I think everyone would like to be able to say that about their church. Probably, most people can say it about their church. And I’d have to say that there have been times for every member of every church everywhere when that wasn’t true.
But not here–not now. South Pleasant Grove UMC is at a very high point in its history. Is it because of numbers? No, our attendance is a little off. Is it because of the large dollar figures in the offering? No, we’re a little behind on that point as well.
So what’s the big deal, you might ask. The big deal is this: We are a church with a vision. We are blessed by God in so many ways, but the greatest blessing we have at the moment is our conviction that there are big things just waiting to happen. Members are gearing up for service like never before. Volunteers are stepping up to take on new roles–tough roles–but they step up anyway.
I was talking with a few of the members, sharing some of the details of the five-year plan (see the five year plan page here on the website). One of the major points of that plan is to create an atmosphere in which members take responsibility and provide leadership. In other words, less pastor doing the work and more shared ministry between the preacher and the congregation.
We began to name off some of the thriving ministries like the Prayer Shawl ministry, the Greeting Card Outreach program, the newly revitalized Witness Team, and many others. As we talked about those active groups, we noted that each of those groups were operating with my oversight, but were being driven forward by lay persons. Watch for news from those groups and many others!
In short, I’m glad to be leading this church, and I’m proud to follow the other leaders that God has called to ministry through South Pleasant Grove UMC.
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