Updates
December 2021 Wolfgang Update
Let me start with thanking all of you who prayed for me through this masters experience. I finished up in early August but here is the proof. I definitely learned a lot but it was also a great exercise in self-discipline to keep at it for 2 years, year around. I am thankful to pick up some other types of books lately and spending more time walking the parks of Medina with my bride.
The progress of the Transition Team at Weymouth is making headway. We will complete our meetings on Dec. 8th followed by a report to the congregation. I thought I would share with you a snapshot of what comes out of these types of groups. Of course, each church has its unique set of issues to address. WCC’s were community, structure, identity and evangelism. In addition to these 4 subjects, the TT also went through Chip Ingram’s Your Divine Design spiritual gift study to discover, develop, and deploy these God-given gifts.
1. How will we facilitate more unity within our community?
- Empower our hospitality team to create a year long calendar of in-house gatherings that could be coupled with other ministry teams highlighted.
- Empower our mission team to be on the lookout of where we can serve together, shoulder to shoulder, with others in our church family.
- Empower our worship team to incorporate opportunities for the congregation to speak together our unity like the Apostle’s Creed and Lord’s Prayer, membership covenant, etc.
2. How will we create greater involvement between the 3 circles of WCC?
- The elder circle to integrate the mission of the church into the annual meeting (member circle) and look for other appropriate times to gather the member circle to re-share the mission of the church with the member circle having opportunity to give input.
- The team circle to the elder circle the stories and struggles of their ministry efforts.
- The team circle to the member circle of what is happening through different mediums.
- The elder circle to share from their hearts and what they have been thinking and praying about WCC to the team and member circles.
- The elder circle to have scheduled times with the team circles to teach and train.
3. How and what will we communicate to our community about who WCC is?
- What is WCC is three words? Biblical, Family, Discipleship
- Next step? - Create a short term team assembled to take these descriptions and provide possible tools to the circles to give a consistent authentic message about WCC - ways to speak to our friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors about who we are.
4. How will we keep evangelism a vital part of WCC?
- Teach about lifestyle, servant, and personal evangelism with a possible every 30 day hit.
- Next step? - Create a team to dig deeper into keeping evangelism active in all three circles of WCC. Look into teaching/training opportunities, small/big event evangelism, etc.
Does this sound like a lot for 2022? Oh yeah and we will also be working through applicants for pastor next at WCC. We can not say thank you enough for all your prayers and support. Keep up with us at our blog and wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. -Adam & Stephanie-
Wolfgang August 2021 Prayer and Support Letter
Blessings to you, our prayer support family! We pray for you daily and hope that you are growing in God’s grace.
Beginning with a couple of personal highlights, we have served a little more than three months in Ohio and we are starting to feel at home with the work and the people. Twelve weeks of service meant that we were able to take our first one-week vacation, and the offspring in rotation to go visit was Anna and her family in Texas. How much our grandkids have grown since we saw them a year ago! It is a huge blessing to have grandchildren, and an even greater blessing that they love our visits. We praise God for the weekly video chats that help us stay in touch with the grandkids so that our personal visits can be so much more precious.
A continued highlight from our last newsletter is the anticipated final paper for the final class of Adam’s master’s studies. As you read this note, Adam will be working on his final paper due August 8th. Praise God that He provided this opportunity for Adam to expand his education in biblical studies. It is uncertain if we will be able to attend the graduation ceremony at Belhaven University (Jackson, Mississippi) in December, but it would be an exciting celebration if it works out.
God has provided four individuals who are serving on the WCC worship team. Each of them has a personal calling to serve by using their God-given talents. We ask for continued prayer that the music ministry would mature and stabilize to the benefit of the church body and glory of God.
I, Adam, have been meeting with ministry teams and the most recent was the youth ministry team. It was great to see many around the tables consisting of excited parents and teens planning for the fall kickoff. Next is the missions team and then onto the Christian Education team and the Life Groups (discipleship) team. We have an all church picnic coming up as another opportunity to build church family fellowship and unity. This has been a bit of a challenge with working through a summer of making up delayed vacations with many in the church. Another highlight was a child dedication a couple Sundays ago. This “normal” activity allowed the parents and congregation to make some unified commitments on behalf of a child of the church.
Remember the “3 circles” I have presented before? It is a way of explaining the gospel which you can find on the internet. I have used it many times in various sermons to speak the gospel so others might hear. I found it on the youth room wall! They have done a great job putting more graphics with it to explain God’s redemption plan. These tools I carry with me as a Christian to be ready with answer for the hope that is within me and thankful to share with others.
Thinking about the coming months and prayer points, we are entering stage 3, the time to develop a Transition Team (TT). The congregant conversations (stage 1) have been completed and the Natural Church Development survey (stage 2) has been taken. I will be composing an assessment plan to present to the elders and then we will build a group to join us in conversations that will lead to developing and implementing a plan forward for WCC. I think this is my favorite stage. 1. Pray for me as I create logical steps to take from all the data I have received over the last 3 months. 2. Pray also for these individuals (elders and TT) as they set aside time to accomplish this important task.
Stephanie and I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and support. The email notes you send are such an encouragement to us as we involve ourselves in the life of this church. Our support button is on the blog along with weekly updates as I go through the book of James. https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/
We love you all! Adam & Stephanie
July 2021 - Wolfgang Update 2 Months into Ohio!
