The Daily Grind

I have felt this week like I'm living a bit in a rut. I'm not sure why. I have done some different things. On Monday evening I went with my brother-in-law Rob to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I really enjoyed it. I have had some meetings in and out of the office that are different from my regular routine. Yesterday I got to have lunch with two of my co-workers. We approved a new Habitat Partner Family on Tuesday. I have received some new applications for Habitat home ownership. Yet, with all of this I have felt like I'm in a rut.
I think the rut is not so much my daily routine with work but more in my spiritual life. I am feeling a bit distant from God. I recognize that God hasn't moved so it must be me. I am working on getting involved in a small group at my church. I think this will help. However, I wonder if there isn't something else I need to doing to nurture my spirit and relationship with God. I wish I had an answer.
The good thing is that usually when I'm feeling like this, God has lessons for me to learn if I pay attention. It feels like something is just around the bend and I need to prepare myself for whatever might be coming. While I don't know what's going to happen, I trust that God does know. It's that sense of trust that will sustain me through this time of feeling like I'm caught in the daily grind in life.
I am ever grateful for God's presence and love in my life. I am also grateful for your willingness to be a part of my journey!

House Dedication

This evening I traveled to Batavia, Ohio in Clermont County for the house dedication for one of our Habitat Partner Families. It was a huge blessing for me to be there as it always is. This is a family of eight people that includes a mom, a dad, and six boys. I am always impressed whenever I am with this family. The boys are extremely well-mannered and a joy to be around.
What impresses me most about this family is the love and support shown by their church family. There were several of their church members in attendance at the dedication along with their pastor who led the devotion. One of their fellow church members gave a testimony about the kindness that our Habitat Partner Family had shown him when he was in need. Throughout the entire Partnership process, even when it didn't seem like it was ever going to happen, this family faced adversity with joy and great faith. They knew that God had wonderful plans for them and their new house is a living testimony to their faith and perseverance.
Everyone who participated in the house dedication did a great job and God used them to share God's love and give witness to the work of God that had been accomplished in the building of this house. It was a time to thank God for the all of the time and energy of the volunteers and gifts of the donors. It was also a time to offer prayers and praise to the God who calls us to kingdom work. I found myself tearing up several times during the service. As always, I felt honored to be a part of the miracle that is Habitat for Humanity.
I ask for your prayers for this family. We are so close to being done with their house but there are several hoops that we still need to jump through before we will be able to close. There are some construction things that still need to be done. There are also some grant applications that need to be completed. We will have to make sure all the bills are paid and the final sale cost is established. We also need to work with the attorneys so that they can prepare the closing documents.
In the meantime, this family is still living in substandard conditions in a house that too small for them. Also, the boys will be starting school in the coming weeks and in the midst of all of that transition, the family will have to think about packing and moving. So, this is certainly going to be a stressful time and one that will test their patience. Soon, though, they will be able to realize their dream.
Another family is about to move from horrible living conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home. They will sign their closing documents, receive the keys to their new home, and God will be honored. Then we will move on to give the next Partner Family a hand up out of poverty housing and the mission and ministry will continue.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

An Answer to Prayers

I am really excited this evening. I just got off the phone with someone from my church who works with the small group program. I shared earlier on this blog that I have been wanting to get more involved and have felt called to be a part of a small group. The man from my church invited me to help launch and lead a new small group.
This sounds like just the kind of ministry that I love. I also am grateful for the opportunity to get to know more people in my church. Being the introvert that I am, I have really not branched out much beyond attending worship for the past year. So, connecting to a small group will really be good for me.
I ask for your prayers as I go through the training and orientation. I also ask for your prayers for those who I have yet to meet who will be a part of my small group. I look forward to growing faith with them.
I know God is up to something good in all of this. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Matt

