Candidates and Interns: Reports for November 2018

Transcription

1 Candidates and Interns: Reports for November 2018 Name Start Date Mentor Church Intern Report? Antoon, Martin Candidate only Antvelink, Reuben Candidate only Barnes, Nicholas Candidate only Bjernegard, Sebastian Wiley Lowry 1 st Jackson X Brooks, Montré Elbert McGowan Redeemer X Bryd, Zach Wayne Herring Bethesda, Edwards X Bynum, Joe Ed Hartman 1 st Jackson X Crawford, Bentley Candidate only Davis, Bryce Candidate only Edburg, Scott Candidate only Forrest, Anthony Brian Gault Redeemer Oral Gault, Brian Candidate only Graeber, Chad Candidate only Oral Groendyk, David Wiley Lowry 1 st Jackson X Johnson, Joshua Candidate only Jones, Craig Candidate only Kim, Johan Steve Jussley Lakeland X McCallister, Jesse Stephen Speaks Trinity X Nicholson, Hunter Wiley Lowry 1 st Jackson X Odate, Haruaki Elbert McGowan Redeemer X Owens, Zack Elbert McGowan Redeemer Oral Pinckard, Matthew David Irving Raymond X Rehers, Chris Chris Wright Lebanon X Revell, John Billy Dempsey 1 st Jackson X Ritchey, James Candidate only Robison, Nick Scott Huber Lexington Oral Strebeck, Wes David Strain 1 st Jackson X Van Hooser, Wilson Carl Kalbercamp Pear Orchard X Vollema, Kevin Billy Dempsey 1 st Jackson X Yelverton, John Candidate only Yen, Leo Ed Hartman 1 st Jackson X

2 8/21/18 Sebastian Bjernegård Wiley Lowry First Presbyterian Church Jackson I was able to attend the entirety of General Assembly in Atlanta. I got to sit in on a couple of committee meetings, and I left the week with a greater understanding and appreciation of our church polity. I have also done a couple of home visits to sick or elderly members. I got to preach twice this summer in Natchez and Ellisville, which were my first times leading a worship service. He is a great source of encouragement. This is true as we discuss areas of ministry as well as areas of everyday life, of struggles, sorrow, and joy. He also seeks opportunities for me to serve when and where possible. Having led two worship services for the first time proved to be humbling and confirming at the same time. It was humbling as I was given the privilege to lead God's people in worship and exhort them by preaching the Word of God. It was confirming in that I had a great desire to open up the Word of God with them to the benefit of their souls. I found great comfort in Isaiah 55 that when God's Word goes forth it will bear fruit, and He is the one that grants the growth no matter the shortcomings and weaknesses of the one who preaches.

3 08/24/18 Montré Brooks (Tré) Rev. Elbert McGowan Jr. Redeemer Church As an intern this quarter, most of my work has been assisting both the children and youth directors of the church. As a part of our annual Vacation Bible School (VBS), I served as one of the leaders for the fourth grade boys. At the conclusion of VBS, I organized our follow-up with children who professed faith in Christ and expressed a desire to grow in the Lord. For the youth, I have been building relationships with our middle school boys. I hosted an event for the 7th graders and started playing basketball with the youth on Wednesday nights. I assisted our mission director with our annual mission effort to the community of Broadmoor. I have also lead our seniors' Bible studies at church and off site. I have also been able to assist in leading worship on Sundays. Our meetings have been centered around my experience at the church as an intern, my family, future mininstry after school, challenges that are particular to Redeemer, and how local church ministry differes from campus ministry. It's been beneficial to hear his perspective on things and how he has dealt with certain challenges. In a lot of ways he has been in my position and is able to offer counsel to where I am right now. I've been knowing El for a while and it's just been formative for me to hear his thoughts, assessments and struggles. I have had an opportuniuty to test my gift of teaching in various settings. I have been able to teach our children and seniors and will be given an opportunity to teach our adults and youth. I have also been able to test my gift of service and outreach through engaging the community. My sense of my call to the ministry is the same. I believe that the Lord has called me to be a pastor in His church.

4 8/22/2018 Joe Bynum David Strain First Presbyterian Church This past quarter my duties entailed updating the Sunday Bulletin on a regular basis with our missionaries of the week. I also helped to lead an International Bible study using the Life Explored curriculum by Rico Tice as well as assisting with our weekly ESL ministry with Steve Edwards. I also graduated in may and am currently looking for employment. I recently met with my mentor and he counseled me concerning an extremely stressful situation that occurred in my life and ministry. Hie wisdom, kindness and pastoral oversight was very helpful in providing insight into my future plans for ministry. Moreover, he was quite concerned for the care and well-being of my family and took extra measures to ensure us of his love and support during our trial. My gifts and graces were tested through this internship in several ways. Firstly, this internship provided a realistic view of what life is truly like in pastoral ministry. During this time I got to see both the good and not so good aspects of ministry through the monotony of life and everyday relationships with both staff and congregants alike. Secondly, through these relationships I gained significant insight into my very own heart and was able to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of my particular ministerial gifts. Lastly, before this internship I had no idea of the vast duties that are part and parcel of pastoral ministry in particular. After working with several interns in different departments however, I was able to get a feel for other ministry areas outside of my own department. This was helpful in affording me the opportunity to become more well-rounded as a person and future minister.

