Some churches call it Milestones Ministry. But where I currently work, we call it G.I.F.T. or Growing in Faith Together. (Thanks Rich Melheim for the acronym!) In G.I.F.T., kids along with their parents or grandparents gather during the education hour to discover a different topic: 2's & 3's - Greeting of the Church Preschool Bibles Kindergarten - The … Continue reading My Favorite G.I.F.T.
Busy Lives? Use FAITH5 for Advent!
My family is not unusual. Just like yours, there are Christmas programs, school concerts and cookies swaps. December 1st rolls around with the reminder that there are 24 days to Christmas. Yikes! Since I wrote my Thanksgiving Blog, Take Time To Hide, I have been thinking about how can we slow down to seek God. … Continue reading Busy Lives? Use FAITH5 for Advent!
Take Time to Hide
My oldest son, Noah, spent the first six years of his life as missionary kid in Madagascar. His best friend, Tafita, was our next door neighbor. Communication, as you can imagine, for these two preschoolers was an odd mixture of French, English and Malagasy. Sometimes language barriers led to tantrums and sometimes to laughable moments. But there was one game … Continue reading Take Time to Hide
25,000 Hits on Church Change
I have been in ministry for almost 20 years. My call has taken me to 3 different continents, where I have learned, worked and preached in 4 different languages. From camp counselor to children, youth and family ministry, from missionary to pastoral intern, my work has been centered on sharing God’s love with God’s people. … Continue reading 25,000 Hits on Church Change
Start With What You Have!
Church #25. Meet Gena Maria Koeberl. She is an intentional interim pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Springfield, Missouri. “My role in intentional interim ministry,” says Koeberl, “is to accompany a congregation to do their homework so that they can harbor a healthy call process.” It’s about helping a church come to terms with the … Continue reading Start With What You Have!
Together, It Matters – Stewardship 2017
(Note: Read the side effects at the end of what happens when we come together.) "It matters, together. It matters what you do with your life, with your time and with your money. It matters to God and God's community. Together, it matters." It's that time of year when churches begin to think about the … Continue reading Together, It Matters – Stewardship 2017
Meeting Your Neighbors
Church #24. Meet Jeff Mikyska. He is the solo pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois. With average worship attendance of 130 people on a given Sunday, Holy Trinity seeks to “Proclaim Christ’s love through witness and service.” It’s those words “through witness and service” that has gotten Holy Trinity outside the walls of … Continue reading Meeting Your Neighbors
Be Compassionate.
Week #23. Meet Linda McElroy Thomas. She is the solo pastor at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Trinity has an average worship attendance of 100-120 people on a given Sunday. Trinity has been called to work with the migrant worker population in their area. Literally. They received a phone call from the Department … Continue reading Be Compassionate.
Becoming Visible
Church #22. Meet Pam Illick. She is the solo pastor at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rouzerville, Pennsylvania. With an average worship attendance of 38 people on a given Sunday, Trinity is a church in redevelopment. Trinity is nestled in a small village of 900 near Gettysburg, PA. Nestled is a good word to describe … Continue reading Becoming Visible
Hospitality Rhythms
Church #21. Meet Terri Landers. She is the solo pastor of Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church in Richmond Hill, Georgia. With an average worship attendance of 70, Spirit of Peace is a mission start congregation. Churches sometimes make the wrong assumptions with visitors. Even when things seem clearly marked or highly visible, it can be … Continue reading Hospitality Rhythms
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