The foundation of good pastoral care is relationship. Relationship begins with two people sitting down and getting to know one another. Since I became your pastor on July 6th, I have sat down in person with 28 of you all for face-to-face conversations and have spoken with a bunch more of you over the phone. I call these “pastoral conversations” because my goal is more than just being social–though that is very important!–and includes what I call a “spiritual assessment.” A good spiritual assessment includes your personal history, your family history, your work history, your health history, your emotional well-being, and your spiritual history. In addition, it includes how you understand our church, your place within the church, and what you want for yourself and for our church. Of course, this conversation is not one sided as I also share my story with you along with my hopes for the church. Gathering, evaluating, and prioritizing this information then enables us to think strategically about how to align our church and personal resources with our hopes and aspirations so that we might achieve our goal of making ourselves and then others into disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Developing this sort of pastoral relationship takes time and often more than one conversation, but it all begins with you and me sitting down and getting to know one another. Plus, putting aside all this gobbledygook, it is just plain fun getting to know you all! So, if we haven’t met yet, and you would like to, give me a call and we can find a time and place to meet, using, of course, good safe distancing precautions as required at this time.
Jeremiah 29:11: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”