A little factoid: 2 years ago on this date we arrived in Machias, Maine. So much has happened in our lives in this short amount of time and we are so thankful to bring you along on this journey of interim transitional ministry.
Another month has passed and now we have been in Medina, Ohio for over 2 months. I have completed many important conversations with those who attend the Weymouth Community Church (WCC) and have scheduled the church health diagnostic tool, the Natural Church Development Survey, to be taken in mid July. What will follow is my formal assessment presented to the elders and the selection of a transition team to work through what I have heard, what the survey has revealed, and also my own observations. We are on our way! The WCC church already had a search team in place so we are using this extra time to train ourselves on reading resumes, listening and evaluating sermons and conducting mock interviews. Does it sound like I’ve been busy? And to think this is only the IPM side of what we do.
Stephanie is using here musical ability to help with developing willing participants to be a part of a new worship team. I am meeting with ministry teams as they come back together to plan for a fall start and also some refocus to mission, vision, and values of their respective ministries. I am discipling the elders of the church (5 of them) along with other men and we are getting involved in the lives of the members and attenders of WCC. I am preaching through the challenging book of James. The really challenging part is applying what we are learning and James gives us plenty of church life applications.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot (but not really), I am also into my last masters online class! A few more chapters to read, a couple of papers to write, and three more ZOOM class sessions and I will have completed this degree. After a 35 year hiatus from formal education, these 2 years has joined me with others across the nation who took this plunge also. My projected finishing date is August 7th and if able, I could walk the stage on December 11th. I am so thankful for this opportunity given through Belhaven University to receive a Masters in Biblical and Theological Studies.
So, what else is happening? There are so many parks in this area that Stephanie and I are attempting to walk them all. Each week, weather permitting, on our days off we search out another beautiful place to hike. We also purchased a couple of bikes and have been riding some of the rail trails in the area. Our Saturday morning ZOOM calls with the family are very precious to us and Stephanie has a trip planned for Florida soon to celebrate with her parents and couple more 90’s birthdays and assist my dad with some appointments. Later in the month we will use our first vacation to visit Anna and Phil and our grandchildren in Texas!
But the best for last. Any local church needs to be ready for those who wander through the area for just a time. I remember a young man coming through the Oglesby, Illinois area because of college and the Oglesby Union Church became his church home and family. Another is happening here. You get a front seat to see a church respond with love and discipleship. It also jars us out of all the work of transition to real life application of being God’s outpost on this corner. A young lady wandered into the church who is traveling from farm to farm and she shared with me that she recently read the book of Matthew and responded to Jesus with faith and repentance. She wanted to grow in her walk and be baptized. She joined one of the ladies Bible studies and has been attending every Sunday she is able. What a privilege last Saturday to stand in a body of water and say those words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” These salvation events help the local church see its important place in God’s worldwide commission. Pray for this young lady as she moves on and for the next local church she will search out.
We sign off for another month with another big “thank you” for your prayers and support. I keep posting on the blog once a week and it is also where you can give financial support. We are building up “the kitty” again for the next furlough after God has shown His hand at work at WCC. We love you all.
Adam & Stephanie - https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/
June 2021 Wolfgang Prayer/Support Update
Greetings and blessings to all of our prayer and support partners! We see God working and the IPM system is in progress at Weymouth Community Church. Adam has completed over half of the congregant interviews to assess the health of the church. There is also a search team in place that was assembled before our arrival.
Adam is coaching them with tools that will make the job-posting more effective and with discernment training in preparation for evaluating resumes, sermon samples and conducting interviews with applicants. In addition, the professional church survey, Natural Church Development, has been ordered which will give the elder team significant data to guide and address areas where church health could be improved.
The church is planning and gearing up for a fall season that will restart and grow all of the ministries that existed before the shutdown. There is a growing optimism in the pews of WCC! One of the most fundamental tasks in the interim process is for Adam to develop relationships with the elders outside of team meetings. He has enjoyed getting to know and building friendships with these valuable men over coffee or breakfast. These are all very encouraging strides in the direction of restoring and developing the ministry at WCC. God has put together again a great team!
Please pray for:
1) the elder and search teams to have discernment and wisdom,
2) the NCD survey to be an effective tool to address areas that need “first steps” action,
3) laborers to join the effort of restarting ministries: Sunday School classes and life groups
4) and the elder team to grow in their love of Christ, one another and the people of WCC.
We were given an official welcome as interim pastor on May 23 when the church provided a picnic lunch after church with fellowship in the church’s outdoor pavilion. The Weymouth family generously showered us with gift cards for their favorite places to shop and eat in Medina. What a blessing that has enabled us the opportunity to enjoy exploring Medina. The town has a lovely park square at the center of downtown used for summer activities like weekend music concerts. We included a picture showing the Memorial Day décor around the park gazebo. Downtown is hopping with foot traffic, shoppers and pedestrians, who are enjoying the well-planned, family-friendly environment. Medina is noticeably clean, growing and filled with beautiful green spaces.
One of the big holes in the ministry of WCC upon our arrival was the music team. There wasn’t one. We (Adam and Steph) have rallied a few individuals who are interested in joining the worship team. We will be working together over the summer to see what we can do. Please pray also for the music ministry at WCC which is such an integral part of a healthy atmosphere for worship.
Adam is on the home stretch of his masters! Currently he is finishing up his next to last class and should finish in early August. It has been a busy two years and he is already thinking about what he is going to do with all his extra time!!! He is also back to posting weekly blog entries that include his preaching series on the book of James. Check it out and thanks again for you prayers and support!
