Today is officially moving day for pastors that have been appointed to new churches. For many, that means packing up one house and moving to another, as well as an office. For me, however, it was simply an office. Thankfully!
Actually, I moved in yesterday afternoon, missing the leaving pastor by an hour or two, passing by each other like two ships in the night. I arrived around 2:00 and spent the first 2 hours with the secretary, going over everything I need to know. She would often stop and ask, "Is this too much?" To which I would smile, reply, "No, I'm with you," and wish I had been writing this all down. But she made me feel "at home" and realize that I better get more organized because she sure was!
I began bringing a number of boxes into the office and various wall hangings and shelf decorations, choosing to wait for my wife to arrive a little later to help set things up. I figured why waste all my energy in setting it up when she will come in, change it and have it looking a whole lot better.
(Side note about setting up my office: Heather and I have deep discussions when it comes to setting up my office. I arrange my books by subject areas - history, commentaries, family, devotional, etc. She, however, arranges by size, laying a stack of books on their side, a stack kiddie-cornered, all books working their way down from the tallest to the shortest, like you do with a group picture. Looks real nice but makes finding books more of a challenge though. But hey, I like challenges - hide and seek is one of my favorite childhood games.)
I met with our pianist and discussed music for Sunday and for the future. We practiced a few praise and worship songs together, with me on guitar. What a thrill. Heather showed up by then and sang with me. I'm a little nervous singing on our first Sunday there but I want to set a affirming tone, an "everyone can find something to connect with" statement about worship style.
Following that we met with a couple that work with the audio/visuals of the service. Wonderful people (as was the pianist) and we spent time brainstorming about the future. We figured out how we will do the power point and then just talked about the church, hopes and dreams, and our roles in it all.
It was all a positive day but still it there was a strangeness to it. When I left to go to the office yesterday I had this overwhelming anxious feeling, one of those experiences where you are flooded with questions, questions I quickly turned to God with:
I have no clue what lies before me in this new ministry. I do know that it will be different than any other church I have pastored because they are all different. But I know that the job before me is one ordained by God, that he is in it, that it is his kingdom. So, I think it will be best if I do much consultation with the Divine Architect of this kingdom I am honored to be called to be part of.
Actually, I moved in yesterday afternoon, missing the leaving pastor by an hour or two, passing by each other like two ships in the night. I arrived around 2:00 and spent the first 2 hours with the secretary, going over everything I need to know. She would often stop and ask, "Is this too much?" To which I would smile, reply, "No, I'm with you," and wish I had been writing this all down. But she made me feel "at home" and realize that I better get more organized because she sure was!
I began bringing a number of boxes into the office and various wall hangings and shelf decorations, choosing to wait for my wife to arrive a little later to help set things up. I figured why waste all my energy in setting it up when she will come in, change it and have it looking a whole lot better.
(Side note about setting up my office: Heather and I have deep discussions when it comes to setting up my office. I arrange my books by subject areas - history, commentaries, family, devotional, etc. She, however, arranges by size, laying a stack of books on their side, a stack kiddie-cornered, all books working their way down from the tallest to the shortest, like you do with a group picture. Looks real nice but makes finding books more of a challenge though. But hey, I like challenges - hide and seek is one of my favorite childhood games.)
I met with our pianist and discussed music for Sunday and for the future. We practiced a few praise and worship songs together, with me on guitar. What a thrill. Heather showed up by then and sang with me. I'm a little nervous singing on our first Sunday there but I want to set a affirming tone, an "everyone can find something to connect with" statement about worship style.
Following that we met with a couple that work with the audio/visuals of the service. Wonderful people (as was the pianist) and we spent time brainstorming about the future. We figured out how we will do the power point and then just talked about the church, hopes and dreams, and our roles in it all.
It was all a positive day but still it there was a strangeness to it. When I left to go to the office yesterday I had this overwhelming anxious feeling, one of those experiences where you are flooded with questions, questions I quickly turned to God with:
Lord, are you sure this is where you want me to be? Am I equipped to do the work you want me to do there? Will they like me? Do they have a clue what they are getting into, having me as their pastor? And could you please open my eyes to see you, my ears to hear your voice, and my mind so that I can get a whole lot wiser than I actually am at the moment?I was reminded of several "sayings" that I have heard over the years, sayings that I have actually used with other people: "Where the finger of God points, his hand will make a way." Then this one began rolling around my head: "Where God guides, he provides." And one by Hudson Taylor certainly reminded me where to stay focused: "God's work done God's way will never lack God's support." Funny how I didn't get some scripture verse that would shake me back to the truth but it was these sayings, all of them true, and all of them could be supported by scripture.
I have no clue what lies before me in this new ministry. I do know that it will be different than any other church I have pastored because they are all different. But I know that the job before me is one ordained by God, that he is in it, that it is his kingdom. So, I think it will be best if I do much consultation with the Divine Architect of this kingdom I am honored to be called to be part of.
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