The Village ILWIDIot
By Walt Wiltschek
"Divine reality is not way up in the sky somewhere; it is readily available in the encounters of everyday life, which make hash of my illusions that I can control the ways God comes to me." — Barbara Brown Taylor
Almost every pastor I know has a “call story” of some type. For some it was gradual, seeping into their souls like water in a cave. For a few, it was a sharp, particular moment, a “Damascus Road” sort of event. For many, it was a person or people in their lives who carried that sense of call to them. For almost all, it was something they resisted to some degree.
We don’t know how God will come to us, and we can’t control it, which is a wonderful and terrifying thing. We see this throughout the arc of scripture, with one after another of the biblical characters we know so well pushing back, or making excuses, or running the other way. The call comes in a voice from heaven, in flaming foliage, in soft whispers, in visions of angels, and in bright light. But it keeps coming.
One of my pastors once told me, “If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans.” And life has proven that right again and again. I dodged a call to ministry for a number of years, despite the people nudging me to consider it, until I finally decided to see where it might lead. I’ve listened better at some times than others, and on occasion I’ve wondered what God was thinking, but overall it’s been a very good ride so far.
The 2014 Annual Conference paper on Ministerial Leadership says, “Calling is a naming and encouraging of an individual’s God-given gifts for ministry in the church.” As I’ve worked with youth ministry and camps over the years, I’ve endeavored to share my experience of call with youth and young adults on their own journeys, urging them to think about their gifts and how God might use them. It’s the essence of the word “vocation,” and in that light whatever we do—whether within the church or beyond it—can be a ministry.
On Feb. 26, our district will offer a “Calling the Called” event to explore these questions together (see details below). It will look particularly at ways people can use their gifts in the work of the church, but I’m hopeful it will also offer opportunity for all of us to reflect on our gifts, wherever God calls us.
Whether you feel God might be calling you to a new chapter or new possibilities, or whether you want to be more intentional about calling out the gifts of others, or even if you’re just curious, I hope you consider attending. You might encounter God in unexpected ways.
Note: Walt will be on vacation visiting friends Feb. 17-24. If you have emergency needs during this time, please contact the district office or Leadership Team chair Carol Kussart (ckussart@gmail.com).
"Divine reality is not way up in the sky somewhere; it is readily available in the encounters of everyday life, which make hash of my illusions that I can control the ways God comes to me." — Barbara Brown Taylor
Almost every pastor I know has a “call story” of some type. For some it was gradual, seeping into their souls like water in a cave. For a few, it was a sharp, particular moment, a “Damascus Road” sort of event. For many, it was a person or people in their lives who carried that sense of call to them. For almost all, it was something they resisted to some degree.
We don’t know how God will come to us, and we can’t control it, which is a wonderful and terrifying thing. We see this throughout the arc of scripture, with one after another of the biblical characters we know so well pushing back, or making excuses, or running the other way. The call comes in a voice from heaven, in flaming foliage, in soft whispers, in visions of angels, and in bright light. But it keeps coming.
One of my pastors once told me, “If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans.” And life has proven that right again and again. I dodged a call to ministry for a number of years, despite the people nudging me to consider it, until I finally decided to see where it might lead. I’ve listened better at some times than others, and on occasion I’ve wondered what God was thinking, but overall it’s been a very good ride so far.
The 2014 Annual Conference paper on Ministerial Leadership says, “Calling is a naming and encouraging of an individual’s God-given gifts for ministry in the church.” As I’ve worked with youth ministry and camps over the years, I’ve endeavored to share my experience of call with youth and young adults on their own journeys, urging them to think about their gifts and how God might use them. It’s the essence of the word “vocation,” and in that light whatever we do—whether within the church or beyond it—can be a ministry.
On Feb. 26, our district will offer a “Calling the Called” event to explore these questions together (see details below). It will look particularly at ways people can use their gifts in the work of the church, but I’m hopeful it will also offer opportunity for all of us to reflect on our gifts, wherever God calls us.
Whether you feel God might be calling you to a new chapter or new possibilities, or whether you want to be more intentional about calling out the gifts of others, or even if you’re just curious, I hope you consider attending. You might encounter God in unexpected ways.
Note: Walt will be on vacation visiting friends Feb. 17-24. If you have emergency needs during this time, please contact the district office or Leadership Team chair Carol Kussart (ckussart@gmail.com).
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