Pastor Parish Relations Committee: A Team

Yesterday was my annual day to offer training to Pastor Parish Relations committee chairs and members. There were about thirty or forty people, all present to learn how to serve God, help their church and their pastor.

Yes, nearly all of them are there because they love God, love their pastor and want to help their church.

Ideally, it’s like being on a team where everyone has common goals and values and everyone pulls together for the ultimate benefit of the team.

We see these kinds of sacrifices clearly every Saturday afternoon as players in college willingly throw their bodies around risking injury and pain all for the benefit of their football team. Even those in the stands give up their time to yell and scream and stomp their feet in hopes of helping their team.

PPR can and should be a team helping you and your church reach a common vision for the future of your church. They are on the committee ready to make sacrifices for the benefit of that vision.

Why do I say this on Sunday, the day you are getting ready to attend worship?

It’s to remind you that you are not alone. PPR is one of many groups within your church made up of people who love God, love their church and want to see our pastors be the best leaders they can be. They can be praying for you, working with you, encouraging you and at times even criticizing you all for the good of your church vision.

John Snyder, pastor of Anderson UMC went through an awful shock yesterday. His wife and dearest love died suddenly and in addition of grieving her loss, he faced the prospect of raising three children.

But he soon found he was not alone. Family, church members, community leaders and pastors in the area quickly descended upon his house and surrounded him. In the midst of it all were several leaders of his church who were very likely on his PPR committee. One was taking care of his two youngest children; others were looking for ways to help around the house.

John was an important part of the team and everyone was willing to sacrifice to help him during his time of need.

You too are not alone… ever. You are a part of something much bigger than yourself, or your church or even your community. You are a part of God’s Kingdom and ultimately a part of God’s vision. You have team members, fellow pastors, family, and more importantly, you have God.

God did not intend for you to be alone in carrying out that vision. God provided a team made up of people sitting in the pew every morning and others out in the community who will soon be attracted to the vision of your church.

They are not perfect but then again neither are you and I.

I will be praying for you and our churches this morning as we boldly yet compassionately set a vision for our team that will ask for sacrifice but lead to the fulfilling of God’s vision.

Now, that’s worth praying about.

Being the Church at Bazaar

For the last few Saturdays, Mell and I have travelled to nearly every Bazaar type function we could find in the newspaper. We had a great time meeting people in the church in a more relaxed way. We also bought a lot good cakes and pies that I will have to work off. But for me it was a chance to see your church in action in a different way.

I also learned a lot about how your church reaches out to strangers. I saw example after example of kindness displayed to strangers who wandered in to look at your yard sale items but in one of your church members found an example of Christ at work. I saw kindness and lots of patience on display.

One couple walked in confused and I watched someone leave their station and escort them around the various booths explaining the craft and food items. Then I saw her with pride on her face ask if they would like to see the rest of the church.

At another church I noticed a worker talking quietly to a customer. Then she gently led the customer to her pastor, Within a few minutes the pastor and the customer slipped out of the room. I found out later from the worker that the customer had just been diagnosed with cancer. The worker knew her and introduced her to the pastor.

Yes, I know the Bazaar is meant to be a fund raiser for the church and I enjoyed being a participant but I also saw the church in action in other ways. I know people will often go to a Bazaar on Saturday but won’t come to worship on Sunday. The Bazaar represents your chance to be the church for them.

One of my Facebook friends suggested this passage of Scripture to guide us as we work at being the church:

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” (Col. 3:12-15)

What a great formula for how to be the church in the midst of everyday life.

·         We are chosen by God to be holy people.

·         We must clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

·         We should make allowance for each other’s faults.

·         Remember the Lord forgave you so you must forgive others.

·         We should clothe ourselves with love which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

·         Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts.

·         For as members of one body we are called to live in peace.

·         Always be Thankful.

Visiting a lot of church bazaars I found many examples of the church in action.

So today, as you prepare to preach, I will be praying for you to guide your church to be the church wherever they happen to be: school, work, play or a church bazaar.

Every day they will be given opportunities to be a representative for God.

·         We are chosen by God to be holy people.