5 08/21/2018 Zachery Byrd Wayne Herring Bethesda Presbyterian Church During this quarter, I have been preaching and leading worship as a licensed student supply. I have started preaching through the Gospel According to Luke. Also, I have been visiting with Sue Williams. She is on hospice, and her health is deteriorating. We have had a few others going through times of medical problems, and I have begin sending out cards of encouragements and prayer. Wayne has been pivotal in helping me establish relationships with other local pastors who know the area well. Also, he displays the heart for ministry that I need to emulate. There is an ever-growing need for prayer alongside the preaching and pastoral ministry. These times of medical emergencies has caused me to double down in prayer while seeking to meet the congregation in their anxiety and hardship. This first quarter of internship has furthered my desire to minister in such a setting, for the need of the gospel is great.

6 David Groendyk Wiley Lowry First Presbyterian Church, Jackson I've preached on the RTS Jackson circuit a number of times in the past couple of months, and I taught adult Sunday school a few times. I've finished attending all of the required Session and Diaconate meetings, as well as the committee meetings. I've also done a couple of jail visits. I had the opportunity to pray with and for a few inmates, and I even got to preach a message once. These are all in addition to my regular duties at FPC, which include visiting elderly and hospitalized members and leading an evangelistic Bible study on Wednesday nights. Most of the content of our meetings is work-related and focused on visiting or the evangelistic Bible study. Wiley demonstrates a lot of wisdom and patience in strategizing for the Bible study, and it has borne fruit. He's also taught me that there is even strategy when it comes to pastoral visitation and caring for members. A lot of thought has to go into caring for a church the size of FPC, and Wiley has helped me see how to be thoughtful about it. Preaching and teaching have been a bit of a roller coaster. Preaching on the circuit stretched me outside of my comfort zone; some Sundays went very well, and some did not. I received a lot of positive feedback preaching at the jail and teaching adult Sunday school. Visiting church members always ends up being an uplifting time for me just as much as it is for the church member. I believe I am steadily growing in sanctification and character as a pastor should. I still discern a strong call to ministry, and I still have a strong desire to pastor a church.

7 09/06/18 Johan Kim Steve Jussley Lakeland Presbyterian Church In this quarter, I was not given any assignment since I finished my internship there. I had one last meeting over lunch with Steve before I finished my internship. It has been awhile that we met up, but I remember his encouragement for me as I had been looking for a call then and some advice regarding how. I still feel called to ministry. I'm thankful for this internship that I had at Lakeland and seeks to serve the Lord in whatever way I can.

8 08/22/2018 Jesse McCallister Stephen Speaks Trinity Presbyterian Church I have been in charge of coordinating small groups and planning Wednesday Night Fellowship this quarter in both an administrative capacity and in a pastoral capacity. I have spent time preaching both at Trinity and on the circuit and have lead multiple SS classes at Trinity. We've recently spent time talking about the benefits of meeting with members individually as a form of discipleship. He's very good at that and I have been learning better ways to do that and have been encouraged by him to be bold and intentional about making those relationships happen. I feel particularly challenged as I enter my last year of seminary and realize how few discipleship opportunities that I've been able to take advantage of due to lack of time and energy. It has been good to be encouraged and challenged to make time for that. Ministry without those one on one relationships is not healthy. As I remember this, I look forward to spending more time doing just that.

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10 8/22/2018 Haruaki Odate Elbert McGowan Jr. and Dan Iverson Oyumino Christ Church (Japan) I moved to Japan at the end of June and my pastor in Japan (Dan Iverson) is supposed to oversee me and report it to the presbytery with a sign of Elbert. During this past quarter, dan was in the U.S. and he asked pastor Dedachi, a pastor of Oyumino Christ Church (Dan's church), to be a temporal overseer of me. Until the end of June, I served to Redeemer church with playing guitar for Sunday services, teaching for Sunday school class, assisting the worship service, and so on. After I came back to Japan, I helped English Bible camp for children as an operator of the audio and visual, and as one of messengers of the gospel. I also preached at Oyumino Christ Church one Sunday. I preached on that morning in Japanese and in the afternoon in English for the bilingual service. Pastor Dedachi gave me some suggestions about how I can re-adjust myself to the circumstances of the church because the things has been changing from five years ago. He is very moderate and calm man. I have never seen him being upset. HIs character shows me how the Holy Spirit is working inside a man and changing a man. I can see many things which I can learn from him. I feel I was challenged in the area of the relationship with some church members. The character of Japanese is different from that of Americans. I need to be careful about their sensitiveness. I should be a little bit more sensitive, but should not be too sensitive. I should keep the boldness in good sense which I could get in the U.S. and give the Japanese people a good effect. I enjoyed preaching and looking forward the next opportunity on September 9 th. My sense of my call to the ministry has not changed from the beginning and it is a pastoral ministry which includes church planting.

