It took a conversation after worship with Dave H. to help me realize that I have been touched by miracles this week. Probably the most awesome thing was what happened to a homeless couple I met a couple weeks ago.
I met Rob and Lisa about three weeks ago when I ran into them walking the streets. They were out of work and so had lost their place. On top of that, Rob, who does carpentry, had his tools stolen, which is along story. The couple was in the process of suing to get the tools, but things were just not going their way. I saw this couple a few other times and spoke with them to find that their lot had not changed. Imagine my joy when I saw them this week and they told me that they had a place to stay! Granted, they still struggle, but, as Lisa put it, "God is helping us and it's just a matter of time.". This is a miracle.
Everyday I am talking to people who struggle with difficulties, but they are not beaten. I talk to felons who can't get a job but keep trying. I talk to people who live in neighborhoods plagued by crime but are not willing to leave. I talk to people who are discriminated, marginalized and silenced: down but not out. The majority of people I talk to have a faith that God has not deserted them and that God is present in their lives. This is the miracle! God touches peoples' lives so that even in the valley they rely upon the divine presence.
Society is quick to discount those who have less and by the world's definition are less. Even the church forgets that this was the group of people to which Jesus ministered. Christians love success stories and even those who are in the process of change, but we have a hard time meeting those who are in the depths. We feel a lot more comfortable with people who share our values and goals in life, people who are doing what we thing they ought. Our perceptions are conformed, not transformed.
I pray that God touches my heart so that when I talk to anyone they see Jesus in my eyes.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Making Contacts
The last week of community ministry has been pretty inspiring. I met with a couple of pastors who have hearts for community ministry. It was a pleasure talking with guys who are so missional but grounded in the Word as well. Some doors are opening and I continue to pray for discernment.
I met today with a guy who would like to do a bi-racial church plant. This man has connections in the neighborhood and this seems to be a beneficial relationship for both of us. A difficulty is that the churches I'm working with are not so excited to share their worship space with another congregation. I am enthused to consider preaching and teaching with this guy and starting something new that isn't being done in South Bend. However, I have been a pastor long enough to realize how attached congregations can become to their buildings. I pray that God will make God's will known so that this gets worked out.
In conversation with one of these ministers it was pointed out to me that I might be overextending. I am concerned that the two churches feel a part of this ministry and I feel as if I have been focusing primarily on the more southern part of the area. The area to the north is more affluent and I think there is less need, but I am making that assumption without speaking to folks. My intention is to begin to invest some more time in the northern part of the territory.
I made multiple phone calls today and I'm trying to get together with the area pastors. I don't know who would be interested in partnering up, but we will see. I've made some appointments, but I've also left a lot of messages.
It seems to me that God is active in this ministry. God is moving things in such a way that ministry opportunities are present. I think this brings folks up to date and so I'm going to slow the frequency of posts to weekly now.
Oh, I got a call to discuss and interim position. The position would be 2/3rds time in a church about an hour from Niles. It was a temptation to accept this call, but I ended up saying no. I don't know this sort of temptation is happening at this time. Depending on your pneumatology, one could see this as the intervention of evil to frustrate the work of the Spirit.
I met today with a guy who would like to do a bi-racial church plant. This man has connections in the neighborhood and this seems to be a beneficial relationship for both of us. A difficulty is that the churches I'm working with are not so excited to share their worship space with another congregation. I am enthused to consider preaching and teaching with this guy and starting something new that isn't being done in South Bend. However, I have been a pastor long enough to realize how attached congregations can become to their buildings. I pray that God will make God's will known so that this gets worked out.
In conversation with one of these ministers it was pointed out to me that I might be overextending. I am concerned that the two churches feel a part of this ministry and I feel as if I have been focusing primarily on the more southern part of the area. The area to the north is more affluent and I think there is less need, but I am making that assumption without speaking to folks. My intention is to begin to invest some more time in the northern part of the territory.
I made multiple phone calls today and I'm trying to get together with the area pastors. I don't know who would be interested in partnering up, but we will see. I've made some appointments, but I've also left a lot of messages.
It seems to me that God is active in this ministry. God is moving things in such a way that ministry opportunities are present. I think this brings folks up to date and so I'm going to slow the frequency of posts to weekly now.
