Category Archives: Ministry

>Itinerant…

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>Hi internets…

How many ways can I apologize for the hiatus I have been on? Here I took so much time and care in writing the 100 Things about myself, and then I left you high and dry. While I am eternally sorry for leaving you hanging for so long, I am finding it hard to believe that anyone is even still waiting around to hear from me again. If anyone is actually out there reading this, I am sorry. I owe you a steak dinner (or at least some fish sticks and shells & cheese).

To get a better understanding of where I have been the past few weeks, I think it’s best for me to post an e-mail announcement that was sent to my friends and family. It’s the same news, and I don’t really want to re-type it anyway.

Here you go…

Hello friends and family,

As some of you know, Matt is an elder in the United Methodist Church. In the UMC, pastors are appointed to their churches by the bishop and a group of district superintendents who make up the bishop’s cabinet. Elders make vows when they are ordained and commissioned to be fully itinerant – meaning they travel from place to place. Back in the beginning of Methodism, pastors would travel from church to church (usually on horseback) to minister to congregations far and wide. Thankfully, the days of “circuit riders” are long gone, but we are still bound by our vows to be itinerant, and to go where God and the bishop lead.

Now is when we see those vows in action. The bishop and cabinet (and most of all, GOD) have appointed Matt to a new church, and we will be moved to this new appointment by November 1st.

Matt will be the senior pastor of two small, country churches in the western part of the state: Veedersburg UMC and Hillsboro UMC. A parsonage is provided for us, and the house will be in Veedersburg. Veedersburg is a small town (about 2200 people) one mile south of I-74 on SR 41. (We will be about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Mom and Dad’s house on the south side of Indy.) We are sad about leaving our current appointment, but we both are feeling a strong sense of God’s peace in this. We both know without a doubt that this is where we are supposed to go.

We met with the leadership at both churches on Monday, and we were able to tour the parsonage as well. It is a bigger house for us, but it can use some updating! 🙂 We look forward to making this house our home. The congregations are really excited about having a young couple in ministry at their church, and we are excited to go. Matt loves to preach and teach and visit with people, and this new appointment gives him the opportunity to do what he loves. My sister said it best when she pointed out that, “Matt will FINALLY be able to do what he was called to do so long ago!”

I am sad to leave friends we have made here in Noblesville. I am VERY sad to move farther away from family. I am nervous about moving from the Indianapolis area to such a small town. I am VERY nervous about making new friends, and finding my place in Veedersburg. I don’t know yet what will happen with my job. My boss has mentioned the possibility of me working from home, but we haven’t worked out details for sure yet.

We covet your prayers through this transition. We know that the love and prayerful support of our friends and family will carry us far, and that we haven’t reached where we are today without them. I hope we will get to see each other soon. Know that you are always welcome in our home, whether it is in Noblesville, Veedersburg or the Moon!

Love you all,
Katie

>Growing Pains

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>This is a hard post for me to write. I am always so open and honest with you guys, but I have to admit that this is a tough one. It’s been stewing for a few weeks though, so I think it’s best to go ahead and write the darn thing. Here goes…

About a month ago, Matt and I took a trip with some of our youth group kids to Kings Island for Spirit Song, a Christian music festival. We camped for three nights, went to the park every day, enjoyed the music and all came home with sunburns. It was EXHAUSTING for the adults, but I’m sure the kids thought nothing of it.

The youth that were there seemed to be so amped up – acting crazy, doing everything EXCEPT what they were told, being mean to each other, running, yelling, AAAAHHH! I felt like I was just chasing after these kids scolding them, keeping order etc. Towards the end of the trip, I had a SERIOUS. MELTDOWN.

I remember sitting in one of the only air conditioned buildings in the park, saying to Matt, “I don’t think the kids like me very much.” I was expecting him to tell me that I was just being paranoid, that I shouldn’t be silly – of course they like me! That is not what he said. Instead, he said, “Well, you ARE being pretty bossy.” Oh yeah. He did. That’s when I got up, and marched right out of that amusement park. (Can I just say, that this was no small walk of shame here…it’s probably at LEAST 1/2 mile or so from where we were to the car. HUGE walk of shame…HUGE!)

We got to the car, got in, and I proceeded to FLIP OUT! How DARE he side with THEM and not ME? I am his WIFE! Doesn’t he understand how much I have sacrificed for HIM to be in ministry? Doesn’t he remember that I am giving up PRECIOUS vacation time from work to be subject to this CRAP? Blah, blah, more “woe-is-me-I’m-such-a-victim” crap, blah…

That’s when he let me know that he didn’t ask me to come on this trip to be “the enforcer” – he invited me to be a presence in the lives of our youth for a few days. To enjoy them. To have fun with them. To let them be themselves, and be okay with it.

OUCH. He was right.

He also made it clear that I had been mean to HIM on this trip too. Oh yeah…I bossed him around just like I did those kids. He let me know that it pissed him off when I did crap like that. That every time I did something like that, it underminded his authority to the youth group.

OUCH. Right again. I hate it when he’s right (but I secretly think he’s sexy when he stands up for himself…don’t tell him I told you that).

I realized that this hell I was living in was mostly my fault. I WAS being a pain in the butt. I WAS being mean and bossy – to everyone! I straightened up pretty quick.

The next day I had some of the more challenging guys in my car. I was a little worried about how the two hour trip home would go. I just tried to keep in my mind that I am there to enjoy them, to be Jesus for them, not to be a drill sargent. I decided that I was going to talk to them about what they liked, listen to the music that they listened to, etc. And wouldn’t you know it…

…I had a GREAT time!

It’s been a good summer ever since. Youth ministry is HARD. I mean…HARD! But these youth are so enjoyable – I just can’t help but love them all.

Growing like this is really painful, but it’s really worth it too.

>Seeking His Face…

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>We were in Texas last week with our youth group. We took 14 teenagers to a small town named Carthage (just 2 hours east of Dallas) to do ministry in any way we could. We shoveled rocks in 103 degree heat. We helped host a kids Day Camp at a church in town. We played bingo with people at a nursing home. We painted shelves for a day care. We loved and cared for the people in that town the best way we knew how.

We were hosted by a group called YouthWorks. This group does an AMAZING job at organizing mission trips for groups just like us. If you are wanting to take a group on a mission trip, you should check them out.

At night, after we had worked hard all day, we gathered for “Club” where we thanked God for what he had done in our lives that day, worshipped in song, listened to a lesson, etc. Afterwards we would have time with our church groups for some more discussion, prayer, etc. Each night our group wanted to sing some songs. Thankfully our friend Jeremy brought his guitar, and he was able to lead us in some great songs. One of my favorites we sang last week is this one, “Give Us Clean Hands” by Chris Tomlin…

Thursday night was our last in Texas. At Club time, the YouthWorks staff had arranged a foot washing service. The staff washed the feet of the adult leaders, then we got to turn around and wash the feet of our kids and pray for them individually. Matt and I were washing kids feet, praying for them, etc. when we noticed a commotion going on around us. We turned around to find our kids praying for each other. These kids were gathering around each other (and us), laying hands on each other, praying for each other like we have never seen before. They were all crying, all speaking words of truth to each other…and they knew that Jesus was there. They knew it! It was like a mini-revival just for our group. There they were, seeking God’s face, just like we had sung.

That night was such an answer to prayer! This year has not been easy for me and Matt, and there have been times when I have wanted to call it quits. That night made all of that pain and frustration worth it. After everything was coming to an end that night, I just collapsed on Matt’s shoulder and sobbed. Thank you Jesus…this is so worth it.