August 2023

Dear Friends of First,

A pastor friend of mine shared an article with me entitled “Do You Remember Why You Became A Pastor?” There are times in our life when the clarity fades, discouragement clouds our memory and we wonder, “Why do we do what we do?”

The phone rang at 3:00 a.m. one Saturday morning. A church member was dying, her daughter asked, "Can you come?" I dressed quickly, not knowing when I would return, and headed out the door. I drove to the nursing home fifteen miles away, where one of the older members of the congregation lay dying. Her family was all around her. Now that her time had come, it was my duty to be there with her as she crossed from this life into the next. But I knew it was more than just my job; it was my calling.

If you have ever served as a chaplain or in the Christian medical vocation, you probably have had a similar experience. In a time of crisis, you know why you go. You represent God's presence, God's comfort, and God's grace to those passing through their own dark night of the soul. Sitting in a hospital with anxious parents whose child is in surgery, or standing with a widow as she identifies the body of her husband—you know it makes a difference. In those times, it is not difficult to remember why we said "yes" to God's call to ministry. Unfortunately, there are other times in our life when the clarity of our call fades, discouragement clouds our memory and we wonder, "Why did I ever want to be in this role?" But then you remember.

Remembering is an important practice of our faith. Every Sunday our church gathers around the Lord's Table, where we share the bread and cup of Christ, we hear the words, "In remembrance of me." Our faith is built on remembering Christ's love for us. The observance of communion is built on the ancient practice of Passover, when Jews remember each year that God brought them out of slavery into the land of promise. Memory is powerful in shaping our faith story and in holding fast the call of God in our own lives.

In my own life, I have discovered two inadequate reasons to be in ministry. First, a call to ministry cannot be a call to success. Many followers of Christ have been considered failures by the standards of popular culture. Second, a call to ministry cannot be based on our own cleverness, intellect, or personality. Paul reminds us that "the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." Our calling cannot be centered upon who we are; it must be centered on God.

So, I thank you God for trusting in me enough to serve you and your people. And thank you God for reminding me why I do what I do!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve,
Pastor Jim