True Worship

My daily devotional asked a good question: What does true worship look like? Here is what they had to say:

Asking what true worship looks like is sort of like asking what true love looks like. Like love, worship is an issue of the heart, not just of the mind. Worship may involve music, prayers, and religious symbols, but if your heart is not engaged in what you are doing, your worship will be empty.

I agree! Why do we come to worship each week? Do you feel as though you have to? Do you feel as though it's a requirement? Are you enjoying worship? Are you worshiping with your heart and your mind? Are you engaged in what is going on?

These are questions that we should ask ourselves before we come to worship. We shouldn't come out of obligation. We should come because we are excited for the opportunity we have to worship God. We should come because we are excited for the opportunity to thank God for all that he has done for us. We should come because we want to lift up our prayers and concerns to God.

Especially during Holy Week, let us think about why we worship. Let us come prepared for worship: body, mind and heart.

Some Changes

My mom asked what was going on with all the changes to the blog. Most of you look at this blog through Facebook. The posts from my blog are forwarded there. You all may not see any changes. If you are curious to see what the actual blog looks like, you can check it out at: http://pastordroste.blogspot.com/.

I received an E-mail from Blogger about some new layout options for the blog. I took advantage of them.

There may not be too many updates to the blog this week. In preparations for Holy Week and Easter services, I'm not sure how much time I'll have to blog. I'm also not sure of how many ideas might pop into my head.

Another Transition

Christa left this morning at 7:05AM for her last day as a long-term substitute teacher at Fond du Lac High School. She has been looking forward to this day for a long time. She has worked with some difficult students, dealt with some difficult situations and sometimes came away disillusioned with the teaching experience.

I am proud of Christa for sticking with it. Even though there were some pretty trying days and frustrating moments in this experience, she made her way through it. She toughed it out. She gained some valuable experience! She will get to celebrate with some buffalo wings from BW3s! :-D

Tomorrow, she meets with the owners of Settler's Mill to begin her job as supervisor for the mini-golf course in Oshkosh. She will be stepping out of one position and into another, but this is a position that she is looking forward to. She will be the supervisor for all of the employees of the facility. She will have a greater role in how the operation is run. I can see this being a wonderful new opportunity for her.

I know Weaver will appreciate having Christa home more often. Leaving at 7:00AM and not returning until close to have caused some separation issues ;). It will also give me the necessary time to be able to run in the morning. Christa and I will also be able to see each other more often. And...we'll both be less crabby because we don't have to get up so early!

Facebook Bible Verses

It can be quite a task to come up with something interesting in my Facebook status box. I might make the mark a few times, but after awhile things started to get mundane. Do people really need to know that my day is going to be tough? Do people need to know that I bowled a 161? Do people really need to know that I like bacon? Probably not.

A few days ago, with nothing left to put there, I put a Bible verse for my status. I have been doing this for almost a week. I received multiple comments from people who mention that this was a great start for their day, or that it was what they needed to pick themselves up when they were down.

I can tell you right now that God's Holy Word will go do much more good for those on Facebook than anything I can write. So, if you like the verses, you'll be seeing a lot more of it :-).

Oakfield Youth Group at Work

The Oakfield Youth Group met this past Sunday to put the final touches on the relief bags for Haiti. With help from the congregation and some funds from the group, they were able to prepare 14 bags that will be mailed to help in the relief effort.

This picture was taken in the Youth Room as we were putting in the final components. From left to right: Christa Droste, Youth Group leader; Mack Shaffer & Robert Easterson.

Thank you to all of those who gave money or materials to make this happen.

The Shepherd

This is our dog, Weaver. She has grown up quite a bit since I've last blogged about her. She still demonstrates some puppy behavior, but she has grown up quite a bit. As you can see, she remains vigilant for our safety while we are in the house. She'll definitely let us know of if anyone gets near the house...it's a blessing and a curse. :)

Each morning during the week, I take Weaver for a walk. We explore all sorts of places in Oakfield each day. This morning, our walk took us by a farm that has sheep. According to the agency that we adopted Weaver from, she is part Australian Shepherd. "We'll see how this goes," I thought to myself.

