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| Exploding with PossibilitiesWe've changed a lot of things in my time as pastor of PB UMC. In 1991, we began by changing the worship pattern and the newsletter name and format, moving the coffee fellowship, and starting to plan for changes in the sanctuary. Over time, together, we initiated the Wednesday Night Ministry, the Partners Mentorship Program, and the youth ministry, and became a Reconciling Congregation. Classes have come and gone. The building has undergone exterior renovation. A memorable change was trimming the courtyard evergreen tree from the ground up, so that the trunk was exposed and people could no longer sleep or shower in the lower branches! One thing, however, which was already well established when I arrived, and has remained consistent over the last twelve (plus) years is the worship schedule. 8:15 and 10:15 have been the Sunday morning worship times as long as I have been here. Now we are about to change the schedule. We want to make room for more people, to reach out to more people. So we're going to add a 9 a.m. worship service modeled on the current 10:15 service. Will it work? Other changes we have made have helped the growth and effectiveness of our ministry. Will this one? I don't know. But I certainly hope so. I would not be pursuing the change if I did not believe God was calling us to stretch ourselves yet again toward an unknown and promising future. It feels to me like our church is currently bursting with new possibilities. A young adult ministry and a small group ministry are on the brink of being born. New people are in worship with us every Sunday, and many are eager to belong to a faith community, to change the direction of their lives, and to get involved in God's work in the world. The youth group has entered its second year of independence, and we have added a special ministry with elementary age children. The Welcome Door is adding new facets and programs which build on our Wednesday Night Ministry. We are trying to deepen the bonds of community at the same time as we are trying to open the doors for more people to join us in following Jesus. This is by no means an easy thing to accomplish. It can cause us to feel overwhelmed, out of control, and even a little bit tired! On the other hand, it can be exhilarating to ride this new wave of the Spirit and sense that God is doing new things among us. I pray that even as we step forward in faith to welcome new people, our own spirits will be nurtured in a warm and healthy experience of community. I encourage all of us to seek ways to build our relationship with God, whether it be through fellowship, service, study, prayer, or "all of the above." Change is not necessarily comfortable, but (as we know from experience) change can be a key to renewed life. Let's help each other see the possibilities, and not get stuck on the problems, of what we are about to undertake. Yours in the service of God's kingdom, Pastor April |
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