Adam & Stephanie
May 2021 - Wolfgang prayer support team
The good brothers and sisters of WCC have provided a lovely, newly renovated and furnished apartment in nearby Medina for us to live in until a new pastor is secured. The apartment has 2 bedrooms and is on ground level which makes it very convenient for us. It is only 7 or so miles from the church. The living arrangement is a huge answer to prayer as it was difficult to find an apartment that permitted a dog. So far, God has made it possible for Buddy to go where we go and we continue to leave it completely in His hands. We rejoice in His goodness toward us. Praise the Lord that He cares about the small stuff as well as the big.
Our first Sunday at WCC was encouraging for all. Many people shared feelings of renewed hope and a sense that WCC is heading in the right direction. Since our arrival, Adam has had one meeting each with the elder team and the search team. The first goal outside of developing relationship with the elders, is to conduct interviews with as many of the congregation as are willing! These interviews will be about 45 minutes long and will give a foundational assessment of the spiritual health of the church body and how that translates into the corporate church. Pray that God will make hearts willing and that these interviews will accomplish bringing further insight to the leadership regarding the state of the church. Pray also for Adam to have godly wisdom and discernment as he listens and compiles the information that he gathers.
Thanks again to all who have joined our financial support team. We would have had a great burden to bear without your help! The funds raised during our first assignment and the length of our furlough was perfectly matched to provide for all of our needs. Most of all, the length of the furlough and our need to rest and give care to our home and family was also perfectly matched. God’s timing is impeccable, even with a late April snow in Ohio welcoming us! We praise the Lord for your faithful contributions! It is our prayer that you will be encouraged in your hearts, believing and trusting in the goodness of the Lord. “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14
This picture expresses our thoughts as we close out this update. A good, on to glory, friend made it out of railroad ties to greet those driving down the road and turning into his drive. He wanted it to be very evident and we do too, to all of you.
You can keep up with us through the blog, Living light and in the Light, and you will find a donate button there to share in this ministry of walking with local churches through times of pastoral transition.
One last share and a bit of encouragement and Biblical instruction to us all. Here is a snippet from a follow-up email after an initial conversation with someone in the church. I have received this type of email before. “Thanks so much for letting me unload today. I don’t expect you to fix it. But it was nice to talk to someone who listened.” I am no-one special, but using these two ears more than my one mouth yields a care that should be abundant within the body of Christ. May we all offer someone a listening ear today.
God bless you all from the Wolfgangs!
Adam & Stephanie
Prayer List:
- Initial conversations with members and attenders
- Finding our way around a new town (Medina)
- Time management of a new assignment and another online masters class
- Helping to care for our parents from afar
- Studying and preaching the book of James and applying it to life at WCC
- Making contacts with our apartment neighbors
New Assignment Update!!! - March/April 2021 issue
This update might be a two pager! So much to share about the months we have had at our “home base” in Zephyrhills, Florida and the upcoming trip to join with the Weymouth Community Church (WCC) located in Medina, Ohio. Last weekend resulted in an affirmative response from us and the church to partner up for this transition time. Our landing date in Medina is Monday, April 19th.
Our time in Florida has been pretty full. Here are some of our activities of this “furlough” time.
- Daily morning walks around the park averaging about 4.5 to 5 miles.
- Listening to more music than I usually listen to on my old walkman.
- Getting better acquainted with our Florida neighbors from Indiana, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and some full time Floridians.
- Yearly maintenance of pruning the palm tree, washing the mobile and windows, and power washing the concrete driveway.
- Painting our two sheds after giving some organization to their contents.
- Running the 90’s group (Stephanie’s parents and my dad) to and from appointments and running any errands for them.
- Completing one online master’s course and starting another. (2 left after this one!)
- Attending more services at the church we attend here (Grace Bible Church of Tampa) and getting the opportunity to know some of our pew mates on the Lord’s Day.
- Officially ZOOM coaching the new pastor of Machias Valley Baptist Church (MVBC) and also catching up with other pastors God has brought across my path.
- A Christmas gift trip to see some of our family in Colorado.
- A “reworking” of the presentation materials I use for introducing a church to Interim Pastor Ministries.
Our candidate weekend was short in duration but full in more ways than just a lot of events. It started off with a cancelled flight but with the option to catch an earlier flight so we parked the car in the economy lot at Tampa International on Friday at 2:25 AM and found it again on Monday at 12:27 AM! We meet with the elders, ministry leaders, men’s and women’s groups, search team, and the general congregation. 6 official presentations including the Sunday morning worship service kept us ever moving. We also took a tour of Medina, our possible living arrangements, and the church.
I took a page from my own book and requested to meet with each elder and his wife over this weekend. We had this as a “must” for the in person visit and candidate weekend at MVBC. This one on one time with them in their homes allows both parties to start the close relationship that is needed in shepherding God’s flock together. WCC has 5 elders so this filled in any holes in the packed schedule. We can not say enough of about the gracious hospitality of the members of WCC to us. Here is the link to the Sunday morning message titled “Transition Time.”
In this type of ministry you meet up with people you have met before. One that jumped off the page to me was the greeter of WCC named Don. Don was so much like the main greeter at MVBC named Craig who is now passed but with the Lord. It was more than serving in a common ministry role but the mannerisms and interest in me that were similar to a “t.” Now the accent was different but the heart for others was identical. I would have loved to see Craig and Don together and I am sure they would have been fast friends and quite the dynamic duo inviting people into the church building to hear about Jesus Christ. I am curious to discover who else I will find at WCC!
