A preaching visit to a church in Illinois...
The search started in October of last year. Resumes were sent to many places after careful search of websites and "what we believe" statements and listening to hundreds of online sermons from potential churches. We first saw a lot of doors closed. We had some glimmers of light but that is all that they were glimmers. Stephanie and I realized that what we thought might be something that would happen quickly turned into us learning that if a church did reach out toward us, it was a big deal. It put me in the practice of putting on YouTube sermons on a weekly basis and continually searching pastoral employment sites in the region that we were wanting to be for the sake of our children and parents. We have had some high days and some really low days. All the time continuing the rewarding work of the Lord at Gaylord Family Fellowship and directing toward the future and the development of ministries.
The church in Illinois was found by finding out that certain seminaries have job boards that post open churches that are not on the national sites. I remember reading the description of the church to Stephanie late at night and after prayer sending out the material we had prepared to the church. We didn't realize until later that we were the first resume that they received. That initial contact lead to an email of some more questions about our stand on certain issues. Then came the waiting while applying to other churches and communicating on many levels with church leadership whenever I could. After 4 months the church in Illinois contacted us to ask if we were still interested. Yes was the answer and a skype interview was set up and we were able to see in blurred images some people who might be related to us in the future. More waiting but it led to an opportunity to visit for a face to face interview that lasted a whole day with tours of the church and manse, group and individual conversations, and a great lunch together. Stephanie and I drove away with no red flags flying with the events of the day. Then came the waiting and praying as we knew they were interviewing another and our desire was that whoever was chosen for the next step that it would be an unanimous decision either way. The call came and it was unanimous and it was us. I can not tell you how humbling that was. They discerned that this couple is worth a much closer look by the congregation.
So Stephanie and I ask for your prayers as we travel there on the second weekend of August for a weekend visit. We will be meeting with leadership and ministry leaders and given the opportunity to preach and share our lives with this group of people. We are thankful for the opportunity and want so desperately to be in the center of God's will for our lives. We realize that our lives could drastically change physically but spiritually our focus is to see the kingdom continue to increase. So we ask for your prayers of discernment and also use of the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us to use wherever we are.
Thank you in advance.
Adam
The church in Illinois was found by finding out that certain seminaries have job boards that post open churches that are not on the national sites. I remember reading the description of the church to Stephanie late at night and after prayer sending out the material we had prepared to the church. We didn't realize until later that we were the first resume that they received. That initial contact lead to an email of some more questions about our stand on certain issues. Then came the waiting while applying to other churches and communicating on many levels with church leadership whenever I could. After 4 months the church in Illinois contacted us to ask if we were still interested. Yes was the answer and a skype interview was set up and we were able to see in blurred images some people who might be related to us in the future. More waiting but it led to an opportunity to visit for a face to face interview that lasted a whole day with tours of the church and manse, group and individual conversations, and a great lunch together. Stephanie and I drove away with no red flags flying with the events of the day. Then came the waiting and praying as we knew they were interviewing another and our desire was that whoever was chosen for the next step that it would be an unanimous decision either way. The call came and it was unanimous and it was us. I can not tell you how humbling that was. They discerned that this couple is worth a much closer look by the congregation.
So Stephanie and I ask for your prayers as we travel there on the second weekend of August for a weekend visit. We will be meeting with leadership and ministry leaders and given the opportunity to preach and share our lives with this group of people. We are thankful for the opportunity and want so desperately to be in the center of God's will for our lives. We realize that our lives could drastically change physically but spiritually our focus is to see the kingdom continue to increase. So we ask for your prayers of discernment and also use of the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us to use wherever we are.
Thank you in advance.
Adam
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