I received word today that a man who was a part of the last congregation that I pastored in Indiana had passed away today. When I received the news, I started to cry. I received the news at the end of a particularly hard day and so I think the tears flowed more freely than they might have on another. Yet, even as I cried, I also felt a kind of deep assurance that even though this was the end of Matt's life in this life, it was not the end of Matt's eternal life.
When I first met Matt, I'm not sure he wanted much to do with me. At least that's how it seemed to me as a pastor who visited his hospital room. I was asked by a friend of Matt's wife to visit Matt in the hospital. I was always a bit uncomfortable doing this. Being the introvert that I am, I always felt weird barging into a stranger's hospital room. I was never sure if I would be welcomed or not. Some people would enjoy having me visit. Some people didn't want to have me anywhere near them. Some people would politely tolerate me. Still others would get very agitated or upset when they saw me. I guess they thought that if the pastor was coming, they were going to get bad news about their medical condition.
Matt suffered from diabetes. It was the kind of diabetes that caused Matt to eventually lose both of his legs. At the time that I first visited him, I think he had just had a surgery and was recovering in the hospital from that. Our conversation was brief and consisted of only few words.
I don't remember if I prayed with Matt at that time. This was often a confusing thing for some people to know how to respond when I asked if I could pray with them. Matt was not really a church person, so I'm certain if he did invite me to pray with him, it was not the most natural thing for him to experience. I remember thinking that if I was in Matt's position of having my body parts amputated that I'm not sure I would want to talk to God. In fact, my guess is that Matt was pretty mad at God at that time. At least that was my perception.
I remember that I visited Matt again several months later when he was in the hospital for another surgery or procedure. While he was still kind of gruff around the edges, he seemed to tolerate my visit better than the first time. I remember that our conversation was a bit longer and he seemed more cordial. I was also probably more at ease because I had met him before.
While I believe that God was at work in Matt's heart and life through all of his health problems, I'm not sure that Matt realized this and I'm not sure I really could see it happening. I think I was going to visit Matt out of a sense of obligation to Matt's wife's friend who was one of my congregation members. I still felt uncomfortable doing it and I think Matt was uncomfortable having me visit.
Several more months later, I visited Matt again in the hospital. He had fallen and broken a bone in his leg. This was not good. I think the doctors were trying to figure out a way to save his leg. During this visit Matt seemed both discouraged and more open to my visit. We talked more and I remember praying with him and he seemed to really appreciate it.
After this, Matt went to stay in a rehab facility for an extended period. They tried to build up his strength and help him to keep his leg. One day during this period, I had a craving for Chinese food. One of my favorite Chinese buffets was over near the rehab center where Matt was staying. After eating some wonderful Chinese food, I felt like God was nudging me to stop in and see Matt.
On this day Matt seemed really glad to see me. He smiled as we talked. His spirit seemed really light. He had a real look of peace about him. He shared that he had been attending a Bible study at the rehab center and that he was learning a lot. He had a lot of questions about the Bible and wanted to learn more. He then shared with me that he felt he was ready to accept Jesus into his heart. He asked if I would pray with him as he did that.
I was both humbled and filled with joy as I joined him in this most holy of moments in his life. When we were done praying, he said he felt a peace like he had never felt before in his life. He looked as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Whatever was happening with his physical body didn't seem to matter as much any more. He was truly a new creation in Christ.
After that, I got some men from the church to go with me and we would hold Bible studies in Matt's room at the rehab center. We would talk and discuss life and the Scriptures and I learned and grew as did the others who joined us. Matt always seemed eager to learn and grow in his new found faith in Christ.
When Matt got to finally go home, we moved the Bible study to his house. I remember that he lived on the other side of county from where I lived and it was quite a trek to get to his house. I would sometimes grumble about the time and energy it took to do this Bible study. However, I always felt renewed after I attended these Bible studies. Matt's willingness to learn and grow always reminded me of why we were doing what we were doing.
I realize now that those were times when I really felt like the church was at its best. We were being the church to Matt but he was also a vital part of the Body of Christ as we talked and joked and studied together. He was in ministry to and with us. This was exactly the way the church began. Those first Christians met in people's homes for study, worship, support, and fellowship. In fact, I often got more out of these home Bible studies at Matt's house than I did leading Sunday morning worship for a congregation made up of many people who were more focused on preserving irrelevant traditions than truly living as disciples of Jesus Christ. Matt was definitely Jesus to me in some deep and abiding ways that I don't think I will fully understand until I see him in heaven.
When I received the email telling me about Matt's death from my friend Mari, she quoted our friend Kathy who said about Matt's passing, “We all know where Matt is now because Kevin led him to Lord.” When I read those words, I used about three tissues as I broke down and cried some more.
I don't know how much leading I really did, but I do feel that God allowed me to get a craving for Chinese food and then led me to stop in on that most important of days in Matt's journey in this world. I do feel God was able to use me in some way to reach out to Matt and offer him the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. It was a day that forever changed Matt's heart and life. It was a day on which all the company of heaven was cheering him on and celebrating his new faith in Jesus.
As I write this blog entry, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for Matt and his life that helped to change my heart and life. It was truly an honor to journey with him for the short time that I did. I know there is a big celebration going on in heaven today as Matt is welcomed into the presence of God. I can just see him running on new legs into the loving arms of Jesus as he hears the words "Well done, Matt! My good and faithful servant!"
Thank you Matt for showing me the power of God's life-changing grace! I look forward to the day when we meet again at the feet of Jesus.
I invite you to join me in praying for Matt's family as they journey through this time of grief.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Wild and Busy Day

