Interruptions

In my 20 plus years of ministry, I have come to the understanding that ministry is all about the interruptions. While I try to plan my schedule for the day or the week, spacing things out so I have time for sermon preparation, meetings, visits, articles to write, planning for the coming weeks, administrative issues and more, I know the schedule will change. Things can and will come up that are not expected. You cannot schedule it or know when it might come about. All you can do is accept it, face it, and make adjustments along the way. 

Just this past weekend, after Saturday Night worship, I went home for dinner, then Lisa and I sat down to watch a TV show we had taped earlier in the week. The phone rang - the emergency line at church. A member of the church was in critical condition at the hospital, and the family wondering if someone might stop by for a visit.

Yes, of course. I am on my way.

Let me say here that I consider myself blessed to have a wonderful, understanding wife who knows when the call comes, her husband must go. We both understand what it is like to be in those situations where a pastoral presence is appreciated. I go with her blessing. I thank God for her understanding and support.

So I made my way to the hospital to visit a member of the church in his final hours here with us. I am glad I had the opportunity to visit with him and his family, to pray with them, and to share the good news of God's promises with them. We visited again the next day, and late Sunday night, he passed away. I am so thankful I had the time to visit with him in those last few hours.

No, it is not what I had planned on this past weekend. But as I said, ministry is all about the interruptions. The family shared with me that they knew I was busy at church, since we are in the transition process and I am the only full time pastor on staff. So they were concerned that they would be burdening me by calling for a visit. I can understand their concern, and I appreciate that, but I am also so thankful they called.

As we continue in this time of transition, do not think we are too busy to visit, or to pray, or to talk. We are called to love Jesus by serving others. The staff and I are committed to carrying out this mission together with all of you. St. Paul reminds us that when one member of the body suffers, all suffer together, and when one rejoices, we all rejoice (1 Corinthians 12). So interrupt us. Let us know what is going on. Let us share in your joys and sorrows, and may we all be reminded of God's love and forgiveness in the midst of it all.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Here I am Lord, Send Me

The Bible is filled with many stories of men and women being called to do what God would like for them to do. Abraham is called to be the patriarch of a great nation. Moses is called to tell Pharaoh to let God's people go from slavery in Egypt. Kings and prophets are called to lead God's people, share God's message, which sometimes the people didn't want to hear. The Christmas story is packed with those called to serve - Mary, Joseph, Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist), the shepherds and Magi. Over and over again, God calls people to carry out God's mission.

When we look at these people God calls, we might wonder what does God have in mind. When God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses himself thought God had it all wrong. What qualifications did he have to make such a demand of the king of Egypt? Likewise when God called young Jeremiah to deliver a severe message, Jeremiah thought God must have lost his mind. A farmer by the name of Gideon was called by God to lead an army and save Israel. A farmer called to defeat a powerful enemy – God must have the wrong person. And Simon, Andrew, James and John – just ordinary fishermen – were called by Jesus to bring God's Kingdom to others and change lives. What was God thinking? (from a sermon by Pastor Vince Gerhardy)

Yet over and over again, we see God can do great things when God and the one called are on the same page. As we look forward to the call process ahead of us, may we seek God's guidance to find who God might call to serve here at Epiphany in the years to come. May we also pray for those who are asked to serve on the call committee, that they, too, are open to God's calling to serve. And may we be ready to welcome the one who is called and accepts the invitation to serve.

Church Council will be meeting with Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt and Assistant to the Bishop Ed Williams on February 11 to discuss the process ahead of us. We will have more details to share after that meeting about what will transpire in the coming months. Please continue to pray for a smooth process, a healthy transition, and God's direction for the church and those who serve.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Let the Call Process Begin

I hope you were able to join us for Pastor Sara's farewell party last Sunday. It was quite an event! A great turn-out, wonderful food and fellowship, and much heart-felt thanks and appreciation for Pastor Sara's leadership and devotion to God and the church she loves.

Now she moves on to a new venture. We, too, enter a new venture at Epiphany Lutheran Church - the call process. It was not all that long ago that Epiphany was going through the process of calling a senior pastor to serve, and we all know how that turned out! (By the way, thank you!) And while this process will be different from the last, there are many similarities.

