I can't believe it is already the middle of December! We have plowed through the fall, starting up programs, coordinating new elders, prayerfully searching for deacons, discussing the drawbacks and benefits of church budgeting. This new mission church continues to surprise me with how "different" they want to be. The time has flown by. We are in the midst of planning Christmas worship! my first one as a solo pastor.
Having just come through Thanksgiving I have been thinking about what I am thankful for. Here is a list, stream-of-consciousness style:
1. My loving and supportive wife
2. Leaders who are passionate about their relationship with Christ and the power of God's Word
3. A beautiful church building that we are not even close to filling
4. A fun new town to explore
5. A warmer climate
6. A cute little house
7. New friends
8. More time for prayer
9. Restful Saturdays
10. Only one time to preach on a Sunday
11. Fires in my very own fire place
I always wondered what life as a solo pastor would be like. It is different than I imagined actually. Maybe because I always pictured a solo pastor as serving a two or three-point parish in the countryside. But instead, I am serving an energized mission church, made up of the leaders of three or four other Lutheran churches in town.
Personally, this fall has been one of big growth for me. I have had to lean on the Lord in new ways, and trust him that he will provide the gifts necessary to follow his call. Particularly I have prayed for gifts in administration. Being thrown into leading a group of elders, even helping to give shape to what their jobs will be, giving direction to the formation of a constitution and bylaws, and making many important decision on the fly has been stretching and exciting. So far I have heard back from folks in the church that the congregation feels more settled, happier, and more unified than before I came. One member commented, we are no longer four churches but one. Now the next step is to unify the church around a vision. That vision must be tangible, but also far reaching enough to keep us moving together for years ahead. One project, a partnership with His Helping Hands, may provide that opportunity. We shall see.
At this point my one concern is that with so many of our energies going into church life and development, how will Emily and I make friends who are more peers than church members. Maybe that is not the most important thing, but to have friendships that are not in some way connected to our congregation would be nice. Not that we don't love the people at Living Waters, we do, and many are becoming very close friends. But we do not have many folks who are really at our life stage. But, God will provide. We know we are weird: to be a couple in their 30s without kids is not normal. So finding people at the same life stage is a challenge anyways.
Regardless, it is wonderful to have this restful Saturday ahead of us. We are headed to the mall for some Christmas shopping before the ice storm comes this afternoon. I wonder if we will have many in church tomorrow if we get all the weather that is predicted!
The words of Paul come to mind: "He who promised is faithful!" This is most certainly true.
