We are experimenting with a new role: Church Host. We already have one person (Chris Swofford) who has offered to be the guinea pig for this experimental role. In a nutshell, he will be specifically in charge of identifying and greeting visitors who come to worship. In addition to Church Host, I will be working with the team to explore new ways of being the hospitable church God wants us to be. Tackling the issue of parking, especially on the big days/events of the year, will be another issue delved into.
4. More Compassionate Care. Probably the biggest challenge for a church of Emmanuel's size is being attentive to the regular attenders of the church. A problematic dynamic in a growing church is that as it gets bigger, intimacy can be lost. When that family feel is lost in the worship setting, people can fall away for various reasons. Communicating illnesses and surgeries become more complicated. People may not missed when they are absent for long periods of time. Not everyone knows everyone else. As a result, sometimes the opportunity to show Care is missed. While some people are very understanding of this problematic dynamic, others can get hurt feelings. This contributes to what is known as 'The Revolving Door'. People come to the church as quickly as people drop away from the church. In my opinion, this is a big reason why it is difficult for churches to get through that dreaded '200 barrier'.
The solution? It isn't an easy one. Finding a multi-layered approach to being attentive to worshippers is the best way to go. As part of the approach, I believe Small Groups will play a very important role in part of the solution. Leaders who are involved in Small Groups will, over time, become that 'family feel' for many individuals. Leaders communicating with other leaders will be paramount when it comes to care. Because 35% of Emmanuel is involved in Small Groups, it gives us a great start!
5. I will also be looking at how teams implement ministry and considering different approaches. The purpose is to explore Emmanuel's organizational structure and function and to see if it is equipped for growth or if is only equipped for maintaining what we have now. There is already a experiment in the works with the Trustees in re-looking at how we implement ministry. As I work with them over the next few months, we may be able to develop an approach that allows for more people to be more involved in transforming lives. And the more people we can get invovled in taking ownership of being the church, the more disciples that can be made.
The list is longer, but I will stop now. There is a whole other world to be explored in Youth/Children ministries; tweaks to be made in Outreach, Missions, Finance, etc; Suffice it to say, I am excited. I feel like a new job has opened up for me and for Emmanuel. I invite you to share in my excitement.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Yesterday was exciting! We welcomed Pastor Shawn and his family as a new addition to Emmanuel. Now what? What new potential does this bring to Emmanuel? 2013 has much in store for us. As we expand in staff, we intend to also expand in ministry. I thought I would share my thoughts as to what I see 2013 might bring us. Here are the plans anyway... (and we all know about 'plans').....
1. More retreats! We intend to provide 4 retreats a year for various demographics. There are 2 retreats already scheduled. There will be a couples retreat on February 9th. You'll hear more about it starting Sunday, but I am guaranteeing that it will be a time and place for couples to learn more about each other, more about God, and more about what can make a relationship more loving, more vital and, yes, more fun than it already is. Whether you are struggling in your personal relationships or not, come join us. Whether you've been together for 1 year or for 51, it doesn't matter. It will be a good, enriching time.
Also, there is a women's retreat scheduled for March 2nd. All women are invited to this event. Plans are still in the works, but put it on your calendar.
2. Re-launching the Saturday worship service. Now that we have more staff, I'll be working my behind off to get more leaders equipped so that Emmanuel can sustain a 3rd service. My hope is that we can re-launch by at least the Fall. Stay tuned. And pray.
3. More Radical Hospitality. We are experimenting with a new role: Church Host. We already have one person (Chris Swofford) who has offered to be the guinea pig for this experimental role. In a nutshell, he will be specifically in charge of identifying and greeting visitors who come to worship. In addition to Church Host, I will be working with the team to explore new ways of being the hospitable church God wants us to be. Tackling the issue of parking, especially on the big days/events of the year, will be another issue delved into.
4. More Compassionate Care. Probably the biggest challenge for a church of Emmanuel's size is being attentive to the regular attenders of the church. A problematic dynamic in a growing church is that as it gets bigger, intimacy can be lost. When that family feel is lost in the worship setting, people can fall away for various reasons. Communicating illnesses and surgeries become more complicated. People may not missed when they are absent for long periods of time. Not everyone knows everyone else. As a result, sometimes the opportunity to show Care is missed. While some people are very understanding of this problematic dynamic, others can get hurt feelings. This contributes to what is known as 'The Revolving Door'. People come to the church as quickly as people drop away from the church. In my opinion, this is a big reason why it is difficult for churches to get through that dreaded '200 barrier'.
The solution? It isn't an easy one. Finding a multi-layered approach to being attentive to worshippers is the best way to go. As part of the approach, I believe Small Groups will play a very important role in part of the solution. Leaders who are involved in Small Groups will, over time, become that 'family feel' for many individuals. Leaders communicating with other leaders will be paramount when it comes to care. Because 35% of Emmanuel is involved in Small Groups, it gives us a great start!
