Passing The Wind

Hello Emmanuel,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Extravagant Generosity

Hello Emmanuel,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Jack Carter Wilson Looked Me In The Eye

Hello Emmanuel,

Jack Carter Wilson looked me in the eye.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-millennials-scared-talking-phone-100000499.html

The above link is an article making the argument why talking is better than texting or emailing.  It suggests that people are nervous about talking on the phone and--with the onset of email and texting and all that other techno stuff—people are developing higher anxieties about talking on the phone. 

My first response was ‘huh?’

My second response was, ‘oh.. that makes perfect sense’. 

My third response was, ‘uh-oh’.

I wonder if the art of verbal communication is on a decline… not just slow decline, but very fast decline…. as in, crashing and burning.  Consider that a whole generation is growing up as texters.  Kids and young adults (and some parents) are making thousands of texts every month, typing more words out than come out of their mouths.  Forget email.  Email is old school.  Texting is how you get to know someone today.  Kids will text each other while in the same room (called ‘nexting’). 

But Jack Carter Wilson looked me in the eye.

Now before you peg me as the old, grumpy guy who complains about kids now days, we adults are not without a part in all of this.  I am of the email generation.  I saw the transition from envelopes and stamps to email addresses.  I liked it.  It was faster and more efficient.  This is the same argument that texters today will make.

My concern is the art of verbal communication.  There is more to communication than the words we use.  There is voice fluctuations that sometimes say more than the words.  Texting, for example, ruins my use of sarcasm.  You can’t tell from my text if I’m serious or if I’m joking entirely (and I’ve got myself into trouble more than once in such a manner). 

Why is this bothering me?  It has to do with why and how God wants us to establish relationships with one another.  I baptized Jack Wilson yesterday with Holy water, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The whole time he looked me in the eye.  Understand, please, that Jack is a toddler.  He likely had no idea why I put water on his head.  But he looked me in the eye those whole 8 seconds.  He was communicating something to me and I, him.  It was a moment that I rarely have with baptisms.  The eye contact was a holy moment for me.

You can’t text those kind of holy moments.  Which leads me to wonder what other interactions we have with each other that are not ‘textable’.  And how does that help or hinder us from making Disciples of Jesus Christ.

I’m all for technology.  Texting is a great tool.  However, I invite you to think about when it may be better to use a more personable communication tool (like talking or looking) to get a point across.  If you do, you might capture a holy moment that you’d otherwise miss.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Agents of God's Holy Call

Hello Emmanuel,

Our space is getting used.  And when I say ‘used’, I mean more than just on Sundays.  Every so often I will get a regular attender who just happens to drive by the church during the week and tells me, ‘I drove by the church on [pick your day] and the parking lot was near full!!  Did I miss something?’

The quick answer is ‘yes’.  When the merge between 1^st UMC and Olive Branch UMC happened, I’m not sure what discussions took place regarding the use of the new and renovated space.  However, I am confident that the visionaries that pictured who and what Emmanuel would be used for would be pleased.  The open-door policy for non-profit organizations has developed a very positive picture of the church in the community’s eyes.  People are coming and people are experiencing God’s presence in many different ways.  Add the 9 community groups that use the space with the many events that Emmanuel organizes and it is safe to say that the space is not going to waste.  It’s a good thing.  I think it is a God thing.  The result is that we do make disciples of Christ. 

We continue to allow non-profits to use the space, although now the challenge is scheduling….. something that we have managed well so far (though the pastor has recurring nightmares about unforeseen scheduling conflicts).  But please understand.  There is a price to be paid.  There are risks to be taken with such a policy.

The upkeep of the space is ultimately the role of the Trustees.  There is cost to overseeing the sacred space of which God has put us in charge.  I bring this up because the end of May marks a significant point in time regarding the sacred space.

Since the new building was put up, there has been a drive to help pay for the cost of the building.  There has been pledge periods grouped in 3 years each.  Every 3 years members have been asked to pledge an amount of giving over the next 3 years to reach a certain goal.  The past 3-year pledge period has raised about $90,000.  It has helped us stay true to our responsibility as stewards of God’s space.

