August 2023 Newsletter

​First off, I want to thank everyone who helped make our Community Picnic a great success! It was a blessing to be in fellowship together and have some fun. The school supplies collected for Journeys School were heartwarming (remember that drive continues through August 20th). I would like to thank all of you that came out that evening, provided food, and were good sports when it came to our silly games. I want to thank the members of council that put in the extra effort to plan games, gather up materials, and coordinate tasks like organizing the food, putting up the tent, set-up, and clean-up. It was a fun event thanks to you all!
 
We have one more event planned for under the tent this month. Sunday August 20th we will have an outdoor service. Please note this is a change of date from what was previously announced.
 
Well, what a difference a month makes. The turn of the calendar page to August means we can also say that our interim pastor will join us this month! For those that have not heard, Pastor Steve Rutter will begin work on August 21st as our interim pastor. Pastor Steve will help us walk through the transition process towards calling a new pastor during the months ahead. Pastor Steve has an interesting, one could even say courageous, faith story that he undoubtedly will share with you all. He seems as though he will be an “excellent fit” for us. On August 27th, he will lead us in worship for the first time and we are planning a little reception for after the service - please join us.
 
Regarding that transition process, some of the informal groups that have been doing information and data gathering are completing, or have completed, their tasks. For others work is continuing. This preliminary data gathering stage will provide information for the next stage of our transition. Once Pastor Steve joins us we will be forming a formal Transition or Mission Exploration Team (often abbreviated MET). To clarify, this is not a Call Committee. The MET process seeks to answer the following questions through additional data gathering, assessments, and reflection: Who are we? Who is our neighbor? What is God up to internally and externally and how are we called to participate? (What is our specific mission moving forward?) and given the answers to the first three questions, how do we articulate the kind of pastoral leadership we need at this time? If you would like to be a part of this team, please contact me. I know this could be one of those instances of me saying, you all come, and you all don’t. But, I am hopeful that some of you will prayerfully consider if this is a time when you could step up and take on a little extra responsibility to help out your Resurrection family. You won’t be alone in this. You will have other team members as well as Pastor Steve to guide you.
 
Finally, as we move into the next phase of our transition, I have something important to ask of all of you. I ask for your prayers. There have been numerous events in the life of this congregation that have stood as a testament to the power of prayer. This is a time when your Resurrection family needs your prayers as well.

• Please pray for us as a church. That we will remain humble and unified. Pray that we will be patient and wait on the Lord’s timing. Pray we will continue to be productive, recognizing that we are the church. Pray for our evangelical faithfulness, recognizing that, as I said last month, a single Great Commission compels us to work together so all will know Christ’s love.
• Please pray for your Mission Exploration Team and later your Call Committee. Pray for blessings for those leaders among us who will take on extra responsibility, pray that the members of these groups are filled with a sense of God’s love and presence. Pray for their unity, wisdom, and discernment. Pray that their work and deliberation are collaborative and productive. Pray that they are protected from the impatience’s all of us will be feeling at times during the process.
• Please pray for our next pastor. Pray that God will grant that individual; the strength to leave their current ministry, a great love for our Resurrection family and community, a strong calling to preach and teach and fill the biblical role of shepherd for our flock.

 
Or pray this prayer that I found: Loving God, be with us and guide us in this time of discernment. Fill our leaders with your wisdom. Keep us mindful of the work that you would have us do. Lead us and guide us, oh Lord, to be about the work of your kingdom especially as the search for a new pastor continues. Bless all who have or will take on extra responsibility and fill them with a sense of your love and presence. We pray in your Son’s name, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessings, Tom