It has been a busy summer for most of us. We just finished the Cup of Cold Water at the Antiques Market at the Highlands Festival. Thank you to all of you who volunteer this year.
September is here and so is the State mission’s emphasis. Don’t forget to pray and ask God what He would have you give. Our State Conventions need resources to be able to fulfill God’s calling in that area of missions and ministry. We are to be proper stewards of what He has blessed us with.
Continue in prayer for Terry and Samantha Stinson, our missionaries to Belize. As I am writing this I am preparing to leave with the team that Terry and Samantha are a part of. They will be staying to work in the Harvest fields. At the end of July, a pastor from the Clinch Valley Association led a team down to Belize to do VBS. They had up to two hundred and forty in attendance and had 81 professions of faith. Praise the Lord! The fields are white unto harvest.
My job description says in one place that “He shall develop objectives, measurable goals and proposals for their attainment through the Associational officers and Ministry Teams annually.” I have had objectives and goals each and every of the ten years that I have served as your DOM and have shared them through the teams as we have met. But, here are some of the ones from my heart for the coming year.
1. To be a servant and follower of the Most High God for whom am indebted to more that I could ever repay, to be in constant fellowship with the Master so that His presence and power within me might be manifested to His glory. This is foremost in any servant’s goals and objectives and even at that I in particular fail and have failed just like you and have to be renewed before Him often.
2. To serve this Association and its Churches to the best of my God given ability seeking the best for its ministry and mission.
3. In particular, ascertain the needs and methods that work in this particular Association to keep it together and in Unity.
4. The previous being said, I have found that leading and doing mission trips for the Association has been beneficial in accomplishing the previous goal. We have the June VBS trip to Gulfport on the calendar now as by request of the church in Gulfport to return and by the desire of the Team to return. I feel confident that at least one trip will be to Belize next Spring as Association members are already requesting this. Other trips will be planned as the need and opportunity arises. We presently have two requests for Nashville, TN to do home repair. in partnering with the Association. It seems to bother some that when I lead such trips that I am out of the office and not in the physical bounds of the Association. We have trained qualified team members that can lead so that I don’t have to be the team leader on all trips.
5. One of the primary goals and objectives and is found in my job description is to be a pastor to the pastors. But, this can only be done as pastors allow me to work with them. I work at it as much as possible without pushing myself upon any pastor. They need to come to me. I stand always available 24/7.
6. It is my desire to work with the churches and teams to develop ways that the Association can be of value to the Churches and we are doing that. We have done that in the block party trailer, mission’s trailer and now the developing of the shower trailer that we have acquired as an example.
7. I have a goal to work with new churches and any that are interested.
Well, this is not all that I envision, but seven is the perfect number and I am out of space for the Rambling’s.
Love you all until next time,
Ron
