Pastor’s Column (Page 11)

Dear Friends, Spring is in the air, Easter has happened with all its glory, wonderment, and decorated eggs, and we begin to look toward the next season of the church. We look toward new worship themes and Bible studies, confirmation and baptism celebrations, Pentecost, choir concerts, and summer activities. Truly, the church does not slow down once Christ has risen. I pray that you find Easter not as on end point, but as a beginning point to something new in…

Dear Friends, In each of our administrative meetings we begin by reciting our church’s mission statement that “We are a diverse and caring community, sharing the promise of life with Christ, passing the faith to the next generation.” I take this statement to heart in understanding that this is who our congregation is called to be. Tomorrow I leave for Texas for a leadership seminar on multicultural church ministry so that I can learn from experienced pastors in this area.…

Dear Friends, After Christ’s baptism, He was sent into the desert to fast for 40 days and 40 nights. This was a time of trial and temptation as He spiritually prepared to preach, teach, heal and love His people before ascending to Golgotha to sacrifice His life for us. The early church adopted Christ’s 40 days in the desert as a discipline for those seeking a Christian life. They would spend 40 days living a disciplined life as they considered…

Dear Friends, Good-bye 2014 and hello 2015. Good-bye to that which happened in 2014 and hello to the endless possibilities that could happen in 2015. If we focus our eyes properly we will see that 2015 will bring new babies, new jobs, new marriages, and new ways for us to see God working in our lives to bless us and prosper us. I am dreaming about a full year of ministry in Torrance with excitement for the ways we will…

Our annual All-Church Conference will squeeze into this season on Sunday, December 14 at 4:00pm. Come to hear the reports of our ministries, to vote and bless our leaders for the coming year, to vote on a budget to fuel our ministry and celebrate who we are as United Methodists at Torrance First. An important item on the agenda is a vote to approve a proposal for disposition of proceeds remaining from the sale of the EI Prado parsonage after…

Dear Friends, Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is before us, leaving us in the craziest part of the year. Decorations will.go up, trees will be trimmed presents will be bought and everythIng will happen at church. We will find ways to celebrate the season in style, through worship and parties alike, but through it all let us not forget what the true meaning of the season is — the gift of Christ Jesus. One way is to participate in…

Dear Friends, Fall is officially upon us with a new school year in full swing and Christmas just around the corner. My pastoral brain is trying to put all the pieces together for the rest of the 2014 year of ministry here at Torrance First and I am realizing that there is so much to do and not too many months to do it; yikes! New Bible studies are coming, our Quad nights will be kicking off in November, the…

Dear Friends, I am not one who lives with hidden agendas or sneaky ways, but I am often looking at a bigger picture to see how pieces can fall into place for an eventual goal. Ministry is the most rewarding chess game I play. Pieces slowly move with a goal of finding ways of bringing people to Christ and closer in their walk with Him. I search for new and creative ways to worship on Sunday mornings, exciting opportunities to…

Dear Friends, In my first few weeks here at Torrance First I have discovered what I believe to be the two critical values within the church (outside of God and Christ). First, is family and second is food. If you took either of these elements out of a Sunday morning or any church gathering it would not be Torrance First. These two values are the lenses that I have put on to look forward in our ministry together and to…