Getting Rid of Good People

Milford First Brethren, the church I’ve pastored for 12 years, is not a large church by any metric. We love each other, love our community, and generally try NOT to run people off.

Recently we had to do just that. Ultimately though it is an occasion to celebrate. Having said that, maybe I should elaborate a little further. 

Duane and Lori Harmon have been faithful members of our church for a while now. Even before attending our church, one ministry passion they had was routinely serving on work team projects at Riverside Christian School in Lost Creek Kentucky. Riverside was created in 1905 by The Brethren Church as an educational ministry to those living in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. The school seeks to be a beacon of light in an area ravaged by poverty and economic downturns.

Earlier this year, the Harmon’s felt the Lord directing them to a bigger commitment to serving the school. Apparently, a sermon I preached on Abraham following God into the unknown was the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’. Shortly after, they told me and announced to our church that they were moving down to Kentucky for the school year. Duane, a retired licensed plumber and farmer, is focused on building and grounds projects while Lori is working in family and community relations position to better assist the families of the students.

So given the obvious move of the Spirit, we had no choice but to “get rid of them”. At the end of August, we officially said goodbye, praying for and commissioning them for this work. I hate to see good people leave, but I am so thankful for the reason for their departure.

God has already been providing for them, from a friend’s semi-truck trailer to carry all of Duane’s equipment in one trip, to the work being accomplished, and of course the friendships that are being made.

In the middle of all of this, I had to remind myself and our congregation, we are not “losing” the Harmon’s. We are sending them off to serve as our ministry hands and feet. I would not normally say this, but it fills my heart with joy to get rid of these good people.

 

 

 

Bragging...about what God has done

 * The following is an article written for our local Mail-Journal newspaper this week as part of the "Church" section of which I am a regular contributor.

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Boasting and bragging are not typically traits Christians seek to be known for. And having lived my entire life in Indiana and Ohio, I certainly know that boasting is not something our Midwestern culture appreciates.

Yet I would like to take this opportunity to do a little bragging, bragging in what God has done. A few months ago, our church secretary mentioned an idea regarding honoring all the people who volunteer and serve in our church. It seemed like a worthwhile concept and so we started planning a dinner celebration. In the course of our preparation, we went through our regular attenders and members at Milford First Brethren. Low and behold, after going through the list, we discovered that EVERYONE who regularly attended and/or was a member served in some capacity with our church’s ministries.

That was both surprising and not surprising. We are not a large church by any means, so to an extent, we need everyone to pitch in at times. But it is an incredible blessing that both the old and young have found ways to serve.

As the pastor, I cannot take credit for this even if I wanted to. Instead I find myself echoing the apostle Paul’s words in a couple of his New Testament writings. In 2 Corinthians 10:17, he quotes Jeremiah when he says, “But ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’”. And in Romans 15:17, he says, “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.” I find myself in full agreement with his perspective. I can’t brag about my own achievements or even about my people’s service per se. I can brag about the work God has done in their hearts and lives to lead them to this kind of service as a community of believers to the community around them.

Our celebration was a delightful evening. We catered some BBQ and had some terrific desserts. My good friend, Pastor Tim Sprankle from Leesburg shared a word of encouragement and we were also treated to a country music concert by Jim Olson, brother of one of our deacons who has recorded several albums as a solo artist.

I will remember that evening for a long time, not just for the event itself, but for what it represents – God working among his people to invest in His Kingdom in simple, tangible ways.

Memorial Day Weekend

Our small town of Milford loves to celebrate Memorial Day in a BIG way. From numerous garage sales, Carnival Rides, a Classic Car Show, Talent Showcases, and all kinds of food, it's a big deal locally. And of course it all culminates in a parade on Monday honoring those who have fallen in military service to our country as well as those who have served.

Our church is located smack dab in the middle of town making this a great opportunity to connect with people. So what we've done for the past several years is cook hotdogs on our 'front porch' and pass out free food and drink to those walking by visiting the attractions. 

It's a neat way to tangibly be a blessing to our town. We've also partnered the Gideon's to pass out their New Testaments - and this year we had some folks from Nappanee First Brethren come and do outreach as well. 

Our goal and supply level was 650 hotdogs, 700 drinks, and over 400 individual bags of chips. 
We ended up grilling around 800 hotdogs, while passing out close to 800 drinks and 500 bags of chips.

We'd been worried about the weather forecast, but our prayers were answered as it turned out to be a perfect day. We were so thankful for the opportunity to show love to our neighbors and plant seeds of the gospel in people's hearts. 

 
And as a pastor, I have to brag on my people who came out to help man the tables and be the hands and feet of Jesus.