·         We must clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

·         We should make allowance for each other’s faults.

·         Remember the Lord forgave you so you must forgive others.

·         We should clothe ourselves with love which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

·         Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts.

·         For as members of one body we are called to live in peace.

·         Always be Thankful.

It’s a great challenge. Maybe that’s why I’m learning to pray more.

May God fill you with courage and compassion today.

Food for Thought - From Leadership Journal - Fall 2010

From Church Growth vs. Church Seasons – By Jay Childs

Healthy churches go through life cycles of growth, pruning, decline and blessing. Healthy churches do often grow and sometimes for long periods of time. But healthy churches also plateau, decline and receive pruning from God’s hand. Size is not in our hands. Size is in the hands of the Sovereign one.

Just like personal evangelism, our role is to communicate a message; it is God’s role to bring increase or not. The same is true of church growth.

The real issue is health and witness. The Scripture teaches that faithfulness for a church does not always mean never ending growth but health influence and outreach. Doing and being the church is essential whether numbers are exploding or flat. God has his sovereign reasons and his purposes for each church.

Bible Readers: Less Debt, More Giving - There is a direct correlation between Bible reading, debt and generosity. One survey shows that of people who read the Bible four to seven times per week, 85% donate 10% or more of their income to charitable causes compared to only 40% of those who do not read the Bible. Frequent Bible readers also carried less debt than non-readers.

Youth Ministry Declining – Only one in four teens now participates in church youth groups. The numbers are flat over the past decade according to research from the Barna Group. “A decade ago teens were coming to church youth group to play, coming for the entertainment, coming for the pizza,” says one church researcher. “They’re not coming for pizza anymore. Teens today, don’t see the church as relevant.”

One church in Chester, Virginia responded by turning their group into the “Marine Corps of Christianity.” “Real church, centered on Jesus Christ is hard work,” the youth leaders wrote. Attendance which had fallen dramatically last year has rebounded.

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Prayer for our Pastors

From: deogratias gashagaza gashfr@yahoo.fr

Dear Larry, Hope you are doing well! Thank you so much for welcoming me and giving time for sharing my story with your Pastors. I'm very happy to know you and be connected to your pastors. Hope you will continue to be in touch. May God bless you. Pastor Deo

Like everyone, I become preoccupied with my own world and the problems within. It’s easy to lose perspective.

This week, meeting Pastor Deo helped to restore my perspective.

For those that couldn’t make the clergy meeting, Pastor Deo from Rwanda was our guest and told his story. Many of his family were killed in the atrocities that occurred but Pastor Deo felt moved by God to visit one of the prisons and be a pastor to the tribe involved with the murders. For years, he has been a part of the miracle of Rwanda: A country at first known for violence, now known for reconciliation.

I ran across a letter about Pastor Deo on Facebook:

Pastor Deo is a tall thin man and he works with the prisoners and the victims. In a room of over 50 people, killers and victims, he asked them to face each other and to look into each other’s eyes… ‘look deeply’ he said ‘…and tell me what you see!’

I noticed one woman look into the eyes of her family’s killer… He then asked the question, what do you see?

The answer was that she saw a reflection of herself… then he asked the man what he saw… he too replied that he saw his own reflection. Immediately my heart filled with love and compassion…. I understood in that very moment that in order to have compassion… in order to forgive… to feel love for one’s self and for another is to see yourself in everyone and everyone in yourself.

He then asked… if you could see yourself in another person… could you hurt that person? To kill another is to kill your self. When you kill someone, you have killed a part of yourself!!!

I sat with tears flowing!

My mind is constantly expanding with all that I see and experience. I never imagined that I’d be in a prison somewhere in the middle of Rwanda, walking with no protection through a passage way made by 4,000 genocide killers. I walked through and I felt no fear. I made eye contact and felt the presence of God so big here. Maybe that sounds strange to many, but there is something far greater happening than I could even begin to express.

