Transitions

O my people, hear my teaching;
   listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in parables,
   I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

what we have heard and known,
   what our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children;
   we will tell the next generation
   the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
   his power, and the wonders he has done.

He decreed statutes for Jacob
   and established the law in Israel,
   which he commanded our forefathers
   to teach their children,

so the next generation would know them,
   even the children yet to be born,
   and they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God
   and would not forget his deeds
   but would keep his commands.

Psalm 78:1-7

As leader of the children's ministry, I've shared this scripture a lot. It is my favorite scripture regarding teaching children about God. " ... so the next generation would know ... " They need to know, and they will never know unless we know and in turn teach them.

I shared that scripture as children's ministry leader on Sunday for the last time. Maria and I have decided that, after 9 years, it was time to move on to something new. We have both felt less than effective in recent months, and for myself I've felt a recent pull toward a new ministry. It's been something I've been praying about and talking with Godly men about for months. Through that time it became clear that it was time to move on to something new.

For the longest time I didn't know what that new ministry would be, and to some degree I still don't. After our recent Dynamic Marriage class training in Chicago, I know that is part of it. I long to help bring hope back into hopeless marriages, or maybe just rekindle the flames that had been reduced to smoldering. I also feel a strong desire to help the hurting. I'm not sure how that will manifest itself yet.

God has blessed our time in children's ministry, even though we did not choose it. Shortly after we arrived in Columbus on the mission team we were asked to lead the Children's Ministry (we suspect that it was why, afer initially being turned down for th team, we were later asked to join it.) We then had 12 kids and the oldest was in kindergarten or first grade. Now we have 50 some kids from newborns through sixth grade, as well as a good middle school and teen ministry.

Many have praised us for what we've done here with the kids, but we really don't feel that we can take much of the credit. All we did is care. Others had the good ideas, the practical suggestions and put in the hard work. It was Greg and Kyra Miller, church leaders here until about 2 years ago, who came up with the idea of rotating coordinators to take the day to day load of of one couple (us) to 'run the show' each Sunday. We were ready to give up then and this spreading of the load gave us the strength to continue to serve. We also owe so much to those couples who joined us in running our Sunday classes, Kingdom Kids. Dave and Jawan, Dave and Janet and Bob and Trish have given their hearts to the kids and us. We are also grateful to the support that Randy and Sharon have always shown us. Lastly, we are so, so grateful for the support the church has given us in always being eager to teach and to serve. With out you, all of our best efforts would be in vain.

Bob and Trish will be taking our place as leaders of the children's ministry. They've always had a heart for kids, as evidenced by their life & family, and God has put the children's ministry on their hearts. There was no searching or wondering who would step in, as they stepped up on their own, before we were 100% sure that we would be moving on. We are grateful to be able to be putting this important ministry in capable hands and hearts.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

John 10:11-13

Based on this scripture in John 10, we gave Bob and Trish the following charges:

1. Be the Good Shepherds, care for the sheep.
2. Be an advocate for the kids. These kids have needs, but they don't know what they are. Even if they did, they couldn't articulate them. Even if they could, not many would hear. Be their advocate, stand up for what is good or not good for our children.
3. Be an advocate for the teachers. The kids need teachers and if the teachers aren't cared for and supported, there won't be teachers. Speak up on their behalf. Make sure they understnad and feel how special and important they are to this church.

And with that, we move on to new things. Not necessarily bigger or better, just new.