We would like to end this update with a tremendous thanks for your prayers and support of us and this type of ministry. God has supplied! This furlough will end up being about 3 months and all of our bills are paid and current and we will be walking into the next assignment with some left in the “kitty” to build upon for the next furlough. The giving that has come in has sustained us to be refueled and refreshed to be used of God again in this capacity. For those who God is leading to support this ministry, you will find the donate link on our blog. https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/ It is also a great place to go to keep up with the latest happenings with the Wolfgangs!
Here is our prayer list as we prepare for WCC.
- Traveling mercies from Zephyrhills, Florida to East Peoria, Illinois and then to Medina, Ohio. We are squeezing in a trip to see some more kids and grandkids and celebrate Libby’s 6th. We will leave on April 13th and arrive in Medina on the 19th.
- The closing up of our “home base” in Florida and the “to do” list to accomplish before we go.
- The setting up of our provided apartment in Medina and also my office at the church.
- The shift in providing our part of long distance care to the 90’s group while we are gone. Stephanie will make frequent trips back when needed. We are thankful for an airport only 30 minutes away and very reasonable priced direct flights.
- The opportunity to visit our family in Texas and celebrate Joshua’s 6th in July. This will complete the “loop” between the families within the year which brings much joy to us.
- The initial days at WCC. The first step is conducting important conversations with as many in the church as possible. This helps me to build a rapport with the congregation of WCC.
- For godly discernment as we start to pray for the “meet up” of “pastor next” at WCC.
Thank you again for all your prayers. Adam & Stephanie
Wolfgang Update - March 2021 - A blessing and burden to share!
The burden to share is a new opportunity in the state of Ohio. We would ask for your prayers as we participate in a candidate weekend, March 19-21. The church is located in between Cleveland and Akron and is a long time established church. I have met with the elders via ZOOM and it was great to walk again through the IPM 5 Stage Roadmap.
• Would you pray for us, the elders and the congregants as we all seek discernment of this possible adventure together?
• Also, would you pray for our travels (flying), the conversations we will have individually and corporately and the overall planning of the weekend?
• Lastly, would you pray for me as I ponder what to speak on during the Sunday Morning Worship Service?
I am thankful for my early morning walks around the park to let my mind mull over this specific message. Even if I am not called to serve there as an intentional interim pastor, I know each time the Word of God is preached it is an opportunity for someone to hear the gospel and respond in repentance and obedience to Christ.
We are thankful for all your prayers and also for those who have supported us for these “in-between” times of assignments. It has allowed me to keep up with my online master’s class (3 more to go - woohoo!); it has given Stephanie and I time to accomplish some home projects that have been waiting for us; and it has provided us the opportunity to sit in the pew.
As always, you can keep up with us via the blog and this is also where you can give if God directs. https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/
We love you all and more details to come.
Adam & Stephanie
Furlough = Family, or at least a part of it allows us to see those we have not seen in person in awhile. The pictures are from Colorado and Adeline is catching up quickly on Conner as mom and dad watch from above and grandma is ready from below. These are precious times together and we cherish when we can interact with our children and grands.
What is happening? Good question.
I am focusing on my online masters class and thankful for the extra time to spend on it. After finishing this class I will have 3 more to graduate. Projected date: July 2021.
Some emails into IPM have given me some hope of a new assignment. They are seeing a monthly increase of churches inquiring about their services. Pray that one of these churches might need someone like me to help them make their pastoral transition.
I have started my ZOOM coaching with the new pastor at MVBC. I will be in touch with him and the elders of the church over the next year to offer encouragement. This is also a time for me to contact other colleagues in the ministry and attend a great church while at our home base. https://gbctampa.org/
Stephanie and I have been available for our parents. I call them the 90’s club. 90, 91, and 92 and they are all living independently but there are always little jobs we can help them with and errands to run for them. We are at that stage of the middle and thankful we can look and care both ways.
It is an active waiting time as Isaiah 40:31 says, “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (NASB). The word “wait” is in the active tense and so it is a time to plan, think, and spend with the Lord.
In that vain recently I was asked to evaluate my time in Maine. Here was my response.
I learned to…scale back what I think I can get done or what I should tackle.
- …create some tools that fit me rather than just the cookie cutter types.
- …listen more even when asked what we should do.
A takeaway was to…focus again on the leadership of the church in a major way.
- …present what they are looking for in my character as a minister of the gospel.
- …make those contacts with the area pastors.
I would…have important conversations sooner than later.
- …take more time for myself (master’s completion will help).
- …find an outside group (outside the church) to join.
Active waiting is what we are doing and would love to communicate with any of you during this time. Email me (pastorwolfgang@gmail.com).
Adam & Stephanie
January 2021 - Wolfgang Update
I am so thankful that I am communicating now with 30+ more people who will be praying along with us for this ministry that we are serving in. What is great is that the 30+ people know exactly what the process is and have experienced the 5 stage roadmap of transition from Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM). This picture shows some of the elders of Machias Valley Baptist Church (MVBC) laying on hands and praying for the new elder and pastor of the church. It was a glorious day on Sunday, January 10th, 2021 when I started the service and Pastor Zach concluded it. It was the finishing of my transitional work at MVBC and the beginning of his continual work at MVBC. So to the 30+ new readers, “welcome abroad” and thanks for joining us in prayer for the next church that we would be assigned to.
