DE Ponderings
A benefit of my work as District Executive is
visiting congregations and pastors throughout our
district. Reasons for visits are varied, such as
providing support to pastoral search teams; helping
with conflict; responding to concerns; conducting
licensing, ordination, and installation services; and
simply meeting with no specific agenda at all.
Whatever the purpose, the opportunity to connect
and foster relationships is, in my view, the most
vital piece of the visit experience.
I will confess that I have missed or, maybe more accurately stated, neglected opportunities to make visits in the district. I recently made an effort to visit congregations that I have failed to make connections with for quite some time. I quickly realized during those visits that I am the one who had missed something valuable by failing to connect more often.
The visits were filled with wonderful conversation, with questions about the district and denomination, with concerns, with stories and news about the good things happening in the life of the congregation.
The things I heard are too good not to share.
The Rock Community Church (Fairfield, IL) is starting a school in their church.
The Martin Creek congregation (Fairfield, IL) shared that a 14-year-old youth accepted Christ.
The Allison Prairie congregation (Lawrenceville, IL) gives $10,000 annually to outreach, providing to a different organization or ministry each month.
The Romine congregation (Salem, IL) remains stable, the pastor providing ministry once-a-month to a local nursing home, as well as preaching revival services in a neighboring town.
The Hurricane Creek congregation (Mulberry Grove, IL) offers events on a regular basis to which the community is invited to participate.
These are small, rural congregations but they are vital, energized, and committed to serving Christ through the ministries in which they engage.
These recent visits have reminded me of the richness of our district. We, the IL/WI District, are an eclectic assembly of congregations, leaders, and people. Our views and theological understandings are varied across the geography of the district. We don’t always agree on matters of faith and practice. And we live in a kind of tension that stretches our ability always be certain about our relationships.
Nevertheless, what I find across this district is a strong commitment to following Jesus Christ, and then taking that commitment to the next level of being doers, committed disciples and apostles.
James writes: “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act— they will be blessed in their doing.” (James 1:22-25 NRSV)
I continue to witness the blessings of this district’s doing and it is something wonderful to behold.
I will confess that I have missed or, maybe more accurately stated, neglected opportunities to make visits in the district. I recently made an effort to visit congregations that I have failed to make connections with for quite some time. I quickly realized during those visits that I am the one who had missed something valuable by failing to connect more often.
The visits were filled with wonderful conversation, with questions about the district and denomination, with concerns, with stories and news about the good things happening in the life of the congregation.
The things I heard are too good not to share.
The Rock Community Church (Fairfield, IL) is starting a school in their church.
The Martin Creek congregation (Fairfield, IL) shared that a 14-year-old youth accepted Christ.
The Allison Prairie congregation (Lawrenceville, IL) gives $10,000 annually to outreach, providing to a different organization or ministry each month.
The Romine congregation (Salem, IL) remains stable, the pastor providing ministry once-a-month to a local nursing home, as well as preaching revival services in a neighboring town.
The Hurricane Creek congregation (Mulberry Grove, IL) offers events on a regular basis to which the community is invited to participate.
These are small, rural congregations but they are vital, energized, and committed to serving Christ through the ministries in which they engage.
These recent visits have reminded me of the richness of our district. We, the IL/WI District, are an eclectic assembly of congregations, leaders, and people. Our views and theological understandings are varied across the geography of the district. We don’t always agree on matters of faith and practice. And we live in a kind of tension that stretches our ability always be certain about our relationships.
Nevertheless, what I find across this district is a strong commitment to following Jesus Christ, and then taking that commitment to the next level of being doers, committed disciples and apostles.
James writes: “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act— they will be blessed in their doing.” (James 1:22-25 NRSV)
I continue to witness the blessings of this district’s doing and it is something wonderful to behold.
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