Reflections on the Past 4 Years - Part I

With only 11 days left until the movers arrive, I am finding myself doing a lot of reflecting.

Some of my reflecting has been around ministry these past four years in Edom. There have been good times and there have been challenging times.

Some of the challenges have been related to staff changes, people transferring their memberships to other churches, the church's implementation of the Transformation process, balancing everything (family, school, more than 250 members across multiple churches), restructuring the leadership, merging two churches, selling property, and so on. Change is stressful no matter what the result. Some of these changes have already born much fruit, while others are still getting off the ground. While not every change during my time in ministry has succeeded, I am stronger because of the journey. Valuable lessons have been learned...lessons I hope to carry forward into my ministry for years to come.

Many of the good times involve some miraculous work that God has done in our midst over these past four years. Here are just a few of the ways that God has blessed our time in Edom:

-during the three and a half years that Sexton Chapel UMC remained open, we witnessed 4 new members join...2 of which were professions of faith (not transfers from other churches)
-during the 6 months that Mt. Sylvan UMC has been a part of my charge, we have witnessed 2 new members join...1 of which was a profession of faith
-during the 4 years that I have pastored Edom UMC we have witnessed 30 new members join our church family...9 of which were professions of faith
-There have been 7 baptisms at Edom...including the baptism of my daughter
-I have officiated at 6 weddings during my time in Edom
-I have had the honor and privilege of ministering to 17 families during times of death. Often, I have been in the room when our friends and loved ones have gone home to be with their Lord. It is a rich blessing indeed to preach the funerals of these precious friends. These times have strengthened my ministry and relationships, perhaps like no other.

There is no doubt that God has been active during our stay here in Edom, Texas; but these numbers don't reflect the depth of work that God has been fully about:

-These numbers don't capture the teenage girl's blog posting after a mission trip that describe how deeply that trip moved her and changed her.
-These numbers don't capture the depth that people have served others in the world (how 6 have given so much of their time to facilitate needed heart surgeries for 11 others from the other side of the globe, or how the youth have built over 600 health kits in my time here, or how the lay shepherds have cared for the flock, or how our kids have helped kids in the Line Islands by sending $1,100 worth the school supplies and hundreds-if not thousands- more in books and toys, the list could go on ad infinitum)
-These numbers don't capture the increased depth of prayer life that prayer vigils, prayer triads, and other lessons and practices of prayer have accomplished in the life of this community
-These numbers don't capture the level of commitment to studying the scriptures or the transformation that can only come in the narrative of a person coming up to you explaining how they feel reconnected to the gospel after decades of not reading their Bibles.
-These numbers don't capture the way we came together with 6 other United Methodist Churches to reach out to those in our community last Advent season
-These numbers don't show how dozens of people rallied around a single mom and her four children in her greatest time of need (giving her housing, food, clothing, and love)

And there is so much more.

I give thanks to God for the work that has been done here during my time in Edom. I look forward to seeing what God will continue to do through the lives of those serving here. It has been a rich, rich blessing. And while the numbers may not fully show the magnitude of God's work here, the relationships and narratives that I carry with me bear witness to the plethora of fruit that God is harvesting in this little east Texas town.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...Praise God!