5. I will also be looking at how teams implement ministry and considering different approaches. The purpose is to explore Emmanuel's organizational structure and function and to see if it is equipped for growth or if is only equipped for maintaining what we have now. There is already a experiment in the works with the Trustees in re-looking at how we implement ministry. As I work with them over the next few months, we may be able to develop an approach that allows for more people to be more involved in transforming lives. And the more people we can get invovled in taking ownership of being the church, the more disciples that can be made.
The list is longer, but I will stop now. There is a whole other world to be explored in Youth/Children ministries; tweaks to be made in Outreach, Missions, Finance, etc; Suffice it to say, I am excited. I feel like a new job has opened up for me and for Emmanuel. I invite you to share in my excitement.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, December 31, 2012
Introducing Shawn Young!!!
Hello Emmanuel,
We will be officialy introducing and welcoming the new Associate Pastor, Shawn Young. We also will be welcoming his wife Leslie and their two children, Nora and Owen, this Sunday, January 6th at both services (9:00 and 10:30). Who is Shawn? Here is a bio sketch he sent me. He invited me to edit it. It was tempting (to add stuff), but I refrained.
Shawn Young is originally from Sardinia, Ohio- a small town in Brown County. His parents brought him up in a loving home, with very little inclination as to how interesting he would become. While other kids played tag at recess, Shawn enjoyed drawing pictures in the dirt. On rainy afternoons, he would stare at encyclopedias and create tournament brackets for fight scenarios involving the cast of Sesame Street. As he got older, he sought out ways to stay unique and creative. He competed in Odyssey of the Mind, performed in school plays and marching band, and contributed to underground newsletters.
We will be officialy introducing and welcoming the new Associate Pastor, Shawn Young. We also will be welcoming his wife Leslie and their two children, Nora and Owen, this Sunday, January 6th at both services (9:00 and 10:30). Who is Shawn? Here is a bio sketch he sent me. He invited me to edit it. It was tempting (to add stuff), but I refrained.
Shawn Young is originally from Sardinia, Ohio- a small town in Brown County. His parents brought him up in a loving home, with very little inclination as to how interesting he would become. While other kids played tag at recess, Shawn enjoyed drawing pictures in the dirt. On rainy afternoons, he would stare at encyclopedias and create tournament brackets for fight scenarios involving the cast of Sesame Street. As he got older, he sought out ways to stay unique and creative. He competed in Odyssey of the Mind, performed in school plays and marching band, and contributed to underground newsletters.
Shawn has been actively involved with non-denominational Christian churches for most of his life. He graduated from Kentucky Christian College (now University), and has been on staff as a Youth Minister with a few congregations. He has also done extensive work with media. He owns Matrimoments Productions- a wedding video business- which has led to a lot of opportunities to work with creative and technical productions within the church. He also has a serious passion for discipleship, and helping to keep followers of Christ from becoming complacent in life.
Shawn and his wife, Leslie have been married for almost ten years. They have two children: Owen and Nora. As a family, they enjoy bowling and watching "The Middle." Some of Shawn's favorites: Penn Station, Back to the Future, M.C. Escher, Foo Fighters, and old board games. He gives blood when he can, he loves collecting aluminum cans (even if it means dumpster diving), he only writes with Sharpie pens, and his favorite scripture is Acts 5:33-39.
Again, Shawn will be over-seeing the ministries of Faith-Forming Relationships and Media. The largest part of his responsibilities will involve managing Small Group ministry in all its forms, but media is also a strength of his. It will be a process to get him off and running because the ministries are rather large and somewhat complex. He looks forward to getting to know you. Please take the time to introduce yourself to him and, if you are currently fulfilling a role in either FFR or Media, be sure to mention it to him.
I am personally excited about 2013 and the potential Emmanuel as created with bringing in Shawn. I'm going to have to be patient and not knock him over with my excitment. I will also have challenges as I learn to let go of some ministry that is near and dear to my heart so that I can tackle other ministry challenges that are near and dear to my heart. Pray for everyone involved. God continues to work among us.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Again, Shawn will be over-seeing the ministries of Faith-Forming Relationships and Media. The largest part of his responsibilities will involve managing Small Group ministry in all its forms, but media is also a strength of his. It will be a process to get him off and running because the ministries are rather large and somewhat complex. He looks forward to getting to know you. Please take the time to introduce yourself to him and, if you are currently fulfilling a role in either FFR or Media, be sure to mention it to him.
I am personally excited about 2013 and the potential Emmanuel as created with bringing in Shawn. I'm going to have to be patient and not knock him over with my excitment. I will also have challenges as I learn to let go of some ministry that is near and dear to my heart so that I can tackle other ministry challenges that are near and dear to my heart. Pray for everyone involved. God continues to work among us.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
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