7 Keys of a Powerful Life

Dillon Rooke at Hot Metal Bridge
Pittsburgh, PA -- A New Thing!

What a wonderful summer.  Thank you for making the time available. Thank you for the wonderful ministry that you cared for with such skill and faith.  Thank you for welcoming Pastor John for your needs;  he did a marvelous job.  Thank you for daring to be God's called people of Love.

Here are some quick observations:

Seven themes arose for me:

o Community -- intentional outward reaching relationships;

o Listening -- Deep, constant, responsive listening to one another and the world;

o Flexibility -- The speed and risk-taking were amazing, faith-filled, and a consistent theme;

o Prayer --  Every last group spoke of prayer and discernment;

o Authenticity --  Holding conversations about all of life in everyday language of faith;

o Focus -- on calling, people, mission and strategy at hand;

o Tables-- There was a lot of eating!  A place of relationships, learning, caring, & holy conversation.

Three Commonalities:

o All sought to Love with the "Everybody's Welcome" Love of God and it showed. 

o All worshipped-- and no two worship services were the same. 

o All cared for administration, staffing, funding, education familiarly and experimentally.

In the weeks ahead I'll be listening to you and to the Holy Spirit for where this takes us.  I have some ideas and invite you to what I hope will be monthly food and conversation.  I do know that we've accomplished some amazing things with God's grace and there are things we have not accomplished.  I do know that continuing to do exactly what we've been doing doesn't hold much of a future and I also know adapting quickly is hard and necessary.  And finally, I do know that God has entrusted this community and congregation to all of us, so it won't be me telling anyone what to do, but God guiding us all.

I'm excited about the possibilities.  Check out the September sermon series on some of the Themes, they're archived on www.pfumc.us.  Join in the fun of food and conversation together in the weeks ahead.  Pray diligently.  Talk with your Koinonia group about where God is leading.  God is doing a new thing!  Can we see it!

10,000 Joys in Jesus Christ, Pastor Dave

This was written for the Palmyra First UMC Newsletter October 2016

Video Update on Study -- Making Disciples & Making a Difference

I'm back from Pittsburgh and Ohio areas and here's the video update.

I've noticed a few things about churches that are Making Disciples and Making a Difference:

1. They focus on the mission.  They are unique and can name that uniqueness, which connects with a passionate mission.
2. They are listening for God.  Everyday, every meeting, every gathering, every worship... all the time they are listening for God.  They are asking if what they heard is a holy nudge, God's call.  They discern  (figure out) that together as a community (large groups or small groups) and then act on it.
3. They are agile.  Change can happen quickly.  When they receive a holy nudge, a call, they don't wait, they act.  At Calvin Presby, Pastor Standish put it this way,  "When someone is called, we say,  'Go for it!'  Then our committees, our structure, asks , 'In what ways can we support this call.'"  
4. They connect.  Connections go deep with both God and others.  This requires time and flexibility.  It may involve creative paths or familiar tools. 
5. Official and unofficial leadership models all of the above.
6. They live on the edge.  Each pastor and staff member told stories of exciting ministry and a roller coaster of feeling in just the right spot, then wondering how God will bring everything together (and the later can feel very uncertain).  Yet they live in the tension and go for the ride with God, running to keep up with the holy, when necessary.

It's also true that no two of these churches, so far, looked the same.   Hot Metal Bridge on the South Side of Pittburgh has meets pretty obvious needs on their doorstep.  Calvin Pres. in the small bedroom community of Zelienople PA meets many needs, they can be less visible, and equally important.

What are you noticing about how God moves and works?  Where do you see God's people both Making Disciples of Jesus and Making a Difference for God in their neighborhood and world?

Change & Koinonia Group

    Change is a pain!  It makes me think.  It makes me work.  Yet, it makes me whole, alive, vital and a more fully functioning Disciple of Jesus.
    Connections to Koinonia Groups, small groups of disciples walking together, helps me make the journey.  Following Jesus is simple and radical.  A group of companions helps.
    Check out some of our Koinonia Group Discussions and Studies.  You can have friends online for the Jesus journey.  Email me, Pastor Dave, to join a Disciple-Making Group, or an Under 30 Change the World Group.

     Change is a given.  God is good.  I'm on the road with Jesus.