…Yesterday, I bought a peace basket that was made by the hands of a victim as well as the one who killed her family. Together, they weaved the fibers of love, compassion and forgiveness and what became was a beautiful basket of peace. Blessings and Love, Tina

Would it surprise you to know that in the midst of the miracle of reconciliation, Christianity is spreading like wildfire throughout the country? It shouldn’t. No one teaches and demonstrates reconciliation better than our Savior, Jesus Christ.

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. (Matthew 5:3-12)

I can only speak for myself but I saw a model of reconciliation this week. The best way I can be a Christian and a pastor is to model reconciliation and peace.

This morning I will be praying for you to be a model of reconciliation among those you have been given the honor to serve. I will be stepping into the pulpit today, just like you. I pray that I can practice what I learned this week.

May you feel the peace of God’s Holy Spirit within you and may you model the grace of Jesus Christ.

Nursery Lessons: A Better of Recruiting Volunteers

By Kim Mitchel - Copied from "Leading Ideas"

Recently we have been focused on revitalizing the nursery at our church. We put in rigorous safety measures. We organized a committee to support the nursery's vision. We assigned a greeter position to the front door of the nursery and tried like crazy to recruit people to help rock babies. Every step was successful except for one – recruiting volunteers. We tried everything. We asked. We begged. We set out sign-up lists. We made bulletin announcements. We used our new projection screens and the monthly newsletter. Nothing worked.

Then I took a leadership class and learned about valuing the history of the church and using it as a bridge toward change. I also learned about beginning with a presumption of grace instead of judgment. I took this to heart, and the next Sunday I asked the pastor if I could do an information talk for the congregation. "Just an announcement," I said.

That day I wore overalls and a plaid shirt since I was to do a lesson with the children on the parable of the sower. What better way to talk about this parable than to dress the part of the farmer! When I stood in front of the congregation, my clothing caught them off guard. I told them why I was wearing the clothes and then told them that thinking about the seeds in the lesson had me thinking about seeds in general. I then said how proud I was to be serving in a congregation that fifty years ago planted seeds of faith in our children and had always placed children first in the life of the congregation.

I reported to them that despite the recession, our church was still keeping up with the expanding needs of a growing children's ministry. Then I rehearsed all the new things we had accomplished related to the nursery, knowing that they surely would want to know because of their long-standing love for and commitment to children. And I reminded them that all this happened because of the seeds many of them had planted so long ago.

I asked them a question. For young families, what is the first entry point into the church? They all said "the nursery." Well, aren't we proud to have such a tradition of caring for our babies!

They were then invited to stop by and see what wonderful things were happening in the nursery. They could even hold a baby or two. That afternoon the nursery was buzzing with people! They crowded in to get a glimpse of their new nursery that continued their longstanding love of children. Instead of judging them for not volunteering, I assumed instead that they really cared about the history and the nursery. Funny thing. They did.

Recruiting volunteers still requires work, but the context has changed. Now there is awareness and pride where before was obligation. And that makes all the difference both for those who recruit and those who say "yes" to this opportunity for ministry.

Kim Mitchel is director of Christian education at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Prayer before Worship

Psalm 117

¹    Praise the LORD, all you nations.

    Praise him, all you people of the earth.

²    For he loves us with unfailing love;

    the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever.

    Praise the LORD!

I read this Psalm early this morning while preparing for my own time of preaching. It’s part of my every day devotional reading but I confess that I’ve forgotten about Psalm 117. When I read this I looked ahead to see where the rest of it was.

I thought this was the beginning and something else would follow.

No. This is the whole Psalm. For memorizing it’s not as easy as “Jesus wept” but it’s pretty close.

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love, the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!

That’s it?

Sometimes you can say a lot with just a few words. I can learn from that already.

What better to say then simply.

Praise the Lord… all of us, the nations, all the people.

Why? Because God loves us.

For he loves us with unfailing love. In fact, the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.

Unfailing? Yes! Forever! Yes! Wow!

Praise the Lord!

I can picture the Psalmist sitting down at this point with a smile.

(Pause and reflect on this. Now join me in giving thanks to God.)

What more can be said.

Maybe in the midst of our worship. It’s good to take a moment and say:

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love, the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!

In the midst of your pressure it’s also nice to know that the God who called you also loved you so much, that this Psalm was written down for you to enjoy:

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love, the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!

