Relieved, Not Retired
Notes
Transcript
Serving as Pastor
Serving as Pastor
Is a calling, privilege, opportunity, blessing and block of history that I have had opportunity to work out in several locations.
Rainier, Oregon, my home congregation: Where I was brought up since age 9 through Sunday School and Youth Class, taught by Clyde Wemmer, Orville Harrison, Pastor Nick Kowalko, Pastor Leland Maxfield, and Pastor Paul Helbling. As a layman, before a call to ministry, I served as Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Choir Director, Worship leader, Weekly Bible Study leader, and Church Board member: seeing the work of the church as a member.
Association of the Church of God in Oregon, serving on the Annual Camp Meeting Management Committee, for 8 years serving on the grounds and chairing the committee for 3 years.
Redmond, Oregon, my second home congregation, where I served as a layman under Pastor Alva Hudson, as Sunday School teacher, youth leader, adult Sunday school teacher, laborer in new addition, and preached my first sermon on Christmas 50 years ago.
Camus-Washougal, Washington as associate pastor for worship and Christian Education under Pastor Jim Reed.
Anderson, Indiana, as Music and Choir director of Meadowbrook Baptist Church while in Seminary.
My first post as Pastor was at Olive Bethel Church of God in rural Akron, IN, 4 Miles from Beaver Dam, IN, where the Church of God Reformation Movement was born in 1881, 3 miles from the location of the first “Saints Church” congregation of the Church of God, Olive Bethel Church of God was established in 1892. I served there in 1986-1989.
My second post as Pastor was in the First Church of God in Marion, South Dakota, serving from 1989-1992.
I served the Pleasant Valley Church of God in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, from 1989-1997. I performed the weddings of 3 members of one family, the first of which is now a grandmother.
Then I was called to this congregation, Inter-Community Church of God to begin serving on January 1, 1998. So today marks the end of the 26th year of ministry through and in this congregation of the church of God.
I drove by the site of the first motel we stayed in Azusa, CA in November of 1997, when I had an extensive weekend meeting with the Pulpit Committee, Ben Stabler, Dr. Everett and Mary Richey, Greg Soffera, and Les Wilmot. That motel is now torn down; the Colonial Manor house is still there on Alosta street.
In December of 1997, I was introduced to the Deaf Congregation at their annual Christmas Party and Banquet, and Pastor Francis Casale. I preached my first sermon at Inter-Community Church of God in the rented space at the Jocelyn Senior Center on Barranca, which has also been torn down. It has since been replaced with a new facility, however.
When I started in 1998, the congregation was still reeling over the effects of a leader whose eyes were on his own goals instead of God’s, having sold the church that was built on Barranca and Covina avenues, and even for a time considering a merger with Christ Church of the Valley, then meeting in the open of the park before renting the Joscelyn center. we set up every week at the Jocelyn Center, until we found and purchased this property at 150 West Badillo St. We moved in here on September 2, 2000.
A Specific Calling
A Specific Calling
Pastoral leadership is a special kind of calling. It sneaks up on some people, God uses situations to train along the way, and God can drop a bomb to create a complete change of one’s future when it is time. However it comes, it must come from God. Otherwise, a person is filling a postion, not serving as Pastor.
I received God’s call to serve in ministry in August 1982. 41 years ago. It happened at Oregon State Campmeeting, where Pastor Franco Santonocito or Ossia, Italy was the evangelist who pronounced the call, a meeting of Pastor’s wives had opened my beloved Bobbi’s heart to the coming call, and Pastor Frederick Shively, who was currently serving in Woodburn, Oregon and was the pastor of Inter-Community Church of God about the time I was married, met me at the altar as I prayed to surrender myself to the call.
A Special Privilege
A Special Privilege
That begins with the call of God, but it must involve training and education. That training begins with Salvation, and the Bible, and all the teachers you encounter in Church. For me, it was the tutelage of the Pastors I had served under, their encouragement to my personal growth and application of what gifts I had been given that led me to the point of being able to understand the call of God on my life. I enrolled in our Church of God college, Portland, OR, immediately, and started classes at Warner Pacific University in September of 1982. Following that, I sold my bicycle store in Longview, WA, and moved my family to Anderson, IN to spend 3 years in graduate studies at the School of Theology of Anderson University, earning a Master of Divinity degree.
That was academic preparation to begin to respond to the special privilege of becoming a Pastor, and to honor God with all he had given me as I prepared. But the real preparation of pastoral ministry happens while you are doing it.
A Special Opportunity
A Special Opportunity
It involves the possibility of working with God to see lives changed, hearts encouraged, victories won, perspectives changed, spiritual understanding gained, coping strategies maintained, relationships strengthened, situations faced, hard decisions made, walking through difficulties over the course of days, months, years, and even longer.
A Special Blessing
A Special Blessing
Humbled by the confidence God has placed in me to be used to influence the lives of his children.
Creates History for Many
Creates History for Many
Established in this building September 2000. I installed the network wiring, sound system, and computer systems and audio-visual installations.
Started the Christmas Parade Hot Chocolate ministry in 2000
Started the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion in 2000
Started odd-Sunday ministry at Regency Grand Senior Living in 2001
Started the Covina Biker Blessing in 2002
Served on the Association Credentials Committee, as member and as chair, including the Credentials Congress held in St Louis.
Serve even now on the Association Christian Education Team, now the Childrens’ Ministries Team, and have been Camp Pastor for nearly 20 years.
Served families within the church and the community as grief counselor and Pastor for their family funerals and memorials. I have served for those over 100 years old and one still-born, whose casket I hand-carried to the gravesite.
Served couples with marriage preparation, communication workshops, marriage counseling and family counseling. There are couples who have stayed together, found grace and peace, and endured much as they practiced faithfulness.
Baptized many, from age 7 and upwards to those in their 70s upon their profession of faith.
Been blessed to be part of the family life of Great-Grandparents, Grandparents, Parents, Children, grandchildren, and friends. Some barely part of the church or non-churched, mostly in the church, and some extended relationships with the families of church members who are part of the extended ministry.
I have made professional relationships with other pastors inside and outside the church of God, in our General Assembly, the National Association, the local Association, and Interstate Association of the Church of God, and the Hispanic Concilio, as well as the Native American fellowships.
We have rebuilt the church steeple, I oversaw the paving of our parking lot, designed and installed the sign on the front of the building, and recently changed all the locks so you can keep me out easier later on.
Preaching the Word
Preaching the Word
20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,
27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
Surrendering My Life
Surrendering My Life
24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Leaving You in God’s Hands
Leaving You in God’s Hands
32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Finally,
Finally,
Continue to do what is good
Continue to do what is good
11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Continue to care about one another
Continue to care about one another
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you.
Know that God is With You
Know that God is With You
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
I Am Relieved-Not Retired
I Am Relieved-Not Retired