January 15, Thursday, Pastor’s Post
Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith
Today is National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day
Upon learning this, I’m trying to think how squeeze out a whole paragraph out of this subject. I love the Sun Harvest Citrus store outside Ft. Myers, Florida. You could go there and get all the fresh orange juice samples you wanted—all day. I never stayed there all day, but I would go back two or three times a day when visiting Ft. Myers. I took Jie there a year ago and discovered that they now have a very stern lady standing in front of the dispensers, and you have to ask her politely for a sample. I didn’t have to show my ID, but I was scared to go back for seconds. So, now if I want an all-you-can-drink squeezed orange juice experience, I have to squeeze my own at home.
Insider look at the church
- Today was another rewarding day of getting to meet people and share stories with one another—an opportunity for me to get to know my new church family.
- We have a prayer request today for Eric Shuman. Eric was having complications from last week’s surgery and had to go back for some additional treatment. He seems to be on a better track now.
- David Sower’s mother is doing well and is moving on with physical therapy.
- The Joy Group will be offering a Lenten study beginning February 19, meeting for six weeks every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. They will be using Adam Hamilton’s book, The Walk. Check with Ann Wheeler for more information.
Inside the pastor’s head
In addition to receiving prayer requests, I also ask for prayers. Today marks half a month of serving you as your pastor. I find this to be a very solid church, despite some of the losses and struggles the past few years. The fundamentals are all here. I also find it to be a church with many people involved in ministries, small groups, worship interests, and their own personal service to others. There are a few dysfunctions that need to be righted with a little systemic reform, but on the whole, First United Methodist Church in Sullivan is sound.
On the other hand, every time the bishop sends me to a new church—I’ve aged quite a bit since the last one. The pressure feels high to me and many days I have left exhausted. There are multiple names to learn, stories to absorb, energies to align, traditions to honor, needs to meet, emails and phone calls and texts to answer, concerns to address, and wounds to heal. I find myself pressed by this growing love and concern I feel for this church—and each of you.
Being pressed is what I’m called and trained to handle. But being pressed is one thin line away from being stressed. When being pressed morphs into being stressed, that is when I began to make mistakes and do it my way instead of God’s. I’ve been deliberately monitoring my spirit, hour by hour, sometime minute by minute, so I can know when I’ve crossed that line. I keep a mental map of the way back. Pray for me that I will be able to know where I am in regard to that line, and that I will remember the map when I need to cross back.
You know the line I’m talking about. I’ll pray for you—and ask you to pray for me. Together, we will keep each other in healthy places, where we can serve God and advance our church—which is really and truly God’s church, not ours. –Mike
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