I will be praying for you today but I’m also taking my own moment and simply, Praising the Lord.

8 Simple Gifts you can give your Volunteers

8 Simple Gifts You Can Give Your Volunteers

That Won’t Cost You a Cent!

Written By Sue Brage – September 28, 2010 (2 weeks ago)

Coped from Volunteer Central

THE GIFT OF LISTENING – no interruption, no daydreaming, no planning your response.  Just listening.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION – be generous with appropriate hugs, pats on the back, high fives, and kind gestures.  Let small actions demonstrate your love.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER – clip cartoons, send funny e-cards, or humorous stories.  Show your volunteers that you are human, silly, and willing to lighten up!

THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE – a brief, hand written note may be remembered for a lifetime and may even change someone’s life.

THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT – a simple and sincere “I appreciate you” or “You did a super job” can make someone’s day.

THE GIFT OF A FAVOR – every day, go out of your way to do (or say) something kind.

THE GIFT OF AUTHENTICITY – Let your volunteers see your heart. Your hurts, disappointments, and your hopes and dreams. Value and build authentic relationships and show your volunteers that they can trust you.

THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION – the easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.

Choices

Think about it. Every Sunday morning in America we have the freedom to choose how we will spend our time? How we choose says a lot about how we feel about God and the church?

Since most people choose not to go to church it means they have thought carefully about their beliefs and chosen something other than God. Right?

Of course not. And for that, I say, “Thank you, God.”

The reality is people seldom choose to stop attending church.

They may be busy or focused on other things.

They may not see much need to go to church right now.

They may be embarrassed or ashamed because they’ve messed up somehow.

They may have grown up in a family that never went to church.

This is good news. We’re not really living in a community where a huge percentage of the population has rejected God. We’re living in a community that if they were given a compelling reason and an invitation to be in church on Sunday morning, they would very likely be there.

Most people think if they talk to someone about God, they will be intruding. Not true.

The truth is most people are struggling with their lives, with their finances, with their confidence and would love to be reassured that their lives really do have meaning and purpose. We are not intruding if we simply find a way to show them God loves them, we love them and we want to walk with them.

This is where you come in and why I pray for you every Sunday morning.

Sunday morning is still your best opportunity to help your congregation appreciate why they are there every Sunday morning and then feel the need to invite their coworker, or friend to join with them. Not to intrude but to offer the opportunity to be in a community of love and support unlike anything they’ve ever experienced.

How you as ministers and church leaders do that is based on your call as well as the gifts and talents God gives you.

But if that were the whole story you would still be alone every Sunday morning feeling all the pressure.

You are not alone. The church you serve is a community of faith full of people who are also called by God. In fact, God may be speaking to them. The help and strength you need is sitting in your congregation right now. You are simply there to supply part of the vision. They and you are like pieces of a puzzle. With time, God’s Holy Spirit and yes, some hard work, the picture and the missing pieces will be more clearly seen and appreciated.

You are not alone. As a community we also support each other and give each other ideas. We just finished a 24 hour time of sharing and challenging each other. We’re learning more and more that we can support and strengthen one another. We’re learning that we too are not alone.

Best of all, we are not alone because God loves us and did not send us out alone. We have the Holy Spirit within us continuing to guide and direct us.

David describes it beautifully in Psalm 62: “I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:5-8)

You are not alone. God specifically chose you out of hundreds, maybe thousands of others for this task, for this church, at this time.

I am praying for you with confidence knowing that you will make a difference today and every day because you are doing exactly what God called you to do.

This morning, just thinking about this, I’m excited as I pray for you because today Jesus Christ is going to work through you….

Think about it. Every Sunday morning in America we have the freedom to choose how we will spend our time? How we choose says a lot about how we feel about God and the church?

This Sunday morning represents an opportunity to help those who choose to come know they chose wisely.

This Sunday morning represents an opportunity to help those who come feel compelled to offer the same opportunity to choose wisely to someone else.

I will be praying for you this morning with a sense of excitement and anticipation wondering what exciting thing God is going to do next…

I will be praying for you…