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GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH |
PASTOR’S REPORT - Voters’ Meeting, Gethsemane Lutheran Church – May 18, 2008
Holy! Holy! Holy! – Three thankful cheers on this Trinity Sunday for our One, True, and Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let us never forget that it is always all about Him and His Word and His Promises and His Holy Agenda for us, His saved and redeemed children. So, what’s on His menu for Gethsemane these days and in the future? That’s what we urgently need to search His Word to find out so that we might be moved by His Spirit to continue to use our time, talents, and treasures as His Family wisely.
What Happened at THE PLANNING RETREAT? – Rather than have me or someone else give you a formal report on yesterday’s planning retreat, I’d suggest we ask two or three of you who attended it to share your impressions while they are still fresh in your mind. How did it go for you? What did you like about it? What did you learn about yourself or about your church family at it?
Please Help Me Be More MISSIONAL – One of my weaknesses is that I do not like to ask anyone for help? But, I’ve reached a point in my ministry among you where that is exactly what I feel called to do. So, will you help me to be a more MISSIONAL pastor? Will you pray to God with me for that blessing? Will you expect and allow me to ask more and more MISSIONAL questions? Will you encourage me to spend more and more of my time and talents on MISSIONAL rather than on MAINTENANCE tasks which have always consumed much of my energy as your pastor? Yes, it’s going to be very hard for me to change. By nature, I love to administrate and to trouble-shoot and to tie up all of our loose ends But, God’s Word tells me there are ‘kingdom needs’ here at Gethsemane that are even more important. Will you help God change me?
Summer Organists – I’m confident that I will be able to find guest organists to play for most of our summer worship services. Whenever I can’t find a ‘live’ organist, we will use the midi. The elder who is assisting with the distribution of Holy Communion can easily be trained to operate the midi controls by the lectern.
Let The Search Begin – I have asked our Board of Directors and Board of Elders to meet ASAP to begin our search for a new Head Organist and Choir Director. Their initial tasks should at least include—job title, job description, salary range, and search plan. My pastoral duties will limit me to an advisory role in this search.
Temporary Pastoral Assistance – With the departure of Pastor Benkendorf and four of our five seminary students, I would ask your permission to engage a guest preacher and worship leader at least one weekend each month. While I am prepared today to make a more specific recommendation to you for pastoral assistance, I think it best to hold off in order to give our leaders time to take a real good look at our present and future staffing needs.
Looked at The Revised and Updated Constitution Yet? – On one of today’s handouts, you will find a copy of the minor revisions and updates that Norma Thomas and I are proposing to our Constitution and By-Laws which have not been updated since 1991. This information along with an article explaining it has already been published in our April-May 2008 Goodnewsletter. Got any questions? Do we need to make any more changes? Are you ready to vote on it today?
On CALL DAY at Concordia Seminary – Mr. Ben Bahr received a pastoral call to Trinity Lutheran Church, Baton Rouge, LA. Mr. Martin Danner received a pastoral call to St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, TX. Mr. Josh Schmidt was assigned to serve his vicar internship next school year at Grace Lutheran Church, Winter Garden, FL. Mr. Scott Roberts still awaits call placement along with 17 of his graduating classmates since fewer calls for pastors were received this year than graduates. Mr. Tom Sewing, our first-year student, will stay and work in St. Louis this summer and assist in worship whenever possible.
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This page last updated on Saturday, June 21, 2008 01:53:46 PM