From the Pastor

He is the One who gave these gifts to the church; the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.

 - Ephesians 4:11-13

 

Greetings Sebastian Family and Friends! 

 

Oh, my friends, I do love ministry here at Sebastian! (Lord, bless SUMC!)  The last Sunday in April, Terry announced that I would be returning to serve as the (your) pastor at Sebastian UMC. What a delight. It is amazing in 3 years and 2 months how life for me and life for the ministry has changed. I am grateful that God has sent me here. April also marked Shannon, our Music Minister’s, one year anniversary. For those of you who were able to join us for the Lenten Season and Easter, it was amazing! God is here! It was a sign for me! I know that what God has provided us thus far, is just the beginning of God’s good Kingdom work here!  I am blessed to be here at SUMC in this season! 

 

Recently, I pulled a book from my shelf by John Maxwell, pastor and leadership trainer, about praying for strong leaders. For those of you who have not yet become involved in Sebastian’s ministry administratively, financially, through Small Group study; or in service with the youth, children, adults or underserved, I want you to think about how you can be a leader in one or more of these areas. SUMC already has a strong staff (whom I love) and leadership (I love them too!), still, we can do so much more to build the Kingdom and relieve the oppressed if we are all actively participating.  After all, we are built to last!

 

Listen to the prayer of your pastor and leadership as you read this excerpt from Dr. Maxwell:  

     Everywhere I've served I've prayed for God to send me leaders to build His church. For fourteen years, at least once every month or so I'd meet someone who was visiting Skyline Church (my former pastorate) for the first time. We'd introduce ourselves. Then God would speak to me and say, John, there's one. That was the most humbling thing in life because I didn't on thing to bring that person in.

     After I resigned, I was with about seventy-five church leaders one night for a farewell dinner. I got up and said, "All my life I've prayed for leaders. Let me tell how God answered those prayers with you." Then I went around the room, telling each one about the time we met, when God revealed, "There's one." By the time I was done, we were all bawling.

     Someone said, “How could you remember meeting everyone in a church this size?" I replied, "I don't remember meeting every person. I remember meeting you because you were one of those people I prayed God would lead into my life."

                                                                                                                                         John Maxwell, Leadership Devotions                                  

                                                                                                                                Copyright Tyndale House Publishers. Used by permission.

 

"One of the marks of true greatness is the ability to develop greatness in others."

                                                                                                                                      —J. C. Macaulay (1889-1977), writer and theologian

 

I hope you feel my excitement at what God is doing! Know I am praying for our current leaders and for our new ones whom we have yet to meet! Call me at the church office and we’ll do lunch; I’d like to hear how God is moving in your life!

 

With more love than you know…see ya’ at Worship!

Joy, Joy …  Alexis