A few months after I completed my first role as an Interim Senior Pastor in a United Church of Christ congregation (see The Church of New Beginnings), I took a step of faith and started another. My story of renewal at Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ began when I spoke more bluntly in an interview than I ever had in my life. I explained to the search team what I had learned of the congregation's significant numeric decline and the many challenges before them, and assured Read More …
Ministry
Celebrating So What Faith: 13 Years & 2,000+ Posts (#2002)
Thirteen years ago today, I launched So What Faith. One day later, I added my first blog post. Thank you for journeying with me. While this blog has remain committed to exploring matters of faith that matter, my vocational context has shifted several times: Churches: First Presbyterian Church, Naples United Church of Christ, United Church of Marco Island, Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ, and West Fork Presbyterian ChurchHealthcare: Evolution Health (an Envision Read More …
God is Doing a New Thing – My Experiences in UCC Congregations (#2000)
The United Church of Christ came into being in 1957, and is currently comprised primarily of congregations that were founded in and originally affiliated with one of its predecessor denominations. According to the United Church of Christ Statistical Profile 2021: 84.9% of current congregations were organized prior to the founding year of the UCCFewer than 1 in 20 current congregations have been founded since 2000 (4.6%)Average founding date of current congregations is 1873Median found date of Read More …
Ending My Time at FPC (#1999)
My season of being involved as a member at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth is drawing to a close. How it All Began In January 2018, my partner and I moved from Corinth (just outside of Denton, Texas) to downtown Fort Worth. At the time, I was engaged in a short-term ministry venture, which included preaching every Sunday. When that role concluded in March 2018, we started looking for a church home. This journey, which came to be known as our search for a church, lasted over a Read More …
Giving Thanks – 10 Experiences in 2021 (#1961)
Thanksgiving week has arrived. Last year, I dedicated a post to reflecting on Giving Thanks for 10 Ministry Experiences. This year, I'm giving thanks for 10 meaningful experiences from 2021: Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine (see Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine)Starting a new ministry role as Executive Director of White Rock Center of Hope (see My Ministry Journey - Another Big Step)Enjoying my second annual weeklong fall vacation in Naples, FL with my partner - our first two getaways of Read More …
25 Years, 25 Positions – One Purpose (#1951)
Earlier this week I shared some Labor Day Reflections. In the days since writing that post, I've done some additional reflecting on my own experience of work with a focus on my work since 1996. Over the last 25 years, I've worked for 15 different employers in 25 different positions (excluding short-term work as coach or consultant,). I've often changed roles once joining an organization, achieving four titles once, three titles twice, and two titles twice. And, I've often worked for Read More …
A Decade in the United Church of Christ (#1948)
While I've been associated with Mainline Protestant Christian congregations my entire life, I never experienced the United Church of Christ until 2010. As a native Texan, I'm used to hearing folks say "I wasn't born here, but I got here as fast as I could." In many respects, that sentiment resonates with my spiritual journey and late arrival in the United Church of Christ. Before the UCC Prior to encountering the United Church of Christ I was Baptized, confirmed, and discerned Read More …
Giving Thanks – Mansfield Mission Center (#1938)
Over the last four years, I've had the joy of serving the Mansfield Mission Center (MMC). In short, MMC is the place people turn when unexpected challenges arise, and it is the center of opportunity for individuals, families, and the entire community. Introducing the Mansfield Mission Center Founded as the benevolence ministry of First Methodist Mansfield and originally known as the Wesley Mission Center, the organization became its own non-profit in 2013, and was renamed Read More …
My Ministry Journey: Another BIG Step (#1933)
I'm excited to share the news that I've accepted a new ministry position. On June 21, 2021, I'll become the next Executive Director of the White Rock Center of Hope. This big next step is possible because of so many other steps of varying sizes I've already taken. The following account is an attempt to provide a high level overview of my preparation for this step. My approach is primarily chronological utilizing a series of phases or acts. While give thanks for the hundreds of Read More …
Top 10 Memories of 2020 (#1906)
2020 has been quite a year! When the year started I'd never heard of COVID-19 and rarely used words and phrases that are now commonplace: contact tracing, essential workers, quarantine, pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing, and Zoom. As I reflect on a year that offered more time for reflection than any other, the following 10 memories stand out: Vacationing with Susan in Naples, Florida to celebrate that we’ve now been married for more than half of my life Read More …