Tag Archives: ministry

Does Anyone Else Have a Spiritual Rule?

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12

Back on staff at a church. And I’m really being challenged.

The main challenge? My personal spiritual development.

Our staff homework this week was to develop a Spiritual Rule, or a Rule of Life, which outlines how we want to grow and mature in our faith and in our daily lives. Most of us weren’t really clear on the assignment, so we held a secret meeting where Drew (yes, my star-student husband) helped clarify things a bit.

(A helpful doc that explains everything can be downloaded HERE.)

Our pastor encouraged us to develop a Rule that fit our personality and “make it our own.” It just had to be focused, practical, encouraging, and holistic.

Anyway, this was quite a challenging process, but I had a whole lotta fun “making it my own.” So here’s my first shot. It has a few challenging elements, as well as activities that I’m currently doing. And, of course, I already want to make some changes. I mean, hello? Is exercise a spiritual discipline, because it sure as heck feels like it sometimes!

[click to enlarge]

The night I fell in love.

Posted on
20

I fell in love in the midst of a food fight.

It’s embarrassingly true.

Yes, it involved Drew (for those of you who were wondering). And a beach. And lots of people with lots of really really gross food. Why? We were in youth ministry.

And here comes the mushy part:

He whisked me into the water, threw me in the waves. And then I kinda just stumbled and stuttered there for a minute. It started raining. Lots of rain. The kind of rain that stings. And it pattered and pattered and bounced off the ocean waves.  And he told me I was beautiful. And he gave me his hand and we walked out of the water.

That was it. I knew.

And I still remember that night like it was yesterday.

Do you remember the night you fell in love?

Will you “hallelujah” with me today?

Posted on
17

Day 9 as Director of Congregational Services for The Chapel:

So far, things have been exhilarating-challenging-exciting-scary-fun, as most “first few weeks on the job” go.

Except for one interesting note: The role was written for me to slide in on staff, so there’s no one to train me. I’m kinda just jumping in and figuring this out as I go. And, would you believe? I think I might just know how to do this stuff.

Yeah, the ministry position fits all my gifts and passion areas. But I couldn’t assume that I’d automatically know how to do all of it. I wasn’t sure if I’d know how to hold a worship service together from a Tech Booth filled with men older and more tech savvy than me. And I wasn’t sure if I’d know how to coordinate and schedule a half-dozen worship leaders and their few dozen musicians. And I wasn’t sure if I’d know how to work with a service planning team of five people. And… And……

But, as I learn the role – and as I continue to jump in over my head – I realize that I can actually swim. And I’m loving it.

This church is amazing, but more on that later.

For now, I want to invite you to join me in a Hallelujah. My voice isn’t loud enough to express just how thankful I am.

The token “Church Staff disclaimer” blog post.

Posted on
13

Well, since I mentioned the whole Sitting In A Pub And Sipping Wine Thing in the last post, I figured I better write the token blog post where I make sure you all know that the things expressed on my blog are not necessarily representative of the Staff, Pastors, or congregation of The Chapel.

I am me and they are they and we are not always the same. And what I say here isn’t always what they’d say there. But they love me anyway.

So there.

Done.

Services are at 9am and 10:30 on Sunday mornings. Good music & great preaching. Make yourself at home.

With love for my church,

mandy