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Now That Our Pastor Has Resigned - What's Next?
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- We pray daily for our congregation, our Congregation Council, and those working on shaping the needs for pastoral leadership in our congregation.
- We bid farewell to our pastor whose ministry among us has come to a close.
- An interim pastor is appointed by the conference dean in consultation with the Congregation Council and the bishop's office.
- Local pastor may provide pastoral care during the week and supply pastors who lead Sunday worship for a brief period before an interim pastor is appointed.
- The congregation prepares a "Congregational Mission Profile" clarifying its ministry in the Gospel.
- The process of clarifying mission and ministry may include conversation with other congregations to consider coopoerative ministry, partnership, or other shared ministry opportunities.
- The Congregational Mission Profile is reviewed by the conference dean and bishop's office and a further consultation meeting with the Congregational Council is convened to determine the next step.
- We pray daily for the ministry in which the Lord is calling us.
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Posted by: Moderator - 7/18/2010 10:12:41 PM 0 Comments
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Confirmation Speech - Jessie Mummert
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I joined the church when I was 13. I became part of this church family when I was baptized. All throughout my life, my family has been an influence towards me becoming a recognized child of God. One those people was my grandfather, Gerald Smith, Jr.
I was very close to my grandfather, and was devastated when he passed away. At his funeral, I was asked to share my gift from God: my voice. I sang a song and then took my seat next to my mother. We then proceeded with to sing, “Shall We Gather At The River.” The song makes me break down now, because it reminds me of my grandfather.
My confirmation into the church, doesn't mean I wasn't already part of the church family. As I found out, I became a part of the church family when I was baptized and the church received me. My being confirmed into the church is just proving my loyalty and my determination to be more involved in the church.
I hope my voice can be of help to the choir more often, since I haven't sang with them recently. I also want to sing over the summer, so I can share my gift from God with all of you.
I was raised Baptist, and didn't like their style. Dresses every Sunday, Sunday school away from my family, it wasn't me. I didn't like it. But here, I found my place. Our church welcomes new visitors, no matter what they're wearing. They encourage, but don't force, the Lord on anyone. I love this church and am so happy to be a part of it.
The church also brought me to Camp Nawakwa. Camp Nawakwa has been a big influence in my life. Since the first time I went there, I fell in love with the people who worked there, especially my first male counselors, Brian and Adam. I find it interesting that the Lord told me to pick Classic, Classic and then Biking, and every time I had a different set of counselors. I this is a message that I should make new friends everywhere I go. One friend, however, my best friend Destiney, will always be there when I feel I have no other friends. Destiney is one among a ton of blessings in my life, and I have my family, church
and biological, and also God, to thank for it.
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Posted by: Moderator - 5/23/2010 8:06:50 PM 0 Comments
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Confirmation Speech - Grant Celley
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Looks like they've saved the most nervous for last.
Pastor Paula Stecker, Church Council, my parents Scot and Beth Celley, my grandparents Alice and Sam Collier, this beloved congregation, and friends:
I want to start with one of my favorite verses of the Bible. It comes from Chapter 16, verse 19 of Romans:
For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I want you to be wise in what is good and naive in what is evil.
I've been a strong and faithful Lutheran all my life. I do what most Lutherans do, except sitting in the back. But with my grandmother and mother always sitting in the front, I had little choice in the matter.
And I remember how my sister and I started paying attention in church: We learned our names were spoken often.
When I was little - maybe 6 or 7, I was asked to do small errands. The big one was fetching kids in nursery. Helping out the smaller kids made me feel like an adult and more mature. Another errand was holding the cups during Communion. It made me feel closer to the service. Not only did I have to pay attention more than just listening to my name, but I was part of the service. I remember feeling dignified when I saw all the people coming up to receive. And I remember seeing them smile after they took the bread and drank from the cup. I knew that we were remembering the Last Supper. I knew that it was really holy and spiritual for the disciples. I knew that helped us to remind us that we have eternal life.