A little bit of review:
Stage 1: interviews with a majority of the attenders of the church to hear “+’s” and “-’s” and find common themes to be addressed
Stage 2: conduct a church health survey which evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of crucial ministries of any church
Stage 3: form a transitional team to discuss the common themes and findings of the survey, address past issues and seeking Biblical reconciliation, and charting a plan forward with “bullet point” action steps
Stage 4: start to implement the “bullet points” of the transition team
Stage 5: form a search team to create pastor, community and church profiles, review incoming resumes of applicants with a process of elimination or advancement, and seek discernment from God to see His pick for the church
That is a high overview of the process with many little steps in between but I sure have learned a lot going through this for the first time. I am so thankful for MVBC needing an interim pastor who would take them all the way through. Many times I was told that they appreciated me but I just kept saying back, “I really appreciate you and your heart to seek God’s direction for your church.”
Pray with us as we wait on the Lord for our next assignment. Still feeling the affects of the pandemic it will take a church of faith to take a step during these times but that will make it all the more “a work of God” to see another church restored with a pastor in the pulpit and church leadership planning and implementing the Great Commission work of “making disciples.”
Not being retired or on Medicare, we are missionaries of this effort and we covet your prayers and support. Some have given over the last year making it possible to sustain us through our time of waiting. We cannot say “thank you” enough. If you are moved to help out, you can keep up with us on our blog and also give through the donate button near the top of the home page (https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/). The mobile in Florida is a great place to retreat to during this time of the year but our heart is see this happen again for another local church. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
Adam & Stephanie
December 2020 Prayer Letter
A little longer prayer/support letter this month. Much to share!
We are spending our remaining time transferring over information to make the transition go smoothly. Our sign out front already has Pastor Zach’s name on it and if you go to the church website and scroll down a little bit you will find more pictures and a little more about him and his family. www.machiasvalley.org
The main question I have been fielding lately is, “Do you know where you are going next?” The answer is “no” but I wish I did. Our plans are to head back to Florida on Jan. 11th (Stephanie will be already there ahead of me) and catch up on some mobile home maintenance. My name is back in the hat to be considered when a church calls for the services of IPM. I have a little more than a month break from the online masters classes so it will probably feel like a real vacation. We are also looking at the possibility of seeing some of the kids and grandkids! A “woohoo” from Stephanie.
I will take with me some great experiences learned, as they say, “on the job” from my time at Machias Valley Baptist Church (MVBC). I could not have asked for a better 1st interim assignment. I am humbled by the references that are being written for me and IPM by the elders and others who have been involved in the process. I will post a couple snippets below and here is a picture of the refrigerator magnet we are giving out soon. We know that the people of MVBC will be praying for us.
“The IPM process for an intentional interim is very well thought out. From Pastor Adam‘s first few weeks where he met with most of the congregants through to his guidance of the search team, he built relationships and helped grow the spiritual depth of this local body of believers.” —Rob Wood, elder MVBC—
“Through this process I believe the church has grown not just in numbers, but also in clarity of its mission and purpose in serving one another and our area. I would definitely recommend IPM to other churches seeking to fill their pulpit with the man of God's choosing.”
—June, Transition Team member MVBC—
“I would highly recommend IPM. It has given our church a sense of stability and encouragement that there is a way forward and that you don’t just have to survive, but you can thrive through the transition. And if you are looking for a great shepherd, preacher, teacher, and coach, Pastor Adam embodies all of them.”
—Kristina, Search Team member MVBC—
“Without IPM, we would not have followed this well thought out process that has proven successful for many other churches. Pastor Adam seemed to have endless patience with us and the process as
we spent nine months reviewing over ninety applicants. He encouraged and supported us every step of the way, providing us with much needed spiritual insight and wisdom.”
—Lauren, Transition & Search Team member MVBC—
As I said before, I am humbled by the words of these dear brothers and sisters in Christ who walked with me through this process. I post them here so that you who pray and support us can also praise the Lord with us for His work manifested even in the midst of a pandemic. We believe in this ministry of helping churches through pastoral transitions and matching them up with godly pastors who are passionate about teaching the word of God and caring for the flock. I’m not retired so your financial support keeps us going between assignments and also allows us to consider places where others might not be able to go to serve. If God moves your heart to help, here is the donate link to keep us doing this work. Support Us!
Keep up with us at: https://pastorwolfgang.blogspot.com/
Adam & Stephanie
Wolfgang’s November 2020 Prayer Update
When you receive this update we will be in the middle of a candidate weekend! The couple we had come for an in-person visit a few weekends ago were called back unanimously by the Search and Elder Teams. We gave a report to the congregation last Sunday and provided materials for them to find out more about our Candidate and his family. Many have listened to his sermons online in preparation for this weekend. The weekend will include a men’s breakfast, young mom’s brunch, team lead meeting, congregational meet and greet, and Sunday morning and evening services with a final Q&A session. We will let you know how things go but pray for us as the members and candidate will evaluate if this is God’s will.
Also, when you receive this update, Stephanie will be in Florida helping with the setting up of my father into his mobile home in the park that we “home base” at and also the park where Stephanie’s parents reside. These last two months have been precious to have Dad at the table with us. Many tears were shed and many laughs were bellowed as we recalled times of the past. He is ready for the warmth of Florida as the first threats of snow have been on the Maine forecasts. My older brother and sister-in-law who are in New Hampshire made one last trip over to see us. Pray for Stephanie as she sets up Dad’s needs in his new residence.
