I want to flesh out some of the things I said in my sermon on June 16th. But first…
Wow. I am still overwhelmed by the generosity, warm embrace, happiness, excitement, relief, hope, optimism, prayers, gifts, and all else I have received from you. As someone said to me, “our hearts are yours,” so too is mine yours. Below are a few ways I want to demonstrate what I mean:
“My view on ministry is to mobilize your particularities, understand your ideas, and come alongside you to nurture your relationship with God”
The Church is a community of individuals bound together in a great mystery. We each have experiences, ideas, suggestions, concerns, and interesting points of view. Part of my responsibility as your pastor is to nurture your unique perspectives and to learn how to partner with you to better serve our community, and one another. Take me up on this. I believe that the best ideas happen during conversations. I want us to collaboratively journey deeper into the mysteries offered to us by God.
“I have an open life policy”
Life happens and we need safe spaces to vent, cry, relax, ask questions, and otherwise digest the events of our life. My open life policy tries to meet that need. This is not to say that I am perfectly equipped to meet every need, but that I want to provide a place and a presence where you feel safe. If you need a place to sleep, a warm meal, coffee or ice cream, a person to talk to, or someone to hang out with, my life is open. Also, I will have regular office hours throughout the week and nighttime office hours from 7-9pm on a day of the week yet to be decided.
“I think of you and pray for you, and plan for the time I spend with you all week. I might just be a Sunday visit for you, but you are how I spend my time.”
For me, ministry is kind of like learning that your best friend has another best friend. You get a little jealous because you covet and enjoy the time that you get to spend with your best friend. So, the thought of your best friend sharing their time with someone else is kind of difficult. Yeah, I’m joking, but what I mean is that my job is literally you. You are what I pray about, who I plan my week around, and really how I spend my time. The Church is not the physical building we occupy throughout the week and on Sunday, it’s the people called out by God; the Ekklesia. You are my Church. You are my people.
And it is with great honor that I get to sign this Flash as…
Pastor Benjamin C. Geeding