Touching God

Lectionary Reading: 1 John 4:7-21

We had a wonderful confirmation Sunday and this is one of the highlights of my year.  I had kind of a bittersweet moment as I recognized that I won't be leading in a confirmation service as a district superintendent.  There is not often the opportunity to baptize in this position.  A part of this is by design - the individuals becoming a part of a church should be baptized by the pastor of the local church in which they will take part.

My hope is that I will be encouraging pastors across our district to heighten their own confirmation programs for the youth in their church.

My last Sunday to preach in Edmond as your Senior Pastor will be June 20th.   This will likely come faster than I would like but I wanted you to have the date.  As I move into the supervision of pastors within the district, I recognize that our church has prepared me for this ministry.  I've enjoyed working with a variety of professionals within our congregation including other clergy in both active and retired status.  Your leadership has challenged me to hone my own skills as a pastor and a leader.  As we look at this week's scripture, I can easily see how I am being led in love.  I'm trying to expand my own offering of the love of God by leading pastors and congregations within our area.

Furthermore, it seems that our church has become a cradle of leadership - nurturing the call of those seeking to serve as ministers in the world.  For lay leadership, we have recently seen two of our former UCO Wesley Foundation interns take full-time positions in ministry within our conference office.  

Roxie Hacker is the new Director of Project Transformation for the Oklahoma Conference which is a ministry that connects churches with schools to enhance the learning opportunities of children in their communities.  I've known Roxie for a long time and was able to confirm her in the faith back in Piedmont in 2009.

Wanda Clark is the new Administrative Coordinator for the Camp and Retreat Ministries for the Oklahoma Conference.  Of course, the camping ministry is near and dear to my heart and will remain so even as I move into my new position.  Wanda is also a member of our church and it is exciting to have this connection in the conference office!  

We also have laity from our church moving into clergy status which is also transformative!

Recently, our minister of music, Tim Navis, passed his interviews with the conference Board of Ordained Ministry and he will be commissioned a deacon at the upcoming Annual Conference.  Tim has been nurtured by our church and will serve our church as clergy after this time.  He will continue to offer the love of God within our church setting but as Reverend Navis!

Michaela Drain also passed her interviews and will be commissioned as an elder at the same conference service.  Michaela worked for a number of years with our youth before serving as the Wesley Foundation Director.  Michaela is now serving as a Chaplain Candidate (1st Lieutenant) as a part of the 45th Field Artillery Brigade in the Oklahoma Army National Guard.  She will be able to move from candidate to actual chaplain which is quite an accomplishment!

We will get to see them both commissioned on Friday, October 8th at 7:00 pm at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.  No congregation will be prouder than ours at this service!

And while we get to enjoy Tim's gifts as he serves this church, we can also take heart in knowing that we have prepared others to serve the wider world.  

My hope is that this congregation will continue to offer up leadership in this manner.  It means that we are in touch with the call of God upon our lives.  It means that we have talent that should be shared with our neighbors!  Which of our recent confirmands will feel the call of God upon their lives to lead the church into the future?

This Sunday, I'll continue to preach on the series, "Abiding in the Resurrection" and we'll look at how this scripture seems to equate or blend the loving of God with the loving of our neighbor.  It seems that Christians can't do one without doing the other.  

I hope you'll join us - we'll meet in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 am or outside at 9:45 am.  We'll also resume the live-streaming of our service this Sunday at 8:30 and 11 am.  

In Christ,

Sam