The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
So here goes ... One of the steps taken over the last year has been this move of life ministry to Church of the Beatitudes. When Nancy and I walked out of the church in Medina, Ohio September 25th of 2006 I was tear deplete.
I recognized that over the years I had slowly cut back my vision and imagination for ministry to fit a people I was called to serve and cared for and loved in return. After the move I slowly unpacked my heart and planted my roots such that I could build a new life and new ministry in Phoenix, Arizona . Leaving so many friends in an environment in which I had thrived to become a dessert dweller ... I came like a babe. I came to a people hungry for relationship, new insights, fresh vision... I was not sure I had any ... I walked away from deep relationships and sluggishly reached out to embrace ... and have found it true and deep.
Today as my friend Dan would say, "I find the same old concerns that I left," "show me the money," "we have never done it that way before," "CHANGE!!" and yet ... and yet it happens … Change … New beginnings. The church from the start was confronted with change … just the concept of Co Senior Pastors, a female Co Senior Pastor, Having to deal with a large endowment, The Beatitudes Campus beginning a one hundred Million Dollar building program, buying property next to the church on Flynn Lane, etc. … Then again I have grown older instead of starting at 42 at Medina I am staring at 52 in Phoenix, I move slower, sometimes show signs of growing wiser often not, find my self in a process of being made new … and amazingly enough from all this some new outcomes have arisen from these old wine skins.
I have re-discovered thoughts and visions I had set aside, stopped raising, and as if forgotten about ... for the sake of valued relationships. These days I have time to focus on programming that as a sole pastor I had not had time for. I am even being pushed to read more, further a field and bring forward new insights in community. I have truly enjoyed facilitating small groups for adult education. Then there is the gift of working with Pastor's David, Deanne and Nancy ... which has caused me to be appreciative that I survived the pace I set in Medina and feel how blessed I am to work with such brilliant and creative pastors. Also from my blessed learning’s from dear friends in Medina ... I have brought some of the best of my life there here, such as quickly seting up a Men's weeklyWednesday breakfast group, along with tennis and golf partners with whom I have been developing deep and rich friendships.
Then also there is the renewal of Nancy and my marriage relationship, fostered by Nancy no longer traveling as she has had to. It has also become an ever increasing joy to be a couple, doing couple things like: entertaining, daily having time to talk and walk, sharing the simple moments of life, including regular conversations via email and cell phone, discussing our maturing children’s life hopes and struggles. We are at a new beginning of life together, re-discovering a loving God, a transformed life partnership and an appreciation of the love that is being poured froth from those with whom we live and move and find our being. We miss our daughters. But that is appropriate to the time we are at in our lives. I have longed to see my friends from New York, Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Ohio ... but I am discovering when you live in paradise they actually do come and see you.This is not either Nancy or my first step on the journey of life or ministry...It is my first blog. I wish you much affection where ever this blog finds you. Ted