Weaver definitely got pretty excited as we walked by. She kept tugging against the leash and she barked a little bit. The sheep, however, were in a sheltered area as we approached. Once they saw Weaver they came out of the shelter. They came forward about twenty feet and stopped...they looked right at Weaver.

As we continued on our way, they walk with us, keeping their same distance, but still focused on her. They were not skittish; they did not look scared. It was as if they were just fascinated with her. Even when we left the area, they continued to look.

This little incident reminded me of Easter. No...I am not saying my dog is Jesus.

We celebrate Jesus' triumph over death at Easter. We use Lent as a time to prepare for his arrival at Easter. As he gets nearer we allow ourselves to be fixed on him. Living in a busy society, other things in life may cause us to keep a distance greater from Him then we'd like. But, we continue to focus. He makes us calm. His excitement to see us never changes. Even when Easter is over, it is our hope that we continue to stay focused on Jesus.

Weaver is a shepherd. Jesus is the Shepherd.

God be with you and keep you safe. Have a good weekend!

New Commercial Opportunities

I do enjoy living in the Oakfield community. It is quiet, peaceful and friendly. I like walking to get my mail each day and I appreciate how easy it is to take a walk and not worry about traffic.

The main drawback to living in Oakfield is that there is not much commercial development in the city. For almost anything, we need to travel to Fond du Lac. We have a gas station/convenience store, a bank, a salon and a bar/restaurant. We have a few other small business, but these are the ones that come to mind or are businesses we have frequented.

A few months ago I heard a rumor that they were doing to be putting a seven store strip mall in the lot where the grocery store used to be. Some were questioning if it would ever happen. It appears that this is going to happen! The picture that you see is what remains of one of the old buildings.

Christa and I have been trying to brainstorm a list of stores that we would like to see in there. I have to counter that with thinking of stores that also have the potential to survive in a city of 1,000 people. Thus far, I think a Subway would be great. I also think a ice cream/candy store may have some potential. Does anyone else have any ideas?

Regardless, I celebrate any steps that Oakfield makes to expand. Between this and the new housing development taking place by the old Belle Reynolds school, I an encouraged by what could happen in this community.

The Office to Come

As I was driving over to Tabor church this morning, I contemplated working in new pastor's office. I am just very excited!!! The picture you see to the left was taken from the closet of the office. At this time there is no furniture.

I figured I could grab a table and a chair and get to work. But, without a completed phone jack and access to supplies, it seemed like a stretch. So, I went upstairs to the multipurpose room.

I can say that I am excited for the first time when I can use this new office. There is a great deal to look forward to:

• I will appreciate having a space in the church that allows for complete privacy. I can meet with people knowing that no one else has access to that room.
• My office is right by the entrance to the church. No more searching for the pastor's office!
  
• I can come in to prepare for Sunday services without interruption. It's not that I don't appreciate meeting with people before church.
  

I want to say how appreciative I am in this church for being willing to go forth with this construction project at a time when the economy is down. I am appreciative that they have budgeted for a space for the pastor to have an office. I am blessed and I am thankful for the gifts that God has given us!

A Deep Breathe Day

The one thing I do appreciate about taking Monday off is that it leaves me excited about Tuesday because I know I'll be busy; I am anticipating the opportunity to get back to work (I know, I know) Technically, I didn't take Monday completely off. Shhh... I taught Confirmation class last night. Last night was our last class...the next time we meet we'll be rehearsing for Confirmation Sunday on April 18.

Between that and getting up at 5:30AM this morning, I was pretty beat. It wasn't until I looked on my to-do list application on my phone that I realized how much I really had to do today. My total work time was shrunk by the fact that I had to meet with my clergy mentor as I prepare for my yearly meeting with the District Committee on Ministry. It was a wonderful meeting and it was great to see Lucretia again, but it did take away from my work day.

