Category: Church Leadership
-
Thinking of others around the world with John Lyon
I’m posting part of an email letter from my friend John Lyon, President of World Hope International. It reminds us all to keep in mind those in our world who have so little this Christmas season. I have taught for years that every American Christian should have a regular donor relationship with a charity that helps…
-
We love Houghton College – Reflections on completing my term as trustee
Houghton is special JoAnne and I returned yesterday from the fall trustee board meeting at Houghton College. I have had the wonderful privilege of serving the Central New York District of the Wesleyan Church as district representative on that board for the last six years. Even though the decisions to be made have occasionally been…
-
Summer Sermon Series Planned for Copper Hill Church
This summer at Copper Hill Church, during the pastors morning messages, we are reviewing together the primary purposes of the church. There is no better time than the beginning of a new pastorate to undertake this important review. It gives us important Scriptural perspective for our work and decision-making and it helps us all to…
-
Nursing home visitation will be rewarded as a ministry to the least of these
A friend, Phil, in Kirkville wrote me that he was joining a ministry of nursing home visitation. I thought my comments to him, might be of encouragement to others too. So here they are as a post. May God bless you in your new ministry venture, Phil, and all like you who minister in nursing…
-
Liturgy of pastoral transition
A blessed day at church What a wonderful pair of worship services this morning. Attendance was high (211) and excitement was higher as we sang from hearts that needed the reminder; I Walk by Faith and worshipped our heavenly Father on Father’s Day with choruses and hymns. I played trombone with the worship team so…
-
Websites are now the church’s foyer
I’ve been saying for many years that a church’s website has now become it’s primary way to get information to prospective attenders. Here’s an article by a blogger on Christian Post agreeing with my premise. http://www.christianpost.com/news/seven-plus-one-deadly-sins-of-a-church-website-96661/ It can help us here in Kirkville to take the next step in our already developed website. It can…
-
Plans for our remaining Sundays at Kirkville
The remaining weeks of our time here at Kirkville will be busy ones. We have saved a few weeks vacation to help us have time to pack and visit our family in CT and western NY. I am also doing some reading in preparation for my new part-time position at Copper Hill UMC. You know…
-
A new assignment
Today it was announced at both churches that I have a new part-time pastorate in Connecticut starting in July after my retirement from full-time ministry here in Kirkville. I will begin serving as the pastor at a very old and historic United Methodist Church at Copper Hill, Connecticut. There is a very roomy parsonage…
-
An interesting graphic about giving
The generous will themselves be blessed. (Proverbs 22:9 NIV2011) Are those who tithe better off financially? How much people choose to give to charity is a very personal question. Certainly no one should have to compare their giving to that of another. And we also resist the idea that our giving could be guided by some…
-
Investigating the Principle of the Path
I have just finished outlining our Sunday morning message series for April. It actually takes off from the Easter Celebration service message. It draws some topics and resources from Andy Stanley’s book The Principle of the Path. The Principle of the Path Date Sermon title Text Speaker Suggested Hymn Mar 31 (10 AM) Celebration Power for…