oh how time flies! i cannot believe that is is almost labor day and with it the beginning of a new school year, new programming for church, etc...pretty soon we will be preparing for christmas and putting ashes on our foreheads. okay, i know it is not that fast but sometimes it feels like the world is spinning out of control with the pace we find ourselves in. a lot has happened this summer, and much of it the past month or so. i have contemplated time and again what to write-if anything regarding the churchwide assembly to which i was able to be a voting member. i have been reading the blogosphere, the newspapers online, and many other things to try and grasp exactly where we are as a people in regards to what happened in chicago. i had and continue to have many conflicted feelings in how the elca handled itself, yet in the end i find myself having much hope for our denomination due largely to the way we grounded ourself in prayer and worship-together- those on both sides of the issue. rather than trying to recount everything and give my spin on it i will point you in the direction of this post from "reclaiming the f word"- a blog by a former professor and a current friend and mentor of mine. she hits it on the head as far as i am concerned and i think all of you would be better off to read it!
in other fun news...our new bishop John Schleicher was installed last saturday by presiding bishop hanson. it was a wonderful and uplifting service and i feel very good about john's leadership to come. afterwards i was able to visit briefly with bp. hanson and was again amazed at his presence, wisdom, and love for the church. he told me that he is only home on average one day a week- wow- that is definitely a calling and commitment- i pray for his health and mental well being as he now begins another six years...
advent continues to grow- we bought land! and now we are off and running preparing to go to two worship services in the fall. anyone have wisdom on how to handle this transition? also...here is a question for the day- how does a church either recreate or continue to kindle the passion and fire that went along with it in its first 19 months. i am not suggesting that we have lost it, but want to be proactive as we move forward to our next chapter. pleast...talk back.
peace jg
in other fun news...our new bishop John Schleicher was installed last saturday by presiding bishop hanson. it was a wonderful and uplifting service and i feel very good about john's leadership to come. afterwards i was able to visit briefly with bp. hanson and was again amazed at his presence, wisdom, and love for the church. he told me that he is only home on average one day a week- wow- that is definitely a calling and commitment- i pray for his health and mental well being as he now begins another six years...
advent continues to grow- we bought land! and now we are off and running preparing to go to two worship services in the fall. anyone have wisdom on how to handle this transition? also...here is a question for the day- how does a church either recreate or continue to kindle the passion and fire that went along with it in its first 19 months. i am not suggesting that we have lost it, but want to be proactive as we move forward to our next chapter. pleast...talk back.
peace jg
Justin,
Time does fly! It was two years ago already that we came and celebrated your Ordination. I thought about that as we celebrate Elizabeth's second b-day. Your ordination was just a few weeks after she was born. Crazy!
I had one thought about two services. On internship we had two services, a contemporary and tradition. I didn't think much of it until Elizabeth's Baby Shower. I was talking to one lady about another woman of the congregation. Both of these women were very active members. Except they had no idea who the other one was. One was older than the other and they always went to different services. But I was shocked when I realized that they didn't know each other. As I thought about it, our congregation was kind of like a two point parish only in one building. The two worshipping groups were pretty regular. I not sure how to keep this from happening or how to remedy the situation at my internship site. But it really made me think about that. Something for you to ponder.
God bless you fall activities!
Noogie
Posted by
Noogie |
1:54 PM
wow! So good to hear from you noogie- how the hell are you? yeah...that is the dreaded reality that you become two communities...to try and combat that we are having a fellowship time after the first service and before education and then another one after education and before the second service...plus plans are to do a joint service every three or four months at the local camp- where they have a huge chapel.
peace
jg
Posted by
Justin G |
2:17 PM
May I first echo the "noogie - how the hell are you? question?
NOOGIE! How the hell are you? come back to the blogging world! We miss you and Pam and Ellie!
J-man - now to you. First, I'm very sad you couldn't be greasy and scuzzy with us. That would have been PERFECT. But alas. Once I get that Oct 7th thing under my belt I'm going to seriously look at my calendar and chat with you about a time to come see you. it's been FAR too long.
Second - Super congrats on the buying land! That's such an awesome step. I don't think you need to worry too much about the loss of passion yet. You still have so many new things ahead of Advent - new land, new building, first service in the new building, first Easter, first Christmas, first wedding, etc. You have a lot of firsts yet to come and that will keep the fires lit, especially keeping the congregation involved in kindling and lighting those fires. it will be incredible.
But maybe that's the key - keeping people involved, not just by assuming but by personally asking someone - genuine interest in who they are and what they could contribute. That helps people feel like they belong and are wanted. It's a good thing.
You rock. I miss you tons. Hi to Anna, Logan and Peyton. *hugs*
Posted by
~moe~ |
7:59 PM
It can be a real challenge to maintain a high level of energy and excitment in a congregation. Especially when it seems that the drive behind such energy often comes exclusively from the pastor, such a push can be exhausting.
Posted by
Unknown |
11:01 AM