Sunday, June 8, 2014

I'm terrible at "Goodbye."

Dear Shiloh Church Family, 

I’m not good at goodbye.  In fact, I like to avoid goodbye at all cost. Goodbyes are awkward, painful, and I just don't like them!  But this Sunday, June 15, is my last opportunity to say goodbye.  Last week I was having a conversation with the Director of the Office of Ministry and former member of Shiloh, Rev. Wade Giffin.  Wade asked me how things were going and how I was handling the goodbye.  In a moment of sincere honesty, I said to Wade, “Wade, I’m sad.  Although I know God has clearly called me to serve at Ginghamsburg Church, it’s really hard to leave the people and the ministry I love!  It’s really hard to say goodbye.”  Wade reminded me that Shiloh was the first opportunity God, along with the Bishop, gifted me to serve as Senior Pastor.  He said, “you never forget that first appointment as Senior Pastor.  The place and the people always hold a special place in your heart!”  Wade was right!  (He’s always right!)  It’s why it’s so hard to say goodbye.

Shiloh, for the last four years you have been a gift!  You have been a gift of grace, love, and leadership.  You’ve been a space and place for me to train and to work my leadership muscles.  There have been moments that I’m sure you’ve wanted to write the Bishop and say, “I’m not too sure about this,” but there have been other moments when God’s presence has been so real, so tangible we could literally feel it.  We knew we were making the right decisions.  Perhaps one of the reasons I am struggling to say goodbye is because I am inspired by your courage.  You have a history of courage: your forefathers and mothers in the faith stepped out in courage determined to start a Methodist movement right on the corner of Anderson Ferry and Foley Road.  They were determined to see lives transformed, to touch a community, and to make disciples for the transformation of the world!  But that courage didn’t stop with them!  No!  You were determined to do your part by investing your lives and resources in this movement of God!  And for you, it wasn’t just about Delhi.  You had the courage to say our neighbors in Price Hill are also part of this God movement and so you’ve decided we have to invest God’s resources in Price Hill!  And now you have the courage to move on, to rally behind an exceptional leader, Rev. David Hood.  Pastor Dave is one of the most courageous leaders I know, his faith is genuine, his walk with Jesus real, and he is going to challenge Shiloh to continue to take courageous steps into God’s future!  But in order for Shiloh’s future to be God’s future, I have to say goodbye.

Goodbye, Shiloh.  When greeting the church in Thessalonica, Paul wrote, “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers” (1 Thessalonians 1: 2 NIV).  Shiloh, I thank God for you!  I thank God for the gift you have been in my life and the life of my family!  We will never be the same because of your generosity and love.  Shiloh, you will always be in my prayers!  I will pray for you!  I will pray that God continues to give you the gift of courage, and I will pray that God ignites a movement so full of God’s fire that the whole world is touched by its flames!  Shiloh, I love you!  

With Jesus’ Love, 


Pastor Rachel 

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Wear Red!


Nearly 2000 years ago a group of Jesus followers gathered in Jerusalem to wait for the help that Jesus promised to send their way.  Suddenly, without warning, the room was filled with a violent wind and something that looked like flaming tongues fell all over the men and women gathered.  This weird but fascinating spiritual experience happened on the Jewish festival of Pentecost.  As Christians, we celebrate this occasion as the birth of the church, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the event that ignited God’s kingdom movement on earth.  And it’s the one time of the year that the church wears red.  Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with liturgical colors-there are colors for every season in the church.  White for Easter, blue (purple) for Advent, purple for Lent, green for Ordinary Time, and red for Pentecost.  It’s a great opportunity to wear red!  We wear red to celebrate the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and the lives of others.  
At Shiloh, it’s also the Sunday that we celebrate our confirmands.  The confirmands are young men and women who have spent the last 6 months preparing themselves to say yes to Jesus and yes to the Church.  On Sunday, during the 9:30am service, we will celebrate with 10 confirmands their commitment to following Jesus.  Discipleship is no simple decision; not only have these confirmands spent time learning with Pastor Brent, but they have been lead by mentors, attended various worship experiences, and served in the church.  They have spent this season of their lives getting ready to say yes to following Jesus!  At the 11:00am services at Delhi and Price Hill, we will be experiencing baptism.  Baptism is also a sign of commitment to following Jesus Christ.  These are incredible ways to celebrate Pentecost!  That’s what is happening in our local church, but our Annual Conference begins Sunday as well. 
58 of the 88 counties in Ohio make up The West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.  Starting on Sunday, lay people and pastors from nearly 1100 churches will gather for what we call Holy Conferencing.  It’s an opportunity for us to worship together, conduct the business of the church, celebrate those who are retiring, those who have gone on to glory and the pastors who are being ordained.  Did you know that former Senior Pastor, Rev. Bill Patterson, is retiring this year?  Not only is Pastor Bill retiring, but Pastor Danny will be speaking at the Youth Big Event and our worship band will be leading the youth of the Annual Conference in worship.  I ask that you be in prayer for the conversations and decisions that will be made at this year’s Annual Conference!  
The fresh wind of the Holy Spirit continues to move and this week we have the honor of celebrating some of the most significant spiritual moments in people’s lives.  So I encourage you to wear red and come celebrate with us!     


Pastor Rachel