Today was my first day back at work after being off for an extended weekend. The best thing I can say about my day is that I am glad it's over. I guess that's not really true. There were some really cool moments. One really great thing happened this morning. I traveled to Oxford, Ohio to orient a new Family Advocate. Advocates journey with our Partner Families from the time they are accepted as Partner Families until a year after they close on their homes. It's one of the most rewarding and can be one of most challenging volunteer positions within our Habitat affiliate. I really enjoyed spending time with this new Advocate this morning. I am always filled with gratitude when new people step forward to serve in this way.
The hard work started when I got back to the office. My desk was piled with a stack of papers. My inbox was filled to the brim. My voicemail box had several messages to which I needed to respond. As I sat down at my desk, I began to feel overwhelmed by it all. We have two wall raisings and a house dedication coming up this month and I am wondering how I'm going to get everything done. I felt like should stay until midnight to try to get caught up. However, I only stayed until about six because my brain was fried.
The good thing is that tomorrow is a new day. I know there are at least two new applications waiting for me to process. These always hold great hope for me when I get to read over them and come alongside families who dream of owning a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also realize that I don't have to do all of my work alone. I am a part of a wonderful team of staff members who support me and help me to deal with the challenges that I face. I also know that there are volunteers like the Family Advocate I met with today who are dedicated and who want to see families succeed as home owners. I also realize that I believe in a God Who goes before me and loves me and lifts me up when it feels like I can't go on.
When I think about all of these signs of grace in my life, that stack of papers on my desk doesn't seem so high or scary.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Mother's Day and Birthday Celebration

I was so glad to be back in worship at my church this morning. I was grateful to hear my pastor preach and grateful for the music. The children's choir sang along with the adult choir and they were both wonderful. We sang Love Divine, All Loves Excelling which is one of my favorite hymns. It was just a good morning to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
In his sermon this morning, the pastor shared the following list of things that you would never hear your mom say:


1. "How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?"


2. "Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too"


3. "Just leave all the lights on ... it makes the house look more cheery"


4. "Let me smell that shirt---- Yeah, it's good for another week"


5. "Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I'll be glad to feed and walk him every day"


6. "Well, if Timmy's mom says it's OK, that's good enough for me."


7. "The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It's not like I'm running a prison around here."