I am deep into my master’s online class as always. This one is covering the major and minor prophets. It is scheduled to finish the weekend of Thanksgiving and then I have a month and a half break before hitting the books again. I will definitely welcome the breather. The material has been good but also the connections made with others all over the country who are taking this journey. After the completion of this class, I will have 4 left to go. Pray for me as I complete a couple of papers for this class leading into to Thanksgiving Weekend and the possible preparations of moving.
In the midst of the search, there are all the other activities of the pastorate. We are bringing in 3 new members at MVBC. The budget work is started for the new year. We continue to develop the ministries of MVBC and also give fuel to the ones that are emerging. On top of Sunday morning sermons in Acts, Sunday nights in Daniel, and Wednesday nights in 1 John, the front of the church is being resided and repaired. It is looking so good. Pray for MVBC as a possible new pastor comes in to join the elder team and what God has put in motion.
Lastly, a moving of what we brought to Maine back to Florida could be in our near future. Also, I would be communicating with IPM about a possible next assignment. This could be a little tricky with the COVID-19 considerations but not un-doable. I have learned so much in this first assignment that will be helpful in the next. Pray for our possible travels, new assignment, and continued physical health to help with the spiritual health of local churches in our great country.
Adam & Stephanie Donate Here To This Ministry
Wolfgang Update - October 2020
We are spending another wonderful fall in the great state of Maine. This time we have another one in the house with a landing spot for my dad until he is settled in Florida. It has been wonderful to have this extended time with him and my older brother and sister-in-law have been able to travel from New Hampshire to see us. These mini-family reunions have been so sweet. At the end of the month Stephanie will be flying traveling down with Dad to situate him in a mobile at the same park where our “home base” is. This would be prayer request #1.
The search process for the next permanent pastor at Machias Valley Baptist Church is moving along. God has given us 91 resumes, at this point, to look at through this process. It has solidified the search team and also the elders as we have spent 7 months with a central focus. We have served the congregation and they have been bathing us and the process in prayer. Each Wednesday night prayer meeting includes many voices bringing before God prayers of discernment and the unveiling of His will for the church. This would be prayer request #2.
As many churches across the United States, we are slowly opening back up ministries as it becomes possible. So many things were on the front burner that had to be put on the back burner butour hands are on the handle to move them forward again. A huge praise is a membership class that is working to add some new members to MVBC. Our men are gathering again to accomplish some wood deliveries of those in need as the mercury starts to move down the thermometer. New small groups are forming for fall series on a variety of subjects and books of the Bible. Each step is important to the health of the church and this would be prayer request #3.
I have brought back to the forefront the mission, vision and values of MVBC that we worked on late last year with the transition team. Our mission is the Great Commission to make disciples found in Matthew 28; our vision is to members of God’s family increasing in the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5; and our values are those of a true church found in Acts 2. We have finished up our study of the Gospel of Luke and now have ventured into the Acts of the Apostles. I see God’s hand at work as this book hits on all three of these. It is a great place to be as a congregation as we open up our scripture journals together and jot down the principles that keep us as a church on track with our mission, vision, and values. You can find the sermons on Acts here: Acts Playlist This would be prayer request #4.
Thank you so much for your prayer and financial support. We sense that prayer support as we see God restoring this church and preparing them for a new pastor. We will really sense the financial support when we drive away and know others believe in this ministry as much as we do so much that we can be sustained for that next call. When will it be? Only God knows but we know definitely that God is building His church at MVBC!
Adam & Stephanie (things are looking up!)
Wolfgang’s September Prayer Letter 2020
We praise God for your continued prayer support and for those who contribute each month to provide for our employment gap when we our work is completed in Machias. God is a faithful provider and has been our continuous guide over the past month. Here is a highlight to update you on all that has been happening.
- The Machias Valley Baptist Church picnic was a great success with many in attendance. We rejoice that there were 5 individuals who were baptized in Indian Lake to profess their faith in Jesus Christ! The picture is of a young man in the youth group being baptized by an elder and deacon of the church. Please pray for these dear children of God that their hearts would be established holy and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Four individuals are currently attending a membership class at the church. It is a blessing worthy of praise to the Lord that the church continues to grow in membership while being served by an interim pastor. Praise the Lord!
- The pastoral search team has been blessed to interview two applicants that hit the marks for advancement to a second interview with the elder team. Please pray for these men, elders and applicants, on Thursday Sept. 3, as they meet via video call. This is a very important time for everyone to have divine discernment.
- We were saddened at the news of Adam’s step mother’s passing this month. Roy and Sandy were residing in California in a care facility. At the news of Sandy’s passing, Adam rented a van, picked up his brother Tom (and his step-grandson Trenton) and made the nationwide trek to California in order to retrieve his Dad. On the return trip, his Dad was able to see Tom’s family (including Roy’s new great grandson) in Michigan as well as his oldest son, Matt and wife in New Hampshire. Roy is now working through his time of grieving at our residence in Machias. Please pray that God provides clear direction as we help Adam’s Dad determine the best option for his future. Here is the link to our blog post about our return travels: travel blog post
We have been praying much for the recovery of our nation from the effects of the COVID-19 virus and also the unrest, especially in the great cities of our nation. We call out for God’s people to show the way of self-governing ourselves through holy living according to God’s word. Our witness of a transformed life because of Christ’s sacrifice provides our churches, families, and communities the God given principles followed all the time and especially in these times. God’s children pursuing holiness, confessing and repenting of sin, and sharing the gospel is desperately needed.
