A Pastor's Report

Every year our annual conference of the UMC asks pastors to reveiw the past year of ministry and file this report as a part of our Charge Conference gathering. Because I don't think anyone has ever read my report and it will fill someone else's file cabinet- I thought I would share it with my faithful blog readers. **warning: content may make you sleepy**

This year I join a small, but mighty group of United Methodist pastors who have served one church for ten or more years. I am stunned by the acknowledgement of this accomplishment as well as humbled by this vocational experience. This marks new territory for myself professionally as well as a new era for the congregation in which I serve (I am only the third pastor in Calvary's history to obtain this goal.)

My gratitude remains as we move into this tenth year of service together. I am grateful for the terrific collegial support and encouragement that I receive daily from Todd. What a trooper to put up with me all the time! Our staff and lay leadership continues to offer me their confidence and support in ministry and leadership. Thank you to all!

Longevity in ministry can afford a leader/prophet/preacher with a variety of pitfalls as well as perks. Perks come in knowing the stories of people and living life with them for ten years plus. We have history together! Perks come therefore in the arena of trust, intimacy, familiarity, and knowledge. It is a perk to have enough long term knowledge of the insides of an institution that I can witness her change, move, and have her being in the midst of our culture and world transitions.

Pitfalls are numerous. I can no longer blame mistakes on being a ‘newbie’ in ministry nor even on the people themselves. Their foibles as a church now reflect the weakness and vulnerabilities within my own leadership/psyche/personality. This confession is a tough one to swallow and one that invites me ever more to prayer, confession, and repentance. “How do I make myself new by the Holy Spirit in this place?” I ask.

Enough rambling of a want-to-be-mystic in churchy plainclothes!

We’ve grown in every category numerically (worship attendance, small groups, youth, confirmation classes, number of profession by faiths, missionaries, folks intending on vocations in ministry, etc), but one. We are attracting lots of previously lukewarm, never churched before Christians in training. It is exciting and challenging!!

The one area of non-growth, but even backwards movement is finance. We are not growing givers (i.e. want to be tithers). Our income is slim. And our budget is lean. Calvary is over worked, understaffed, and underfinanced for the size and quality of ministry that we provide our community. And frankly, I am not sure how best to attack, solve, wrestle, and improve this spiritual problem. Ideas are welcome.