8. "I don't have a tissue with me ... just use your sleeve"


9. "Don't bother wearing a jacket - the wind-chill is bound to improve"

I definitely never heard my Mom say any of these things and probably never will. Oh well, happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

I also want to wish my nephew Cameron a happy eighth birthday.While his birthday party this year was slightly calmer than the year we went to Chuck-E-Cheese's or Pump It Up, it was still pretty loud and very sticky. I hope that he had a great day. Happy birthday Cameron! I love you!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Last Writing Class

Tonight was the last session of my writing class. This was actually the last session of the last class in the series of three classes I have been enrolled in since last fall. It has been a long road. I have learned a lot. I realize how much I still have to learn. I was inspired. I was empowered. I laughed a lot. I got to meet some really wonderful people.
I am glad to have a break from the homework and assignments. However, I will also miss being with my fellow classmates. I am looking forward to getting together with them this summer for some informal sessions. We have decided to continue meeting on a monthly basis for a while to hold one another accountable in our writing and to share with others what we have written.
I am ever grateful that God led me to this series of classes. I am grateful that God allowed my path to cross with the paths of my classmates. I am also grateful for the ways in which I have grown as a writer.
I hope and pray that I will have the motivation to continue forward writing my novel. I feel that I have a gift to share with the world and maybe one day I will have the honor of doing that through the written word. What a wonderful blessing that would be.
I keep you informed as I continue to learn and grow through the gift of writing. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

An Even Better Day of Learning

I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend the national Habitat for Humanity conference. Today was even better than today for me. Yesterday, I picked up a few new things and found affirmation in what we are already doing in our family services program at TriState Habitat for Humanity. Today I learned a whole bunch of new stuff. I found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed as I tried to take it all in. I'm glad that I can go on the Habitat website for staff and volunteers to find all of the information that has been presented.
One of the best workshops was on diversity in family selection. I realize now that this is an area that we really need to work on at TriState Habitat for Humanity. Our diversity has been very limited and we need to reach out to families in communities that we are not reaching. I'm not sure how this is going to happen but I am determined to figure it out. It feels a bit daunting, but I know that there are families who are in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. I know that I am going to have to overcome some of my own prejudices and assumptions in order for this to happen. I am really going to need God's help in this.
We have one more session tomorrow and then we are headed home. I ask for your prayers for safe travel home. I also ask your prayers for wisdom and endurance as I work to implement what I've learned in my work with TriState Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

O Taste and See

O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

- Psalm 34:8, NRSV

I have a confession to make. I did not really feel like attending worship this morning. I overslept and then was rushing around trying to get ready to leave. I knew that I probably was going to be late and I hate being late for worship. It's ironic that for fifteen years I was usually the first one at the church and the last one to leave the building. Now, I usually fly in at the last minute. So, when I thought I was going to be late, I wanted to just go back to bed and forget the whole thing.
However, thankfully I decided to head to worship. I made it there just in time. The organist was playing the prelude as I walked in.
The sermon was great and spoke to my heart and life. The choir was awesome again today. The most powerful part of the service for me was the celebration of Holy Communion. I heard the words of the Great Thanksgiving again and with new ears. The liturgy made the reference to Psalm 34:8 - "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Then we sang the song Taste and See from The Faith We Sing hymnal supplement. It was a holy moment for me.
I am so grateful for God's grace that gave me the nudge to join my brothers and sisters in worship today. I felt renewed and empowered and ready for another week of work and ministry. Communion was truly a time for me to communion with the living God. Once again Jesus invited me to His table of love and forgiveness. It was a welcome means of grace for me to experience in my life.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Dead Battery

