February 12, 2020


Pastor’s Message

One of the foundations of the United Methodist Church is that Ordained Elders are itinerant, moving from church to church throughout their ministry. This comes from the very earliest days of Methodism when our preachers rode a ‘circuit’ (a group of churches along a particular route) on horseback. Some argue that in this day and age this system is no longer viable because most pastors now have spouses with their own careers and forcing them to change jobs every few years is an unfair burden on the family. From the experiences of some of my classmates from seminary, I know that to be true. However, one outcome of the system is a visceral understanding of the idea presented in this upcoming Sunday's reading from I Corinthians 3 about being servants together in fields of the Lord. Paul argues that our attachments are often to the wrong things: to a human pastor, to a position, to a building. No pastor works in a vacuum but builds on ministry and mission that others directed long before arriving on the scene. That will continue long after the pastor departs. Sometimes the key to overcoming short-term conflict is taking a longer view. And God’s viewpoint stretches into eternity. You can’t get much longer than that.


 
Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Ernest






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