Justice

Justice has been on my mind a lot lately. As a society we succumb to injustice, we are apathetic to the consequences of injustice, and we fail to do anything about it. More to the point I have succumb to injustice, I am apathetic to the consequences of injustice, and I fail to do anything about it.

A New Day!

Tomorrow marks a new chapter in the story of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church. Pastor Arden Dorn begins his ministry with us. We are so excited to have him and I know he is excited to be here!

Sometimes it is easy to think of a new Pastor as superman. The reality is though that a new pastor does not instantly make a church grow, heal old wounds, or even magically make things perfect. AGLC has its share of problems and they will not be solved over night. Of course, it also has its share of strengths. In this time of transition, it is important for us to name and claim those. Claiming our strengths and weaknesses will help us create a vision for our congregation going forward. As you can probably guess naming and claiming them is just a first step. We also have to do something about it. We have to create a vision for ourselves. So what is your vision for Amazing Grace? Let’s get talking!

Roommate Switch

This is my first foray into blogging. I want to start with one of my favorite subjects: Seinfeld. Anyone that truly knows me will know that I have two obsessions, one being Whoopi Goldberg, and the second being the 1990's hit TV show Seinfeld. Recently I was watching an episode where Jerry attempts “the roommate switch”. Jerry and George concoct an elaborate plan hoping that Jerry’s current girlfriend will allow Jerry to date "the roommate" without being upset. I suggest you watch the episode if you are curious. Sometimes I feel like the church as a whole is trying to perform “the roommate switch” we will give you our older members in exchange for any youth.

The urge is, let us do something for the youth at the expense of something for “old” people. Example lets ditch the liturgy-based service in exchange for a contemporary service that will attract youth.

As a youth director, I love the idea of more youth participating in our church. I must say though I hate this idea of trading old people for youth. I would posit that the only way to grow a HEALTHY congregation is to grow equally in all age categories.

Maybe a better way to go about this is to more intentionally get everyone involved in youth ministry. People in their 50s-80s are amazing youth ministers. Lets spread the grace of God too all people!

-John Parsons

Farewell and Godspeed

As I finish my ministry at Amazing Grace, I also finish my time blogging here at Not A Shouting Church. This blog, however, is not over. It will continue to be a communications tool of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church.

In this next chapter of my pastoral vocation, I will share thoughts and reflections at my new personal blog, http://borderpastor.wordpress.com.

God's peace,
Pastor Paul

Pastor Paul's last Sunday

Today was my last Sunday at Amazing Grace. With exuberant hospitality, Amazing Grace marked the day with a potluck at noon. We also marked it liturgically during worship. With both sadness and deep gratitude, we had special prayer of thanksgiving for ministry, which included the congregation and I blessing each other. I would not have picked the lectionary text about adultery, lust and divorce, but the image from 1 Corinthians 3 was helpful for realizing that many people are involved in the work of ministry, but God is the actor. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

I realize that all ministry is interim ministry, because there is something before and something after. I had not planned to be at Amazing Grace so short of a time; in some ways, I’m an “unintentional interim,” but I leave trusting in God’s grace. It is hard for a congregation to say goodbye to a pastor, but it is also hard for a pastor to say goodbye to a congregation.

As I leave Amazing Grace, I won’t see what happens next. I won’t see babies I baptized come to Sunday school. I won’t be the one visiting in the nursing home. I will no longer be pastor here, but will continue as your co-worker in the Gospel as a colleague in the conference and synod. Seeds planted for me here will come to fruition somewhere else. I have learned so much. We have learned so much together at Amazing Grace.

My last wordle

Here is a worlde of today's sermon manuscript.