I have completed the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings and will be heading to Luke’s sequel, Acts, for teaching the continuing effects of disciples transformed by witnessing the risen Lord. I am praying these passages will help us in our witness of the same risen Lord who is transforming us daily to be Christ-like in who we are to our church, families, and community. I have also hit the halfway mark in my online master’s class. My new class for the fall is Systematic Theology (a very big and thick book)!
The landscape of interim work is very uncertain at this point. Inquiries in to IPM (Interim Pastor Ministries) have slowed and we are all praying that some “normalcy” will allow this type of ministry to thrive to support the churches who are in need of transitional help so that they can continue “full steam ahead” with kingdom work. Jesus said that He will build His church and we rest on His words on this subject.
Thank you again for your prayers and support. We are seeing the fruit of this ministry on a daily basis here in Machias, Maine. Adam & Stephanie - Donate Button
Prayer Letter August 2020
One of the most common questions we hear from people is, “How long will you be in Maine?” The short answer is, “We are on God’s timing, now.” The long answer is that the interim search process generally takes from a year to 18 months to complete. With all the preparations in place, the last step here is to see the Lord provide His servant for MVBC. Our time in Machias, Maine is totally in God’s hands. He has a plan and His timing is perfect. Thankfully, the search team has not lost steam nor have they felt discouraged about the time that is required to conduct the search. With a total of 61 resumes so far, the team has been able to be very selective. They are ready and waiting on the Lord, so we covet your prayers for MVBC and for the man who will be called here.
In addition, it is not too soon to ask for prayer for our future even though the work in Machias has not yet been completed. We pray for the future transition between assignments and the next church where Adam will serve as interim. Even now, our next assignment could very well be in the process of going through their own transition and looking at IPM as a solution to their need. Serving God in Machias Valley Baptist Church has been a very positive experience. The Lord could not have placed us in a better place to “break in” Adam as an interim pastor. Praise the Lord!
Some of you may know that we had a water leak in the main line to our home in Florida. We spent much time in prayer for God’s guidance in finding the leak and God provided. While we were at home last month, we discovered the leak and made repairs within a day at minimal cost to us beyond some sweat and muscle. Thankfully, the leak was underground, preventing any sort of damage to our home.
Church life continues on as best as possible with the circumstances surrounding social distancing. All of the Bible studies, prayer meetings and Sunday services have resumed with the necessary protocols in place. The gathering of the saints is truly a privilege and a blessing. There are lakes all around the state of Maine, so the month of August has baptisms and a church picnic in the schedule. We anticipate a sweet time of fellowship.
On my original return from Florida in May, a quarantine from Adam was needed. The split level house we live in allowed the guest room contents to be put in the lower level when Adam lived for two weeks. The guest room turned into my “sewing room” and it has been such a blessing to me. Keeping my hands busy with projects (and old Star Trek reruns) has done wonders for my spirit and mind as the corna-virsus lingers on.
  
Lastly, this went to that, and is waiting delivery to those who would be in need of firewood for the winter. The men of the church made short order of the donation and we are praying about the families this will bless through the cold months of Maine. Interim work means embracing where you are and what can happen there.
Your prayers and financial support have been so appreciated. When the work at Machias Valley Baptist Church is done, we will continue to lean on what you have given and continue to give to carry us to the next placement. We love you all. — Adam & Stephanie Ministry Donation Link Wolfgang blog link
July 2020 Prayer Letter
What a day this was! We had the opportunity to gather the whole family together in Florida for about 5 days and the bonus was the “greats” meeting the “greats.” Every face in the picture is so precious to us. We are praying our next physical full gathering won’t be 2 years in the making. We feel so blessed!
We wrote our first prayer support letter in January 2019. We arrived at our first IPM assignment in Machias, Maine on July 1, 2019. It is now July 1, 2020 and we are starting year 2 in this beautiful New England coastal town. What has happened in the last year?
This is the skeleton plan but around those bullet points are the re-writing of the church constitution; the preaching of God’s word; the further discipleship of the elders; the conducting of a spiritual gift class for the congregation; the development of a men’s ministry; and the managing of a church through the COVID-19 pandemic. God has kept me busy and I am finishing up my 6th master’s online class in Biblical studies to mark the half-way point.
What is the most important thing I have learned this last year? I am a “heart” person.
A “head” person sees the big picture, a person who focuses on the whole church, a “forest” person who understands how all the above stages fit together.
A “hand” person sees the important mechanics, a person who focuses on selected imperative ministries, a “tree” person who flourishes being engaged in the above stages.
A “heart” person sees the people involved, a person who focuses on personal involvement; a “knot” person who thrives with personal interaction with others.
A well rounded person realizes that even though they “lean” toward one of these tendencies more than the other two, they need to understand the value of other two to see healthy change and progress. It is important to ally up with others strong in those areas you are not and/or develop some skills so you recognize either the “forest, tree or knot.”
Churches are full of “head, hand, and heart” people. God has put them together on purpose. The “head” emphasis is the “Great Commission” to take the gospel and make disciples to the “whole” world. The “hand” emphasis is the functions or services of God’s church to provide ministries like preaching, praying, and providing. The “heart” emphasis is the “Great Commandments” to love God and love others, an intimate relationship with each.