Staring June 1^st, another pledge period begins and will run through May of 2018.  Our goal is to raise $100,000 over the next 3 years.  If everyone who is currently giving pledges the same amount for the next 3 years, we will already have over $80,000 of our goal (keep in mind that this is separate than the regular tithe).

So you are going to hear me talk about money at some point in May.  But you are also going to hear from people who are thankful that Emmanuel is an outreaching and inviting church to the community.  You are also going to hear about how opening our doors started the process of opening people’s hearts to God.  You are also going to hear, once again, the story of the church who went from being hopeful, to being excited, to being agents of God’s holy Call.

I invite you to consider making a pledge to our Building Hope campaign.  If you would like to or if you have any quesitons, email me at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com or call me at 833-5219. 

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

You Are Getting Noticed!

Hello Emmanuel,

Emmanuel is getting noticed.  Your Lay Leader Muriel Cunningham and I are traveling to Columbus on Thursday to meet with the Cabinet.  The Cabinet is a West Ohio Conference Ministry team made up of the 8 District Superintendents and the Bishop.  Muriel and I are going to have lunch with them because they want to know how a church the size of Emmanuel can have so many people involved in missions.

I’m not going to lie.  This is very cool.

It is cool for a couple of different reasons.  First, this is very affirming for Emmanuel.  Healthy churches attract the good kind of attention.  When people who want more churches to be healthy start asking, ‘how do you do that?’ then it affirms that we must be doing the right kinds of things.  Very cool.

Second, it is an opportunity for Emmanuel to expand our Vision—to not just focus on ‘making disciples of Jesus Christ’ at our local church level, but help others make disciples of Christ at their local church level.  We become a teaching church as well as a disciple-making church.  Very cool.

We have around 100 people involved in mission work throughout the year.  The combination of people giving and people serving allows Emmanuel to connect with the lives of so many people who have basic needs being unmet.  As I started compiling the list of all that we do, I became amazed again at the heart that Emmanuel has.  We define mission as ‘Go and Help’.  Here is our list.  If I’ve missed something, let me know.  I probably have.

Missions Team                                               

Traveling Pantry                                             

Inter Parish Ministry pantry                                       

IPM cart                                                         

Jackson Seed Ministry                                                                                   

Teen Challenge                                              

Clermont County Senior Citizens      

Saul’s/YWCA - Bare Necessities                                          

Saul’s Homeless Shelter – shoeboxes

Saul’s Homeless Shelter – food                                 

Back-To-School Bash                                    

Christmas Angel Tree                                    

School Dance  Groups                                               

Home School Groups                                     

Prison Ministry                                               

County Coalition Drug free                           

Camperships                                                   

UMW Fund Raising

Bake Me Home

Summer Impact

30-Hour Famine

Build-A-Bear – Ronald McDonald House

Mission trips – Columbia, Haiti, Russia, Mexico, Ireland, Kentucky

How does this happen?  It takes more than just having the heart of Christ.  I think it takes 3 things:  visioning, process and leadership.  I won’t go into the details here for fear of writing a book, but communicating a clear vision is the start.  Having a well-defined process helps ministry get implemented.  And, of course, you need a few chiefs to take charge and make decisions.  I believe Emmanuel has all 3.  Very cool!

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Teenagers And Our World Relgions

Hello Emmanuel,

I have a theory about the lack of young adults in churches today.  It is well documented that the 18-30 year-old demographic in churches across denominations is lacking.  Gaining momentum in Young Adult ministries is difficult as well.  So why is this?  Some might say that young people are strapped for time and money or that they are simply more mobile than ever before.  Here is my theory:

It starts with how the Church ministers to young teens.  As children enter their teen years, the Church does not adjust well to their development of independent thinking.  We expect a 14 year-old to react to a Sunday School teacher’s lesson the same as a 6 year-old might.  6 year-olds will more likely assume the teacher is smart and wise and knows all the answers.

Teenagers?  Not so much.

The Church needs to be equipped to answer tough theological questions that, if answered poorly, threaten the basis for our Faith.  Who is God?  How do you know the Bible is true?  How does this Trinity thing make sense?  Who did Adam and Eve’s kids marry?