It got really cold here in the Cincinnati area over night. Most of the schools in the area were cancelled for a second day in a row. I didn't pay that much attention to the weather last night before going to bed. They said the temperature was going to drop and I was just glad it wasn't one of my days to walk. Well, when I woke up it was 8 degrees and with the windchill it felt even colder.
I went through my morning routine and bundled up to head out to my car. I got in my car to start it up and it wouldn't start. It kind of groaned and then nothing else happened. I called my Dad to ask him advice on what I should do. When it comes to cars, I am clueless.
I called my friend Karen who graciously came to my apartment and picked me up and took me to work. She was a real blessing to me. She also ran me to the bank at lunch time. (Today was pay day for us.) Then she dropped me off back at home at the end of the day.
After work, my brother-in-law Rob and nephew Cameron came over to my apartment and Rob jumped my car. We got it started and then I drove it to the car repair shop. Thankfully they were able to get my car in to take a look at it right away. Rob waited while they did the repairs and Cameron was very patient while they waited although I think he was bored.
They determined that I needed a new battery. They had one in stock and were able to install it right then. I was on my way in about an hour.
I have been feeling very grateful this evening for all of the ways in which God took care of me today. I really panic when something goes wrong with my car. Without transportation, I feel helpless. However, God made a way and helped me to move beyond my panic.
I was forced to reach out to others and ask for help which I don't like to do. I like to think of myself as self-sufficient. I want to be independent and live life on my own terms. But that is not how God meant for us to live. As much as I like to lead a hermit-like life, I recognized again today that I need community. I need the support of others to make it in life.
I needed the guidance that my Dad gave to me about what I should do about my car. I needed my friend Karen to get me back and forth to work and the bank. I needed my brother-in-law Rob to come and jump my car. I needed the expertise of the mechanics at the repair shop to figure out what the problem was. I needed all of these people just to make it through this one day. I thank God that each one of them were willing to help me and remind me that I don't have to do life alone.
So, on this cold winter's night, I'm thankful for my new battery and a car that runs. I'm thankful for friends and family who love me enough to help me. I'm grateful that there are people who love to work on cars and fix things. I'm grateful for the job that I have that allows me to earn money to pay the bill for the repairs. I'm grateful for the lessons that God taught me through the dead battery.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

An Inescapable Network of Mutuality

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

Sunday Night

It's Sunday night. There was a time in my life when I didn't really like Sunday nights all that much because I dreaded Monday mornings at work. However, that is certainly not the case for me now. I love my job. I love the work that I have the privilege of doing every day. I get to serve the poor and help families to realize their dreams of home ownership through the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity. I enjoy the people with whom I work. I am blessed to be in this place at this time. While I'm still not a morning person and probably never will be one, I don't mind Mondays. In fact, I look forward to getting back to the work to which God has called me.
As I sat down to make this blog entry, I began thinking about other times in my life when Sunday nights were a totally different experience for me. When I was serving in the local church, Sunday nights often meant youth group meetings at the church. After being exhausted by the events of Sunday mornings, I would make my way back to the church for youth group. I was never a very good youth leader. I was better one-on-one with youth. I tried my best but I often messed up a whole bunch in relating to youth.
In college, Sunday evenings were worship time at the Ball State University Wesley Foundation campus ministry that I attended. It was a time to connect with friends, hear the Word proclaimed, and sing praises to God. We also often had a Bible study after worship. Sometimes we would get together and go out for dinner after worship. I have a lot of good memories from those days of just hanging out with Christian friends.
Sunday evenings when I was a teenager were always filled with youth activities. Our church youth group usually had Sunday evening meetings. We had a great youth group and I rarely missed a youth meeting. We would do all kinds of fun things and even learn stuff along the way. It was a great time to connect with my friends and it was this youth group that helped me to grow in my faith and understanding of who I am and Whose I am. After years of serving as a youth leader, I am even more grateful for those patient youth leaders who gave of their time (and my guess is some of their sanity) to lead our church youth group. I know there is a special place in heaven for those folks.
I also remember the years before I was old enough to attend youth group. Sunday night was the night for watching television shows with my family like The Wonderful World of Disney, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Hardy Boys, Mork and Mindy, and CHiPs. These were the shows we would talk about with our friends on Monday mornings at school.
Some of my best memories of Sunday nights when I was growing up were of Sunday evening dinners. It was the one night of the week that we got to eat with the television on. The rest of the week, we all sat at the dinner table together as a family and we were not allowed to have the television or radio on during this time. However, on Sunday nights, these rules were thrown out the window and we often sat at TV trays on the couch and watched TV. The menu was usually something like pizza or hot dogs with French fries. I always thought I was so cool to be able to eat with the television on. Of course, now, I seem to eat most of my dinners with the television on. In fact, I'm pretty sure my parents also eat in front of the television now. I guess the old rules have gone out the window in their retirement years.
Sunday nights have been a mixture of business and blessing, entertainment and engagement. Right now in my life Sundays nights are not too exciting. I usually watch a movie on Netflix or read. Sunday nights are a time to prepare for the coming week. I now get to lay low and enjoy the blessings of rest that are a part of my weekends since I left parish ministry. And, like this evening, I am grateful for time to remember the good memories of Sunday nights gone by.
I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday evening. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Encouragement