I’m a “heart” person. I thrive on personal relationships. I need to know the people that are around me. I can know the plan and work the plan but I focus on who is in the plan. If you were to ask me about MVBC I could give you my overall assessment or I could tell you what stage we are in or what ministry is starting or thriving but I really want to tell you about Rob, Ted, David, Craig, John, Colleen, Terry, Vonnie, Brenda, Carol Anne, etc.
I finish with an example of this photo of another good
As always, thank you so much for your prayers and support. We know that what is happening in our lives is not by chance but rather orchestrated by God from your prayer and support to our actual physical presence on this field that God has placed us.
Adam & Stephanie Wolfgang - Wolfgang Support Link
Wolfgang Update for May 2020
We pray that this update finds all of our partners well and trusting God in these uncertain times. God has certainly been gracious to us. We praise God that all of our family remains employed and well. Moving ahead with the necessary precautions, we are unafraid because we know the Lord who controls all things.
“You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is. 41:9-10
With Stephanie’s quarantine complete and the church ready to safely open, as have many area businesses, MVBC is geared to continue progress toward the goal of securing a pastor. This is the most exciting part of interim ministry as we wait with hope for God to unfold His plan. The search team has received 34 resumes, conducted two ZOOM calls and are checking references while resumes continue to arrive. The coming sequence of events will include more ZOOM calls with applicants, possibly including spouses, leading up to a personal invitation to visit MVBC. Being on God’s timing prompts us to have a greater urgency to pray for His direction and for steadfastness as we wait. Prayer is a privileged participation in providential purposes of God! Please join us in prayer for Machias Valley Baptist Church to have renewed excitement as we worship together again. Also pray for the search team to have wisdom, discernment and hope in the Lord as they interview applicants.
On the personal home front, our family (children and grandchildren) have been planning a family vacation in Florida – the first time in two years that we have all been together and an opportunity for the Taylor great-grandparents to meet 8 of their great-grandchildren. We cannot tell you how much everyone has been waiting anxiously for this time in late June to arrive. As of now, it appears that our reservations remain unchanged. We are praying and trusting God’s will, asking that he will protect this treasured time for all of us. While Adam and I are in Florida, we will be handling a recent water line break that requires investigation and repair. Praise God, the leak is not anywhere to be found in our home, so we will likely be digging underground to find the problem. Please pray for God’s provision for our family reunion and quick water line repair for our home in Florida.
Adam is working through another online class dealing with the historical books of the Bible and participating in some coaching training sessions for IPM (Interim Pastor Ministries). He has appreciated greatly the guidance of his IPM coach through this first assignment and wants to turn this around to help others as they step into a church in transition. These tools have been invaluable from teaching the Bible with more clarity and being a better communicator of the church’s transitional task. Please pray for Adam as he spends part of his time in ongoing online educational classes and coaching training.
While the world came to an abrupt halt, somethings kept rolling along like the Machias River and the beautiful falls that are in the center of our town. It was good for us to take some trips into this beautiful area and get our minds off of the endless news about COVID-19. Ministry kept rolling too and we were so blessed to see church members who embraced the adjustments to stay connected as God’s family. If anything, we think the ministry load increased with the stay at home orders and our upcoming vacation time feels very needed. We will be driving to Florida this trip so we look forward to our long talks on the road.
Thank you for your prayers and support. We do pray our time will transition soon because that means this church would have a long-term pastor secured. We would enter that “in between” time which we pray would be long enough to re-coup and short enough to financially keep going with this ministry of helping churches through times of transition. Thanks for remembering us and supporting this ministry. We love you all.
Adam & Stephanie Wolfgang Wolfgang Support Link
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The spiritual gifts class is producing some fruit. Congregants are being challenged to serve so that their spiritual gift(s) can be affirmed by others. Ideas are starting to flow and elders are having the opportunity to say “yes” because the bringer of the idea is also supplying the resources (time, people, and plan). This picture is one of the members taking the time to create a graphic of the “3 Circles of the Gospel” I have talked about. Thank goodness because my version you can barely read!Wolfgang February 2020 Prayer Letter
- The pastoral search: wisdom for the search team as they post the position and for the pastor as he searches for God’s direction
- Tender hearts for God’s direction as individuals are called to step up into leadership and general service within the church
- For God to stimulate the burden of prayer in the heart of MVBC
- For God’s strength to sustain Adam as he works a slightly busier schedule over the next eight weeks
- Preparations for a possible trip in April to see our family in Colorado
Greetings to all our beloved support family! We pray that this new year has gotten off to a good start for you. Adam had a week of vacation saved up, so January began with a scheduled road trip to Illinois where we stayed with Jason’s family. Thankfully, two of our kids live in the same area, so we spent time with Ben as well. We all enjoyed the time to catch up with each other (including our dog, Buddy, and the family collie, Mocha). One family unit, Abe’s in Colorado, remain unvisited since our assignment to Maine, so that will be the next vacation. - MVBC to have a burden to pray for a new pastor
- The selection of a Search Team
- Adam’s spring semester Master’s studies, “The Gospels and Acts” & “Hermeneutics”
- For the future pastor of MVBC: skillful expositor of the word, humble leader, guidance and calling to MVBC, faithful husband and father
- Church wide studies on service and leadership development
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