As teens get older, we get less smart and not-so-wise in their eyes.  We need to be ready to give answers that help them explore their Faith, not minimize it.  We need to stop trying to act like we have all the answers and explore our Faith with them.  If not, they will wise up and realize that we don’t have all the answers.  And when they do, it will discredit the Church in their eyes.

The Youth are learning about other religions as part of their Sunday School program.  They are even visiting other houses of worship.  This can make some of us grown-ups nervous.  Why?  Well I think it is because we are sometimes afraid of what they might think.  We know they are thinking more independently.  What if they like Catholicism?  And, heaven… er….  Methodists forbid…. What if they like the Mosque? 

I believe education is a good thing…. As long as we are by the side of the youth and think alongside of them, we can explore Faith with them and show them why we are where we are… at Emmanuel United Methodist Church.  If we do not, when the teen turns 19, 20, 24, 26 years old, they will go off on their own and explore on their own.   They WILL find out that our way is not the only way.  And, often times, the reason for the Young Adult to leave the church is that they have felt tricked to believe a certain way throughout their childhood.  And as some of you know, they WILL exercise their independence.

So if the Young Adult is going to leave the Church, let them do so after we struggle in the faith with them as they are a teen.  Let’s not try to hide the rest of the religious world from them and get them to assume our way is the only right way (some call that ‘brainwashing’).  Let’s have open discussions with them and be the kind of teacher that isn’t afraid of the hard questions.  My theory is that the Good News is Good enough.  We don’t have to embellish it or pretend that it is better than it is.  If we are honest and vulnerable and faithful with our young people as they grow into adulthood then that is all God is asking of us.  And when it is time for them to be on their own, they will make their decisions, which is going to be true if we walk with them or not.

Let’s trust that God will speak to all of us in the Church, including our teenagers.  We can’t make them believe like we do.  But I can’t make you believe like I do either.  And yet God’s love and grace will be revealed to their hearts in time.  Let our conversations with them allow it to be revealed sooner rather than later.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Easter Exhale

Hello Emmanuel,

For those of you who don’t know, this is a big day for me…. No, not Opening Day… 

It’s the Easter Exhale.

Starting way back on Ash Wednesday, churches everywhere start the slow build-up to Easter morning.  It starts with a clear admittance to needing God and ends with a clear declaration of salvation by resurrection.  In between is this sense of anticipation that starts soft, but gets louder with each passing Sunday.  By the end, it is this roar of expectation.  Pastors want Easter to go just right…. to not allow Lent to end with some anti-climactic thud…. But to help people see and feel the miracle in their personal lives.  So much pressure, right?

And then Monday gets here and we let out a big sigh of relief.  It’s as if Easter hinges on how we implement our roles as Church leaders.  And when it is over, we feel we can relax a bit.  ‘Whew!  Jesus rose from the dead again this year!  Made it through another one!’

I often amuse myself.  Certainly, I don’t want to minimize my role.  As Pastor, I am in charge of getting the right ears in the right places to hear the right story.  And then I need to be prepared to listen to the hearts of others and fill any needs of hope and love where they are absent.

However, is the Easter Exhale really necessary?  I try to remind myself that the Good News is Good enough.  Does it need much embellishment?  Do we church leaders really need to work hard at helping the Good News look Good?  Or do we see ourselves as a little too important at times?

I don’t always know the answer to the above questions.  On one side is a sovereign God whose story is etched in stone (or printed on paper) through the eons and has trumped any human effort to silence its effects.  On the other side is the human tendency to become desensitized to the miraculous triumph of Christ and yawn through another Easter morning. 

Somewhere in the middle of the two sides is the church whose job it is to proclaim the miracle.  The church finds itself on this balance between seeing itself as the important messenger of God, but not seeing itself as so important that it becomes the Message.  Maybe that is why it is tiring work for me.  Striking that balance is not always so easy. 

So this Easter season I will exhale again.  But in the midst of exhaling, let’s not lose perspective on who we are and our role.  We must continue to reach out, welcome, inspire, teach and send forth.  We need to find new and innovative ways to keep from becoming desensitized to a Divine message of new life.  And as we do so, let’s keep our eyes on the Divine as the humble servants we are called to be. 

Another Easter Sunday has passed.  God is the Good One.  Let’s point people to Him.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe