Round Three

Across the years I have struggled with taking time away from ministry.  I grew up in a household where a good work ethic was applauded.  At twelve, I had my own lawn-mowing business.  At fourteen, I drove a laundry truck for Fowler Bros. Dry Cleaners, Spartanburg, SC.  At sixteen, I worked the service desk at the Sky City (a store similar to K Mart).  The service desk, which also served as a complaint department, was where I learned a lot about people and how to get along with them.   At eighteen, I was building Coke and Pepsi machines at Beverage Air.

When I started my ministry, it was difficult to take a day off each week or to get away from the church for a real vacation.  Fortunately, across the years I have learned the principle of rest and have come to understand that I function better when rested physically and emotionally.

Several years a go, I heard Rick Warren describe this principle by advising pastors to...

• Divert daily--short breaks that renew, 
• Withdraw weekly--a day away that refreshes, and 
• Abandon annually--a couple of weeks to let the batteries completely recharge.

In late August, Susan and I were able to do our 'annual abandoning'!  We spent two weeks in Florida; one week visiting family and the other watching the waves roll in on an Atlantic beach.

Now it's back to the District Transformation Project!  Dr. Borden arrives this week for the third round of consultations.  Malone and Turnpike will be our focus.  In addition, we will hold three Success Universities for pastoral training and one lay training event for the North Country.

The lay training event entitled, Developing Healthy Churches, will be held on Sunday, September 11, from 3p-8:30p at the First Wesleyan Church of Malone.  Approximately 150 individuals from our north-of-the-Adirondacks churches have indicated their attendance.  I am impressed!  The hunger to see life change and community transformation is palpable.

Please pray for all of these events, and for Dr. Borden and myself over these next ten days.  It is an intense period and we need wisdom from above.  Watch this column for updates on the consultations.  Audio files of Dr. Borden's teaching is available for download at the district website--www.enynewesleyan.org -> Church Multiplication Tab -> District Transformation.