One of the only ways that I am going to make it through the training program in preparation for walking the half-marathon is through the encouragement of others. If I were trying to do this myself, I don't think I would follow through with it. I have a very hard time motivating myself. However, when I know that others are counting on me or that I am a part of something bigger than just me, then it seems easier for me to do what I need to do. I guess this is why many people find life changing results in twelve step groups. It's hard to try to overcome an addiction by yourself. Having others who know what you're going through seems to really help.
So, tonight I'm giving God thanks for friends and family who love me enough to encourage me in my journey. Part of that encouragement may also mean holding me accountable when I don't do what I'm supposed to do. I sometimes just need a swift kick in the rear in order to get me motivated. I am also thankful that there are people in my life who will tell me the truth and who will not let me whine (too much).
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Whirlwind Weekend

It's been quite a weekend for me that is just ending this Monday night. I traveled on Saturday morning to Mishawaka, Indiana (my home town) for the visitation and funeral of my friend Ian's dad. Thanks to my friend Mari who let me stay at her home and fed me and watched movies with me.
Ian, his wife Sheri, and I all grew up on the same block in Mishawaka. My family moved to Mishawaka when I was about 4 years old and I guess I've known Ian since then. Sheri's family moved into the neighborhood when I was around twelve years old. They built a house on the vacant lot on our block. (I'm still not over this but that is a story for another day.)
I used to occasionally be a sub on the paper route through our neighborhood and I have fond memories of doing the paper route with Ian. I will never forget the hot summer afternoons when we would take a break along the paper route and get a can of pop for 10 cents at the gas station that was at the corner of Lincoln Way and Delorenzi Avenue. Those were good times.
I did a lot of thinking on the drive home today about growing up in my neighborhood. I don't know if there are neighborhoods like that any more. Times are certainly different people don't seem to know their neighbors any more. I know this is true for me. I'm not even sure if I would recognize all of the people who live in my apartment building.
I invite you to join me in praying for Ian and Sheri and their family. I know the coming days and weeks will be hard especially during this holiday season.
I also finished up my writing class tonight. There's more to share about that but I'm tired and ready for bed.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Welcomed into a New Church Home

This morning I had the honor and privilege of being welcomed into a new church home at the church I have been attending. While I couldn't take the membership vows since United Methodist clergy are members of Annual Conferences, the pastors did invite me to stand before the congregation along with the others who became members. It was a very nice service and a very meaningful time for me.
After the service, we stood in the front of the sanctuary and people came up and welcomed us to the congregation. It was very nice to be able to meet some of the leaders and other members in the life of the congregation. I felt a real sense of being welcomed into a church family. Some might question how this is possible in such a large church (about 3,000 members). For me it all comes down to the spiritual DNA of the church. This is a regional church and so many people are from someplace else. They know what it means to be a stranger in the city and they take the time to welcome newcomers in Christian fellowship.
I am really looking forward to getting involved in ministry in the life of the church. I feel as if God has led me to this community of faith at this time in my journey and I want to give my very best to helping the church to expand its mission and ministry.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Family Recruitment Event