When those small jobs did not need a person, I was still asking for them. And I got one fast, and it was one that I never heard of before but was fun to say: ak-ol-lyte. I thought, why not? And I liked it. I only hope that when I turn 16 I can find an outside job just as fast.
When I was 11, I learned another funny word: cat-uh-kism. As my first semester ended, during which we studied the Ten Commandments, I felt more holy. I felt like I knew what God expects each of us to do.
A few more semesters went by. In the fall of 2008, I learned my Mom had a couple of brain tumors. It scared us. A lot. So we made jokes like, she has rocks in her head or naming them Rocky and Bullwinkle.
About the same time, a close friend at school, Nigel who was so kind and with whom I made a connection with liking Star Trek, committed suicide.
I felt sad. I felt terrified of the future. I felt trapped.
People like Cindy Miller and Valerie Mummert talked to me. Cindy told me not to listen to these rumors on how Nigel died. Valerie, Jessie's and Matt's Mom, told me to call her if I needed someone to talk to.
They were a big help. It was almost like they were God's advocates. They led me in the right direction.
I barely remember the week of my Mom's surgery. But I do remember my Mom going back into the hospital the week after Christmas. It made me more frightened that she was not going to fully recover.
Two things got me through this. One was, of course, time. The other was church. People praying for us. Some people would make food for us. And let me tell you: That was some good food.
It makes this Bible verse all the more alive for me: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
Throughout the ups and downs of my childhood, God – and this church – was still there. As an adult member of this church, I want to help out stronger than I could before. I want to help out the Revolution games. I want to be a part of the stewardship and finance committee. And I want to be a part of the social committee.
That's because my Lutheran faith and this church and all of you remind me of the lines of a hymn we sang every week in catechism: Lord, now let your servant go in peace. Your Word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every People. A light to reveal you to the nations and the Glory of your people, Isreal. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen.
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Posted by: Moderator - 5/23/2010 5:19:25 PM 0 Comments
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Iceland and Love
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The glaciers are melting in Iceland. The Icelandic bank crisis of 2008 generated many bad jokes. And people are listed in the phone book in Iceland by their first names. These are some of the things I learned about Iceland as I prepared for the affirmation of marriage ceremony for Kathy and Axel last weekend. And then, it was quite dramatic to have the volcano erupt and bring this little nation to the spot light, the very week that Axel and his brother and friend came for the ceremony. Congratulations you two!
Another thing I ran across was this quote on love by Antione de Saint-Exupery:
Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.
I added that it is looking outward in the same direction with hope.
Having Christ as part of that relationship changes the reality that you see before you and gives you a purpose in looking. It visions the kingdom and directs us to live into it.
Matthew 18:19-20 Again truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.
This promise is not uniquely for couples, but it is valid for couples.
But what do you think? Some of you have been married many years. Others have just started by have been observing relationships your whole life. A relationship that grows deep and wide, love and friendship, helpmates, life partners…what is that all about?
Let us know, Pastor Paula
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Posted by: Moderator - 4/21/2010 10:51:02 AM 0 Comments
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Holy Week: Waiting to be Arrested
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It feels kind of sacrilegious to even put those up there. The arrest that awaits me this morning is at my convenience. They will make my ride to jail comfortable and there will be snacks and distractions to occupy my time until my expected release in a couple of hours. It’s the Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser that puts some of us “behind bars” until we raise bail money every year. This is my year.
But I will be mindful that for Christ it was not entertaining. For Christ, it was the rejection of who he was and why he came and everything good in the universe.
Because of fear.
That’s not a bad place to stop and pray.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom whall I fear? (Ps. 27-it's worth reading the whole thing)
There are big and little fears that pepper my soul. Some are ridiculous after only a moment or so of reflection. Others force me to confront the fact that I am but a mortal, sinful and incomplete. They are here!
Peace, Pastor Paula
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Posted by: Moderator - 3/31/2010 11:15:06 AM 0 Comments
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Archives
Lent 5 Back from Haiti
Day 6 in Port-au-Prince
“Lent” comes from “spring”-new beginnings
Lent 2 - A Mother Hen and Trembling Mountains
One Week into Lent
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