First of all, the differences. The obvious one is that Epiphany is in a different place than we were three years ago when the process began. With the change in leadership, a number of members leaving the church, and uncertainty as to what was going to happen next, there were a lot of questions to be answered, and a clarity of direction to be determined. Second, the call for a senior pastor is usually more lengthy than for an associate. The senior pastor is the one called to set a vision and direction for the church, while an associate is called based on that set vision and direction. Third, a rule of thumb often suggested for an interim period is that the interim should last one month for every year the previous pastor served. The longer the tenure, the longer the interim should be. This is not a requirement or a rule, but a suggestion that allows time for the congregation to transition.

The similarities include the fact, as I mentioned before, that it has not been too long since I was called here to serve. I arrived in October of 2012 - just over 15 months ago. So much of the paperwork we need for the call process in in place. That will help in moving the process forward. Also, the congregation is familiar with the process, so instead of educating everyone on what will transpire, we will be more about reminding.

The most important similar factor is to remember that this is not a job interview or a spot to be filled, but it is to be considered a call to serve God in this place at this time. I remember having a conversation with a colleague of mine as I was being considered to serve a church back some 20 years ago, which would mean leaving my first call and serving in a different state. While the interviews had gone very well, his words have stuck with me for over 20 years. He shared with me that when we graduated from seminary, he took the first call that he received. He was anxious to be done with school, had bills to pay, and was ready to get going. He lasted only 18 months at that first call. He soon learned that it was not a good fit. His second call he approached quite differently. Through prayer and discernment, he knew that the call he accepted was where God was calling him to be. He has served that church for many years.  He said to me, "If it is where you are supposed to be, you will know. Let the Spirit work."

I took his advice then, and in every call process since. Going back to that interview and call process in 1993, I knew after interviewing there that it was not where God was calling my family and me to be. Several other interviews have occurred since then, and each time, I have sought to follow where the Spirit leads. The words of wisdom my friend shared with me have stuck with me. I truly believe the Spirit of God led me to the churches I have served since then - in Delaware, Westerville, and now Centerville. I am thankful for my colleague's advice. And I am thankful that God has led us here!

As we begin the process, I invite you to join me in praying for God's guidance. God WILL make a way. God WILL provide. God WILL guide us, if we only are open to it. God is in charge. We may need that reminder every now and then in the coming months.

If you have any questions about the process in the coming days, please feel free to let me know.

Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Company for the Holidays

Happy New Year to you all!  As I write this (Epiphany - January 6th), we are nearing the end of our family visitors for the holidays.  It began on Christmas Eve, when Lisa's parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews arrived on Christmas Eve. Fifteen in the house for Christmas Day - what a joy to have a full house to celebrate that day. A couple days after that clan headed home, my three brothers, two aunts, a niece, grand-nephew and sister-in-law arrived to celebrate my aunt's 85th birthday. She didn't know the whole clan would be present, and was quite surprised! Eleven in the house for the weekend - it was a blessing. And this past weekend, our son and his girlfriend were able to get away from their pharmacy work long enough to spend some time with us, as well as our daughter and son-in-law. Both couples brought their dogs - six people and three dogs together for the holidays (see the video below).

How wonderful it is to have company in for the holidays, and how wonderful it is when we find the house quiet again, and to ourselves. To everything there is a time and a season, yes? As a pastor, gatherings around religious holidays can be a bit overwhelming and taxing. Your attention is pulled in different directions, and you wish you could be more than one place at a time. But just like the full house at home, the church is filled with family and friends that we don't get to see very often. We want to make time for everyone, and the time seems to go too quickly.

How important it is to take time to enjoy the opportunity to be with others and enjoy the company who come to visit. I wonder what Mary and Joseph must have thought when the shepherds arrived at the stable to see Jesus. Talk about unexpected visitors! And yet, the holy family welcomes their guests graciously, and cherishes their words and congratulations. But that isn't the only company they welcome - foreign star-gazers appear with gifts "fit for a king" (one of the great songs from the Children's Christmas program last month). Can you imagine? One of my favorite scenes in the program was when the "Wise Guys" showed up at the stable - Joseph's one line in the show was, "Mary, look, we have visitors!" We are given encouragement in the scriptures to welcome the guest.  In Hebrews 13, we read these words: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it."

Give thanks to God for the visitors and interruptions in life - these are blessings that come about too infrequently. And give thanks to God for times of peace and solitude, for often, it is in these times we best come to know our God - "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).



Peace,

Pastor Charlie