I ask for your prayers for a family recruitment event that TriState Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring tomorrow evening. I will be facilitating the event in Bethel, Ohio. It's an opportunity for families interested in TriState Habitat for Humanity's home ownership program to ask questions, receive an application, and get a start on completing an application. We don't usually have a huge turnout at these events but it does give us a chance to connect to a few families and spend some time with people who may need some extra encouragement to apply for our program.
I really enjoy these public meetings because it gives me the opportunity to talk about the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity and meet potential applicants. I also enjoy being able to encourage people to take the next step in their journey towards realizing their dreams of home ownership. I get really inspired when I see people talk about the possibility that they one day might be home owners.
I am hoping and praying that those who need to be at this meeting will show up.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Church Orientation Class

I attended the second and last orientation class at my new church home. It was again a great experience. I felt inspired and very excited as I heard more about the church's ministries and future dreams. I feel like I am coming to the church at a really exciting time. There is change in the air and under the leadership of the pastors, I think that the church is poised to make an even larger impact in Cincinnati and in the world.
Today we talked about the expectations of church membership. We also learned more about the church's specific ministries in Cincinnati and around the world. All of the activities and opportunities for service and witness make my head spin. It seems as if God is up to some wonderful things as they move forward into the future.
I also got a chance to talk with one of the associate pastors who shared some about her ministry and plans that she has to help the congregation members care for one another. She told about a life-changing prayer ministry that is helping to transform the church and people's hearts. Her story really touched my heart.
After the orientation, three of us stayed around for a tour of the building and grounds. I must say, it is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen. It's a Gothic revival design built in the 1920's. There are some really amazing stories connected with the church. What I most love about it, is the church building is not treated like a museum piece but it is used nearly every day of the week. As ministry has changed, the congregation has not been afraid to make changes to their building in order to adapt to new ways of reaching people for Christ. We also learned on the tour that just last year, the congregation was able to get the building on the National Register of Historic Places. It's truly a wonderful building that is a useful tool for helping people to grow in their faith. I really love worshipping there.
I am very excited about the opportunities that I will have for ministry in this new church home. It's a great place to be and I look forward to meeting more people and sharing my gifts with this community of faith.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Introduction to a New Church Home