I made some great progress on the to-do list today. But, it was the technology stuff that got me messed up. I was trying to work on the website and nothing was working with it. The formatting is off, fonts are matching and I accidentally deleted some stuff. After 20 futile minutes up not making any progress, I finally just stopped! I greatly enjoy that we have a website and I think it is a wonderful way to keep the community informed about what we are doing. But, it takes up a lot of time to keep updated.

I have really had some lessons in long-range planning and prioritizing those things that need to get done. This was the first day where I wasn't able to get done everything that I wanted to get done. It's hard to believe there was a time when I wondered what I would do to fill up the day...today it felt like there was too much! It is good to know that I will stay busy, and find a way to manage everything. :-D

March 14, 2010 Service

This Sunday we gather for the Fourth Sunday of Lent by examining the question, "Will the Judge of all the Earth do what Is just?" This is another question that we often ask of God. We ask it in a world where we often see injustice and oppression. We ask in times when we see suffering in the world. What does it mean to be just? What does it mean to be righteous? Is God just?

This Sunday is also a United Methodist Sunday with a special offering. We will take an offering for One Great Hour of Sharing. If you would like to know more about this offering, please click here. I hope you will consider giving additional money to this worthy cause.

At the Oakfield church, we will be taking the "Noisy Cans" offering as well. This offering is taken the second Sunday of the month. It is comprised of the loose change that you have with you. It is an offering taken by the Sunday school kids...the money raised from this offering goes to help mission work in Senegal.

At the Tabor church, we will be celebrating a moment of Christian witness. Church member Irene Schrubbe will be sharing her Christian journey with us during the worship service!

The Bible readings for this Sunday are:

• Joshua 5:9-12
• 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
• Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
  

See you in church!

It's Only Every Six Months

This morning I had a 8:10AM appointment with the dentist. There are few things in life that genuinely make me nervous. Going to the dentist is on that short list. It's something that I just want to get over with.

It's not the pain that scares me. I rarely feel pain at the dentist. What preoccupies me is when the dentist or hygienist reveals that you have a cavity or some other problem with your teeth. I feel as though I have disappointed them...plus, that kind of work costs money.

The cost is magnified by the fact that now we do not have any dental insurance. We had really good dental coverage while I was a Residence Hall Director, but as a pastor we our not offered a dental plan. It's amazing how much routine dental work costs!

This visit was a good one. No cavities or other concerns. The cost was not as much as I had expected. Now I can relax for the next six months...until I have my next appointment. I will keep up on my flossing and brushing!

As I pulled up to Tabor United Methodist Church this morning, I noticed three work trucks in the parking lot. They were Twohig trucks. I had a hard time containing my excitements because these were the folks that would be installing the carpet for the church.

With the carpet installed, we are one step closer to being able to use our new addition. Except for a just a few cosmetic items, the inside of the addition is done. We have raised some money that has been earmarked for new furniture.

I am looking forward to seeing this new addition in action. Of course I am looking forward to a new office, but I think the additional room will provide us with some wonderful opportunities.

We are currently trying to finalize a date for our celebration of the addition. We wanted to pick a time in the summer when the landscaping will be completed and we can take in the full experience of everything that we have done to improve the church.

Droid Update

No, this is not some kind of Star Wars post for all those geeks out there!

This is the one week anniversary of my new phone, the Droid ERIS. The first few days that I had the phone, I was overwhelmed by everything that this phone could. I wasn't sure how much I would be able to figure out, or if it would even be worth it to keep the phone. It only took a few days, but already there is a lot that I have been using:

1. There is a program that I downloaded that helps tabulate and record billable mileage; it also exports monthly reports via E-mail.
2. I found a program that helps track prayer concerns; it also allows you to E-mail those prayer concerns to folks.
3. I found a very sophisticated "to-do list" program that does an excellent job sorting tasks into various categories.
4. I have incorporated my prayer time into my daily works with Weaver. :) There is a GPS-related program that tracks how far (and how fast) I complete my daily walks with her.
5. Along with all this I can check my mail anywhere, sync my calendar between my phone and computer, along with other tasks.

