January 13, Tuesday Pastor’s Post
Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith
Today is my daughter’s birthday
It’s not a “national” day, but it is the main thing I have in mind—since I got up this morning. Mindy was born in 1982 at the hospital in Carbondale, Illinois. At the time, we didn’t know whether to expect a boy or a girl. The technology for identifying gender in the womb was not developed until 1974, and it didn’t become affordable and widespread until the 1990s. Therefore we were busy ahead of time trying to come up with a name that suited us and gave a nod to the grandparents. If a boy, we easily settled on Christopher Joel. But a girl’s name was more difficult for us. The collection of names already in our family somehow didn’t sound right for a little girl in the 1980s: Thelma, Lucy, Nettie, Pearl, Esther, Alma, Lenora, Norma.
Fortunately, the birth was delayed a week. (Well, let me rephrase that. It was UNFORTUNATE for my wife—that delay. The only thing fortunate about it was that we had a little more time to find a girl’s name.)
The physician that went through the pregnancy with us was named “Mindy.” We liked and respected her so much that we decided to name our girl after her.
There are more stories about that day I love to tell—and I do force Mindy to listen to them every birthday—but I’ll only relate one here. It snowed the day of her birth. And labor was a two day ordeal. I parked my car in the pay lot next to the hospital, got a ticket for staying too long, and had to dig the vehicle (a 78 Oldsmobile Cutlass) out from 22 inches of snow. Happy birthday Mindy!
My hours in Sullivan this week:
- Today until the Church Council meeting is over
- Tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Thursday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
I still have several openings to meet with people, especially Thursday. Please contact me to set up a visit.
If you missed church yesterday, catch the worship service online here:
Insider report from our church:
I’ve seen a few people in and out today: Chip fixing the front door, Melissa working on something on her computer until I butted in and distracted her, Bob Lane (not sure why he was here—knew better than to ask), Lois toting bags to the bin after spring cleaning the nursery, Bonnie practicing hymns for Sunday, and Esther trying to get a very slow copy machine to reproduce all the papers I dumped on her desk. Others were here that I missed, including The Women of Faith and the Walking with Jesus small groups.
Our Church Council meeting is tonight at 6. I will be hogging the whole meeting—sharing with the Council some of the administrative adjustments that are in store for the new year. As a follow up, I’ll be holding a couple congregational meetings later this month to share that same information, receive comments, and answer suggestions. I’ll let you all know when.
Text or email me (or ask Esther) if you would like copies of what I am distributing at the Council meeting tonight:
- Pastor’s Administrative Proposal for 2026
- Packet of committee responsibilities for Trustees, Staff Parish, Finance, and Nominations
- Pastor’s presentation on strategy vs. tactics in church administration
- Copy of the conference standing rules that have all the requirements for church parsonages
Repertoire 