Oh, I got a call to discuss and interim position. The position would be 2/3rds time in a church about an hour from Niles. It was a temptation to accept this call, but I ended up saying no. I don't know this sort of temptation is happening at this time. Depending on your pneumatology, one could see this as the intervention of evil to frustrate the work of the Spirit.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
First Steps
The last post was about this huge undertaking that I'm grappling with in South Bend. I touched on some of the challenges I faced jumping into this and my friend, Rev. Steve in CO, emailed to ask how I dealt with these. I had actually meant to write about this in the first blog, but was too tired Friday night to write more.
The first thing I did was to go to the Chamber of Commerce and get a map. The next thing I did was to get some business cards made. With map in hand, I set about getting to know the area around the two churches who were supporting the ministry. I prayed as a I rode in a hap-hazard fashion through the area; I tried to allow God to guide me in my travels. If I felt moved I stopped and talked to people about the neighborhood and so on. Sometimes we pray and sometimes we don't, but they all know I'm a pastor and that's a possibility.
I am looking for partners in this ministry and so I turned to the internet to research churches, social service providers and neighborhood associations in the area. I developed a small list from this study and set about visiting those organizations. There are not too many in the area targeted, which is an indication of need. The people I did talk to emphasized the need to better define the area I wanted to serve, as well as creating more tangible goals. The idea of being minister to a neighborhood simply did not make sense to most people and it made even less sense when I told them that I was praying for discernment and that they were part of the process.
Part of my research involved visiting the denomination's web site. The PC(USA) is not well equipped to deal with community ministry, despite our spoken support of emergent communities. If one's goal is to plant or develop a new church, the PC(USA) has a wealth of resources, but that is not my overt goal. The denomination did recommend a book by David Bos and I was anxious to read that as his wife was my adviser in seminary.
I went to Better World Books (awesome place) and got the Bos book along with several books on community ministry. I apologize to Johanna, but the book by David Bos just did not meet my needs. What I did find was a tremendous book by Carl Dudley. Basic Steps is an awesome primer for the community minister. The volume outlines steps to take and offers some direction on how to evaluate information about the community. I was reassured as I read this to find that my ideas were all right on target with the process recommended by Dudley. I was also interested to read his small section on the hidden people in the community as well as the intangible rewards and obstacles. While I had thought about those items that can't be quantified, Dudley made sure that I didn't forget those elements.
Along with all the research I continue to go through the neighborhood and talk to people. I pray as I go and stop and chat with most people. Through the process of conversation I have begun to limit the area in which I hope to do ministry. It has also occurred to me that I am able to begin several small to medium initiatives rather than focusing on one big programmatic thing. I have also looked at the area and decided that there are three adjoining neighborhoods in which I plan on ministering. The composition, needs and resources available in those areas are all different so there is a need for different ministry.
I found that in chatting with people I am directed to others in the community or other resources. These "secondary" contacts have proven to be the most helpful. These contacts are people who are active in the community and have a good idea of what needs to be done as well as how it might be accomplished. What I keep finding out is that I need to know more. It seems like every conversation sheds light on another facet of an issue in the community.
I am ready to begin planning some action, so I am now getting ready to deal with the supporting churches. I don't know how they will react to my requests to use their facilities and what hoops I will have to go through to make these things happen. I also know I have access to some funds, but I don't know how that process is going to work, either.
Please follow this blog as together we can explore this incredible community ministry.
The first thing I did was to go to the Chamber of Commerce and get a map. The next thing I did was to get some business cards made. With map in hand, I set about getting to know the area around the two churches who were supporting the ministry. I prayed as a I rode in a hap-hazard fashion through the area; I tried to allow God to guide me in my travels. If I felt moved I stopped and talked to people about the neighborhood and so on. Sometimes we pray and sometimes we don't, but they all know I'm a pastor and that's a possibility.
I am looking for partners in this ministry and so I turned to the internet to research churches, social service providers and neighborhood associations in the area. I developed a small list from this study and set about visiting those organizations. There are not too many in the area targeted, which is an indication of need. The people I did talk to emphasized the need to better define the area I wanted to serve, as well as creating more tangible goals. The idea of being minister to a neighborhood simply did not make sense to most people and it made even less sense when I told them that I was praying for discernment and that they were part of the process.
Part of my research involved visiting the denomination's web site. The PC(USA) is not well equipped to deal with community ministry, despite our spoken support of emergent communities. If one's goal is to plant or develop a new church, the PC(USA) has a wealth of resources, but that is not my overt goal. The denomination did recommend a book by David Bos and I was anxious to read that as his wife was my adviser in seminary.