As a part of my sermon last Sunday, I talked about how we can let a certain object or certain event be the source of our help and hope. I used the example of this phone. I realize that the organization that this phone provides is a gift from God. But, it will not solve all of problems in my life. God is where I find my help and my hope. But, it is helping and I appreciate the gift that I have been given.

A Phone Call

Last night, I attended a Bible Study that was hosted at Covenant United Methodist Church in Fond du Lac. My original intent was to sit back and take in what was going on. About 15 minutes into the study, there was a phone call that was forwarded to the room in which we were meeting. A member of my church that was volunteering there gave me the phone after talking to this man for a few minutes.

There was a gentleman on the line that had a theological question. He called the church looking for someone to talk to. He was struggling with an issue that happened eight years ago that he recently remembered. He was new to the area and hadn't found a church yet. He found me :). We talked about his question. I'm not sure how much help I provided, but he did say that by talking with someone about it, it helped him figure out a solution. I offered my own thoughts on how me might be able to be at peace with his concern.

This week I got so caught up in the administrative portions of my pastoral role that I appreciated an opportunity to offer pastoral care.

Reflections on Lenten Service

Last night, we had our second Lenten service. Again, we had a more informal worship time. I thought the service went very well. Instead of sermon, we had more of a Bible study. I felt that after awhile it turned into a sermon, but it was different. It was something like an...interactive sermon. I would ask questions, get some thoughts and preach on it. I liked the spontaneity of it. I could feel the Spirit working through me as people's heads were nodding as we interpreted and meditated on God's Word. I am still trying to find the right balance of straight preaching versus making it a Bible study...my guess is that by the final Wednesday service, I'll have figured it out.

More than anything, I am excited when I know everyone at worship comes away with something to think about. I am excite when I know folks come away feel more confident about seeing the meaning in God's Word.

I realize that as a pastor for two churches, my time is limited. But, I would really like to explore the opportunities in an alternative-type worship service during the week. I think we could rotate it between the churches and have a similar format. I think there is a real ministry opportunity here. We'll see what the future holds.

Another Thought
Wednesdays, for many churches, are a popular night for programming. It is a common night for choir practices. Some churches have a programming night. Some even offer a meal beforehand. At our churches, we have Confirmation on Wednesday evenings. During Lent, we had to move Confirmation, which has become quite difficult to re-schedule. In speaking with another pastor in the Fond du Lac area, he said they moved their Lenten services to Thursday evenings.

This may be a little non-traditional, but this is something that I may put out there as an idea for our Lenten services in the future. I am realizing that 2-hour Confirmation classes can test the attention span of both and the students and the teacher. I am envisioning classes that are 60 to 90 minutes. This would mean more classes. I like having the classes on Wednesday nights, so I am going to explore the possibility of moving our Lenten services to Thursday nights. That's a year away, so we can hold off on that for now :).

Technology Frustration

I certainly wouldn't want to encourage people to pray for a machine, but perhaps you could pray for Linda and I. We are having issues with our printer and I think it is time that we get a new printer. We received our current printer in 2007 as a donation to the church. Since I have been the pastor, it has served its purpose, but we have also had some issues with it.

This last week, we have struggled with getting it to print anything. Through some investigative work, with the help of the Fond du Lac Cartridge World folks, we were able to figure out that we were haviung issue with the printer head. The replacement did not work either. We are stumped.

I think this may be the time to upgrade. I will be doing some shopping this afternoon. We have a lot of printing to do Friday and I hope we can have something new working by Friday. Outsourcing printing can get expensive!

Technology Upgrade

I am writing this entry on my laptop computer sitting at the kitchen table. When a car goes by, I am eagerly looking to see if it's the FexEx truck...

...update, the truck came by. I am now the proud owner of a Droid ERIS phone (see picture to the right).

I have resisted the temptation to upgrade to a Smartphone, but I finally given in. I will appreciate the opportunity to be able to check E-mail at either church or in other locations that I spend my time. I will appreciate having my calendar backed up, but also available on my phone. Plus, the phone just looks pretty cool.

I am currently waiting for it to fully charge so that I can program it and get it ready. Exciting!