guidance

Breakfast with Great grandmother

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

When my mom passed away she left us no money but lots of paperback Agatha Christie mysteries. She also left a few odds and ends of furniture from my great grandmother. My sister took home the stone sundial from the garden and I ended up with an old cherry side table. Besides the table which sat in a side room for years were worn out chairs, a broken footstool and curious table leaves with legs that took up permanent residence in the attic.

One night as I was reorganizing things recently I began to examine the spare table parts thinking maybe I could recut them for shelves. In a flash it came to me like when you suddenly realize where a puzzle piece fits. They were designed to fit snugly into the slots on the old side table! That’s when I remembered why they had seemed strangely familiar. Together they made up the table at which I had sat down to breakfast with great grandmother 60 years ago. Since we were the only two early risers in the family she welcomed me to sit with her if I was good. After eating she delighted in showing me her scrap books filled with clippings from the Chicago world’s fair and of her travels to Australia. It was she who passed along her great sense of adventure for the life that lay ahead of me and behind her. How our world has changed from those long ago days. Bur in my heart rests those sweet memories of a woman who shared her stories . So it isn’t just about holding on to old dusty furniture that I am writing tonight. It is about a respect and love for others that we once shared as families, communities and as a nation. We learned that life was more than just what we could take from others. What really mattered was sitting down at the table together and learning about the endless possibilities that lay ahead!

Encouragement for Lay Ministry

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

 

As someone who has served for  many years in the position of lay pastor I want to share an encouraging word to you who serve  whether as pastors, worship leaders or unpaid secretaries, accountants, education directors or musicians. If you sometimes feel unappreciated, less qualified or unnecessary take a deep breath and consider a few short points today.

A) Being a lay minister is a not a lower calling

and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tent makers by trade. 1 Corinthians 18:3

In the first century the most famous example of lay ministry may be the apostle Paul. While for a part of his ministry he was supported by the churches he served, he spent a great deal of his time working with his own hands to provide for his needs. While that seems pretty distant to us think of Pastor Rick Warren who serves at Saddleback church without a salary.  In a strange sort of way Pastor Rick is also a fellow lay minister. We are neither higher nor lower than any other servant in God’s church but we are certainly different!

B) Being a lay minister gives us a unique perspective

The term laity came from a Greek root meaning “Of the people” Being of the people is exactly what Jesus was for most of His life. When He began to preach in Nazareth His neighbors were shocked!

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.  And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”  And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them Mark 6:3-6

Being of the people Jesus knows and understands what we are going through. He can sympathize with our struggles in a way He could not have from the throne in heaven. In that same manner you are put in a privileged position among people with an opportunity that a paid full time minister will never have. Rather than moping over where you work realize that where you work is your Nazareth. Some people will not appreciate what God has called you to do, but the ones whom you reach for Jesus Christ can not be reached by anyone else!

There’s lots more to share so stay tuned for the next points in my next post. I’d write more today but I gotta go to work!!!P1020007