I went to Better World Books (awesome place) and got the Bos book along with several books on community ministry. I apologize to Johanna, but the book by David Bos just did not meet my needs. What I did find was a tremendous book by Carl Dudley. Basic Steps is an awesome primer for the community minister. The volume outlines steps to take and offers some direction on how to evaluate information about the community. I was reassured as I read this to find that my ideas were all right on target with the process recommended by Dudley. I was also interested to read his small section on the hidden people in the community as well as the intangible rewards and obstacles. While I had thought about those items that can't be quantified, Dudley made sure that I didn't forget those elements.
Along with all the research I continue to go through the neighborhood and talk to people. I pray as I go and stop and chat with most people. Through the process of conversation I have begun to limit the area in which I hope to do ministry. It has also occurred to me that I am able to begin several small to medium initiatives rather than focusing on one big programmatic thing. I have also looked at the area and decided that there are three adjoining neighborhoods in which I plan on ministering. The composition, needs and resources available in those areas are all different so there is a need for different ministry.
I found that in chatting with people I am directed to others in the community or other resources. These "secondary" contacts have proven to be the most helpful. These contacts are people who are active in the community and have a good idea of what needs to be done as well as how it might be accomplished. What I keep finding out is that I need to know more. It seems like every conversation sheds light on another facet of an issue in the community.
I am ready to begin planning some action, so I am now getting ready to deal with the supporting churches. I don't know how they will react to my requests to use their facilities and what hoops I will have to go through to make these things happen. I also know I have access to some funds, but I don't know how that process is going to work, either.
Please follow this blog as together we can explore this incredible community ministry.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Warming up to South Bend
I knew it wouldn't be too long until something like this happened. Fortunately, I didn't get banged up too badly, just some scrapes. You see, I've been biking around the Far Northwest area of South Bend doing community ministry for the last three weeks. I hope this chronicle will provide people with a better understanding of community ministry, the growth it brings to the churches involved and a glimpse into the world of ministry.
I began this ministry three weeks ago with the mandate to go and do ministry. Two Presbyterian churches, Memorial and Westminster, put their money together and got a little bit more from the Presbytery of Wabash Valley to finance this ministry. I am amazed that two churches could agree and work together like this. In my years of ministry I have never experienced two churches working together like this without animosity-props to Rev. Ted Lester who laid the groundwork. For such a partnership to exist it must be of God! I have said and written for years that the church must change how it interacts with the world and this initiative is proof that others have the same perspective. This awesome opportunity to do church differently became mine August 1, 2011.
No limits, no guidance, just go and do. It is often said be careful what you pray for and so it goes. As my wife reminds me, this is something that I have asked for since I became a minister some 10 years ago, but this is just huge. Imagine-I was sent out into South Bend, Indiana, a city I didn't know all that well, and told to do ministry. Scary, exciting, challenging...I think I have an idea how those first disciples felt when they started the first churches.
The most overwhelming part of the ministry was all that needed to be done. There was no boundary regarding the area I was expected to serve, but I reckoned that I should look at areas around the two churches that were funding the ministry. I also knew that a resource was the church building. Even with that in mind, it was a challenge to define the area of ministry. Stakeholders, providers, possible partners and the very people being served had to be identified. A lot to be done!
I began this ministry three weeks ago with the mandate to go and do ministry. Two Presbyterian churches, Memorial and Westminster, put their money together and got a little bit more from the Presbytery of Wabash Valley to finance this ministry. I am amazed that two churches could agree and work together like this. In my years of ministry I have never experienced two churches working together like this without animosity-props to Rev. Ted Lester who laid the groundwork. For such a partnership to exist it must be of God! I have said and written for years that the church must change how it interacts with the world and this initiative is proof that others have the same perspective. This awesome opportunity to do church differently became mine August 1, 2011.
No limits, no guidance, just go and do. It is often said be careful what you pray for and so it goes. As my wife reminds me, this is something that I have asked for since I became a minister some 10 years ago, but this is just huge. Imagine-I was sent out into South Bend, Indiana, a city I didn't know all that well, and told to do ministry. Scary, exciting, challenging...I think I have an idea how those first disciples felt when they started the first churches.
The most overwhelming part of the ministry was all that needed to be done. There was no boundary regarding the area I was expected to serve, but I reckoned that I should look at areas around the two churches that were funding the ministry. I also knew that a resource was the church building. Even with that in mind, it was a challenge to define the area of ministry. Stakeholders, providers, possible partners and the very people being served had to be identified. A lot to be done!
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