I am very excited as I sit down to write this blog entry. I returned a few hours ago from an orientation session for the church that I have been attending for the last few months. It was a wonderful experience for me. I was able to meet three of the pastors and two of the program staff members. There were about 20 people who were in attendance to learn more about the church and its ministries. This is a part of their membership class series. While I can't join the church (United Methodist pastors belong to Annual Conferences rather than local churches), they did allow me to attend this series of classes so that I could learn more about the church and discern how I might best use my gifts to serve in the life of the church.
As I listened to the pastors and staff speak, I was filled with a sense of confirmation from God that this is the right place at the right time for me in my journey. It's hard to put into words but I felt as if I had found a church in which I could participate and my gifts would be put to good use and I would find a community of Christians who would support and challenge me in my journey.
One of the things that I have been wrestling with about attending this church is that it's a bit of a drive for me. It's 25 miles one way and I was worried about how I would really be able to participate in ministry other than on Sunday mornings. Driving 30-45 minutes (depending on traffic) to church is something that I have never really done before. I know that sounds like an excuse, but I guess I was worried I would be seen by those living in the church's neighborhood as some outsider who simply commutes in for worship and then leaves never to be seen again until the next Sunday. However, as I began to meet the people who were attending the class, I found out that it is truly a regional church. People drive from all over the Cincinnati area to attend this church. I met people from Northern Kentucky, the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, and all parts of Hamilton County in which Cincinnati is located. I spoke with one of the pastors who told me that it takes her about 25 minutes to get to church from where she lives. When I heard this, I knew that I couldn't use travel distance as an excuse any more.
I am most impressed by the church's mission and context for ministry. They have a true heart for the city and are involved in a number of inner city missions throughout Cincinnati. About ten years ago, the church purchased a former Catholic monastery down the street and have developed it into a educational and retreat center. The church also has a global emphasis and have helped to launch new churches in different parts of the world. The church is located in a rather affluent neighborhood in Cincinnati, but they seem to attract people of all backgrounds and socio-economic groups.
The church seems to be in the midst of transition and God is moving in a powerful way in the life of the congregation. A new senior pastor arrived a little over a year ago who is helping them to put into place new systems that will help them to be more effective in all areas of ministry. We heard some about this today at the orientation session.
What surprises me most about my sense of God's leading me to this congregation is that it has very traditional worship services. The church looks like a Gothic cathedral from the outside and on the inside. It is a beautiful building complete with a gigantic pipe organ. They use the full liturgy from the United Methodist Hymnal whenever they celebrate the Sacraments. It's about as high church as you can get in the United Methodist Church. Why this is so ironic is that in my last church in Knoxville, they were far from traditional in worship style. They had a traditional worship but it was not what I would consider high church. I most often attended one of the contemporary services. When I helped to launch the new campus of the church, this service was totally contemporary. So, I find it strange that I am attracted to this very traditional worship service. However, I think the difference is that this is traditional worship done well. I enjoy all kinds of worship styles and the difference for me is the quality of worship. Most churches that I served and have attended in my opinion don't do worship well. This has nothing to do with the vocal range of the choir or how many electric guitars they have in the band. It has everything to do with a pursuit of excellence to honor God in all that they do. In too many churches the preachers, organists, song leaders, ushers, band members, liturgists, and people in the pews do not take worship seriously. They bring a half-hearted attempt at praise to a God Who give us everything. When I left parish ministry, I vowed that I would find a church home that knows what it means to sincerely honor and worship the living God of all creation. I will not settle for okay. I expect the best because God deserves the best.
Most of all, finding this new church home is an answer to prayer for me. I have been hoping that God would lead me to a community in which I can connect with Christians in order to serve the world. I feel like I have found that place. I need people who will pray for me and with me and hold me accountable to the teachings of my Christian faith. I am grateful for this opportunity to connect with this congregation in this way.
So, here I am at this point in my journey not at all where I thought I would be. I'm doing a job that I deeply love. I am living in a wonderful metropolitan region with much to do and enjoy. I have connected with friends from my past who help me to get out and have some fun. I'm about to start a new adventure through the creative writing course I'm taking beginning on Monday evening. I'm blessed to be a part of my nephew Cameron's life. Now, I'm on the verge of settling on a church home. It is truly an amazing crossroads moment for me. God continues to bless me and bring me healing and hope. God is leading me on an amazing journey that fills me with anticipation and expectation for what may be just around the corner. God is so good to me.
If you would like to learn more about my new church home, you can check them out on the church's website: http://www.hydeparkchurch.com/ It's a great church with a great mission.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to Work Tomorrow

After a really nice respite, it's back to work for me tomorrow. I am actually looking forward to getting back to the office and my work with applicants and Habitat Partner Families. I think this break came at a good time. I was feeling a little cranky before my time off and now I feel recharged and ready to do the work to which God has called me.
I also am feeling a sense of renewed peace in my soul. I've shared with you in previous posts that I have been feeling restless and I wasn't sure why. I've spent time listening and I feel like I am ready to take some action steps in response to this restlessness. First, I realize that I need to connect with a Christian community. I've spent nearly a year looking for a church home and I feel like I am ready to make a commitment to share my gifts with a church in Cincinnati. I have contacted the church leadership and will be attending orientation classes in the coming weeks. Also, I will be meeting with one of the pastors to talk about how I might get plugged into the life and ministry of the church. I'm looking forward to getting involved and connecting with others in ministry.
Secondly, I have enrolled in a seven-week creative writing course at a local adult education center. The class begins next week and will give me a chance to improve my writing skills. I also will be able to receive feedback on my writing. I must admit that I feel a bit anxious about receiving critique but I also know that this is the only way to improve my skills. So, while feeling anxious, I also know I need to step out in faith. I also am looking forward to meeting new people in this class. Again, this will be good for me to get off the couch and away from simply watching others live life in movies and on TV. I hope it will be another way for me to express myself and find community.
I ask for your prayers as I take these next steps in life. These times of transition and new beginnings are both exciting and anxiety producing for me. I need to trust that God has good things in store for me in all of this.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!