by Randy Heacock, Leadership Minister
In my work both as a pastor and for the conference, one of my greatest rewards is the opportunity to learn from and with others working in God’s Kingdom.
In the first congregation I served as a young minister in the United Methodist Church, the board of ordained ministry was wise enough to pair me with an older minister (younger than my current age) to mentor me. Charles and I were very different both in our theological perspective and in our view of worship; however, he taught me the importance of accepting affirmation and “to let it sink deeply into your entire being. Challenges and criticism will come frequently enough and you will need to have a strong bank account of affirmation to keep your balance.” Fast forward to my current work, I file notes of affirmation and appreciation with a prayer of gratitude as evidence of God’s grace.
More recently, in working with the pastoral search committee at Towamencin, a person called to share concern regarding our process. As I listened, I gained a fuller understanding both of what happened at our last meeting and how we could find our way forward. Grateful for the honest feedback, I reached out to some other people for wisdom and discerned an approach for our next meeting. The meeting was vastly improved with more vigorous engagement. On the ride home, I thanked God for the varied gifts people contribute to the church.
I recently met with Tim Moyer, pastor of Bally congregation, for breakfast at his house. Let me first say that Tim knows how to fix breakfast! As we talked, his excitement and energy was contagious. The Bally congregation is working to learn about and practice a centered-set approach. Tim shared how this focus is uniting the congregation. They are also rethinking and reshaping who they are as a church. I give thanks for the fresh wind of God creating new expressions. I look forward to what God is yet to do at and through Bally.
At Doylestown, where I serve as pastor, we recently celebrated the ordination of Sandy Landes. Sandy’s ordination was a tribute to God’s constant pursuit and Sandy’s willingness to say “yes.” Many people present would have witnessed Sandy’s transformation through the process of refusing, then reluctantly leading, and now leading boldly in a public setting. Former members, family, neighbors, colleagues, and friends celebrated Sandy’s faithful example of answering God’s call. The day after Sandy’s ordination, I rejoiced for the many people who nurtured and participated in this work of God.
The photo above is a display that was present during Sandy’s ordination. It represents God‘s power to transform what was once a barren desert into a lush land. As in the little stories I have shared, it visually reminds us of God’s life-giving power. May we all give thanks for the ways we have witnessed God’s transformational power. May we continually learn to wait on God.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.