From the Gulf Coast - Part I

From January 8th through February 8th I spent time on a personal renewal retreat in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  During this time I will relax, read, reflect, meditate, spend time in daily prayer, lift in prayer members and others of St. John Church, journal, and take advantage of other personal renewal activities such as walks along the shore, working out, yoga and enjoy the Gulf Shores weather and coast line.

The morning surf

My days begin with morning prayer using The Living Book of Daily Prayer used by our Wednesday Morning Prayer group at St. John, reading from the Bible, writing reflections in my journal and reading a portion of Don Miguel Ruiz's book The Four Agreements.

The Four Agreements has been a steady diet for my daily devotions for some time now.  I find them to be very helpful spiritual practice as a pastor.  In short the four agreements are:
1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD
2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY
3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

Starting during this personal retreat time in Alabama I will begin reading several books.  I plan to read them in this order:

This Odd and Wondrous Calling - The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers
by Lillian Daniel and Martin B. Copenhaver

Becoming the Pastor You Hope to Be - Four Practices For Improving Ministry
by Barbara J. Blodgett

If the Church Were Christian - Rediscovering the Values of Jesus
by Philip Gulley

Liberating Hope! - Daring to Renew the Mainline Church
by Michael S. Piazza and Cameron B. Trimble

and

Good News Preaching - Offering The Gospel in Every Sermon
by Gennifer Benjamin Brooks

I finished This Odd and Wondrous Calling this morning.  It was engaging with stimulating stories and real-life ministry examples.  I recommend that every member of St. John United Church of Christ in Bellevue, KY read this book.  It gives a good overview of the life, joy, and struggles of a local pastor.  I identified with it greatly and feel it would be helpful to my congregation and others.  There are many good quotes from this book, however, here I will share just this one,
"I thought about how being a bass player is a lot like being a minister.  You lay down the beat, trying to keep it solid and true.  Sometimes your job is to keep it steady enough to allow others to shine, to sing, to play, and to dance.  Other times, it's the bass that makes it funky, adding needed surprise.  But the bass is just one part of the band, and alone it doesn't sound like much.
For people like me who are drawn to music, the mystery that draws us into the bands we love the most is that we know it's not just about playing alone. The notes and sounds come together, the different people play their roles, and what is produced transcends the individual parts.  It's like when you join a church and become a member of the body of Christ.  Where you join a band that is way better than you are, and the next tour is always just beginning."

I would ask members of my congregation to consider reading this book!

On Sunday, January 15th (Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday) I visited a new congregation of the United Church of Christ in Mobile, Alabama called Open Table United Church of Christ where The Reverend Ellen Sims is pastor.  We have very few congregations in the south.  This congregation is two years old and doing very good and intentional ministry in the community in Mobile.  The 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening worship was very meaningful and powerful to me particularly as I am on sabbatical and seeking renewal for ministry.  The lesson was from the story about our persistent-God calling Samuel (First Samuel chapter 3).  Verses 10 and 11 were particularly powerful for me.  It says, "Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, 'Samuel! Samuel!'  And Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.' Then the Lord said to Samuel, 'See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.'"  What is it that God is calling me/us to do?  My prayer is: Speak Lord, and make our ears tingle.  We are listening and ready to take action.  Amen!

Please keep Pastor Ellen Sims and the Open Table United Church of Christ congregation in your prayers.


Blessings, Pastor Keith