The title is the link. What a year 2011 was!
Showing posts with label annual report. Show all posts
Showing posts with label annual report. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
CCT Minister Report 2009
Minister Report 2009
In the fall of 2009, I was in a conversation with Paul Debenport, minister of First Presbyterian, Albuquerque. I mentioned to him that the end of ’09 would mark the end of my third year at WPC. He enthusiastically said, “Ah, the end of the third year! I love that place of ministry.” He went on to say something to the effect of by the end of the third year, you know if you are going to make it with the congregation or not; and if you are going to make it you can experience a lot of freedom and build on the wonderful relationships that have been established. I know I’m going to make it! And am grateful for the freedoms I’ve experienced and look forward to continuing to deepen the relationships I have with the wonderful people of WPC.
This year brought on new challenges and I again learned very significant lessons. An invaluable reading of Eugene Peterson’s, Under the Unpredictable Plant, helped to reinterpret my role as Pastor with a re-emphasis of Pastor as Spiritual Leader, not programmatic doer. As a spiritual leader, my top three priorities I tried and am trying to live into are: worship leadership, leadership development, and community involvement.
Worship leadership: planning for worship, chair of Alabad care, preaching, singing in voice choir, and involving laity and clergy friends in planning and leading worship. Note: as preacher, because of the relationship with the congregation, I am much less anxious in a preaching role, and while preaching takes a considerable amount of energy and imagination, I value the potential and power of the spoken word to transform a people in their relationship with God and the world. One of my favorite activities is study as I prepare for sermons. One of Trasie’s favorite activities is correcting and sharpening my sermons on Saturday night, right dear?
In the fall of 2009, I was in a conversation with Paul Debenport, minister of First Presbyterian, Albuquerque. I mentioned to him that the end of ’09 would mark the end of my third year at WPC. He enthusiastically said, “Ah, the end of the third year! I love that place of ministry.” He went on to say something to the effect of by the end of the third year, you know if you are going to make it with the congregation or not; and if you are going to make it you can experience a lot of freedom and build on the wonderful relationships that have been established. I know I’m going to make it! And am grateful for the freedoms I’ve experienced and look forward to continuing to deepen the relationships I have with the wonderful people of WPC.
This year brought on new challenges and I again learned very significant lessons. An invaluable reading of Eugene Peterson’s, Under the Unpredictable Plant, helped to reinterpret my role as Pastor with a re-emphasis of Pastor as Spiritual Leader, not programmatic doer. As a spiritual leader, my top three priorities I tried and am trying to live into are: worship leadership, leadership development, and community involvement.
Worship leadership: planning for worship, chair of Alabad care, preaching, singing in voice choir, and involving laity and clergy friends in planning and leading worship. Note: as preacher, because of the relationship with the congregation, I am much less anxious in a preaching role, and while preaching takes a considerable amount of energy and imagination, I value the potential and power of the spoken word to transform a people in their relationship with God and the world. One of my favorite activities is study as I prepare for sermons. One of Trasie’s favorite activities is correcting and sharpening my sermons on Saturday night, right dear?
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