The Ruler's Back

 February 22, 2015


I wonder if I can make Jay-Z relate to every post I write about ministry. That would be super dope, right? I am already gonna’ claim that that’s highly unlikely. I received the blessing of friendship this afternoon in a conversation with a dear friend who I’ve known since college, in spite of a session meeting where per usual I wondered what I am doing, I admitted that I am enjoying be a pastor.  Here’s a few simple facts/observations as I love lists.

1. There is a Sunday every week and that means a sermon every week.

2. The longer you stay with people, the more you will find yourself endeared to them.

3. Why do so many great people die so unexpectedly?

4. I don’t know if I have the power to bring back a church on the brink of death.

5.Sometimes I wonder if churches want to die but carry to much shame about admitting it.

6. I once was agist.

7. It takes a long time to learn a community.

8. I don’t pray enough.

9. I love hearing people’s stories.

10. The best way to get to know my congregation does not happen on Sunday mornings.

11. When you get excited about the possibilities/opportunities/ and challenges does that mean you are where you should be?

12. There is a Sunday every week.

13. People do make the world go ’round.

 

In Da Beginning Was da Blog

July 19, 205

I debated whether I’d blog again. On one hand, I mostly feel like I have nothing to say and, if I did have something to say there is some one “-er” than me. -Er, you ask? You know someone bettER, smartER, coolER. Another aspect of the whole thing is that I can tend to overshare and be vulnerable. I’ve been to enough conferences, festivals, and on social media enough lately to get that a social media/blogger/twitter presence is possibly not only just super trendy but almost expected. So, here we go…

I pastor an intimate church in a coastal city in my home state of North Cackalacky. I’ve been at the church ten months. It is my first ordained call. What you should know about my context…

1) I am a SBF pastor who pastors a predominately black church.

2) I was baptized in this church, visited often in the summer and am related to some members/

3) There is a significant number of years between myself and the bulk of the congregation.

4) My official title is “part-time, interim, designated pastor(or maybe it is teaching elder). That’s a lot of modifiers!

5) Oh and I am for better or worse PCUSA. Presbyterian Church U.S.A