11 8/22/2018 Matthew Pinckard David Irving Raymond Presbyterian Church I have led prayer meeting (including teaching from the Psalms), preached, and assisted in leading the worship service (including the Scripture reading with brief comments). The session has also graciously allowed me to preach in other churches twice a month until my duties at Raymond increase. This being the first quarter of my internship, David and I have primarily discussed a plan for the future of my internship. We have also talked about different options for pastoral ministry immediately post-graduation and about my struggles as a student that could carry over into my future ministry. On this last point especially David has been helpful to me, giving me useful advice that has already been helping me to more effectively carry out my current calling. I've also benefited much from observing his habits as a minister that contribute to his effective ministry and from the way he cares for the members of the congregation. As I've continued preaching and teaching I've seen myself especially challenged to remember that I and my delivery are not the focus. I struggle with wanting to be liked and admired by those to whom I preach, and it's always a struggle to remember that God is the one who is at work in the hearts of his people. But I have loved the privilege of opening God's Word and expounding it, and thus far my call to full-time pastoral ministry has been very much confirmed. I am coming more and more to rest in God's promise that his Word will not return void and that he can use even me to accomplish this.

12 the schedule of deadlines (see page 5 of Introduction). At the presbytery meeting that marks the anniversary of your internship application approval, you will present an oral report instead. to presbytery every year at their August meeting and will submit written reports for the February, May, and November meetings. Date: 8/20/18 Name of intern: Chris Rehers Name of mentor: Rev. Chris Wright Church where you are serving as an intern: Lebanon Presbyterian Church This quarter I continue to preach every Sunday morning through the book of Romans and Adult Sunday school through the book of Exodus. Wednesday nights I teach a short Bible study followed by a church prayer meeting. The first Wednesday of every month I teach a men s Bible study. In addition to teaching I visit the homes and hospitals of the sick and sorrowing among us, provide marriage counseling and other, put together the liturgy and church bulletins, maintain website, assist the deacons in their meeting, and attend the Session meetings. This quarter I was also involved in creating the curriculum, format and teaching for this year s VBS program. Rev. Wright and I met and discussed the progress of the internship and the ministry. Specifically we discussed BCO-24 concerning the process of election, ordination, and installation of ruling elders and deacons. result of this period of trial and self-examination what is your sense of your call to the ministry? This quarter as we come to a season in our congregation for the election of officers we have all had to reflect on Paul s words to Timothy and Titus. There is a comfort that comes in reading those words but it is the comfort of a fatherly reordering. The scriptures are absolutely sobering here. One issue in particular that we all have to wrestle through is home and ministry. Managing the home is so connected to how you will manage in the church. And it is so easy to focus on getting the ministry managed well to the neglect of your home and that is backwards and deadly, to both. So, I am discovering this at a deeper level than I have before and that His grace continues to be sufficient.

13 8/14/2018 John Michael Revell Steve Jussely (Unofficially) Lakeland Presbyterian Church My initial objective is to meet with and get to know the elders and leaders of the church. Other duties include Visitation, Teaching, and possibly working with the youth. I may lead a men's Bible study in the coming weeks. The content of my meetings with Steve Jussely and John Duke include discussion of my current objectives, upcoming events, theological rabbit-trails, the logistics of pastoral ministry, and prayer. I benefit from the advice and feedback I receive from them, though they have not had an opportunity to hear me teach yet. I am being tested in my teaching methods as I balance my concerns for depth and accessibility. I have only had one teaching opportunity thus far, but I received positive feedback from two elders who were present. My sense of my call has been strengthened as a result.

14 08/21/2018 Wes Strebeck David Strain First Presbyterian Church, Jackson MS -This quarter I have been teaching Sunday School most weeks, and preaching out as I have the opportunity. I have preached in the following churches this quarter: New Covenant Pres (Natchez, MS), Westminster Pres (Baton Rouge, LA), Immanuel Pres (Clinton, MS), and Pickens Pres (Pickens, MS). -Most weeks I have met with David Strain for mentoring this quarter. I've met with David Strain most weeks over lunch for mentoring this quarter. Lately, David has been helping me consider the various components involved in seeking a call--which is timely advice since I am entering my final year of seminary. I still feel significantly inadequate when preaching (and especially when preparing to preach). However, the more that the Lord has granted me preaching opportunities, the more I find that I desire them. I have also been so grateful to see specific ways that the Lord has used His Word to address people's needs through the meager efforts of my preaching. This has blessed and encouraged me this quarter.

15 8/22/18 Wilson Van Hooser Carl Kalberkamp Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church Director of Youth Ministry which has involved preaching "large group" sermons to youth, Bible studies, counseling, mentoring and training older students in how to teach the Bible, meeting with parents about their children, meeting with pastoral staff weekly for prayer. Lately, we have discussed much about what it means to preach to the heart. Carl has graciously listened to several of my sermons to the youth and has given me critical feedback on sermon structure, illustrations, applications, biblical theology, and communication skills. This has been a very helpful time for me as I am seeking to improve on my preaching. This quarter has been a season of persecution and testing yet God has remained faithful. I have been reminded that my gifts will not carry me through the ministry but only His grace will. This has caused my heart to be more sensitive to His grace and less dependent on my gifts.

16 8/24/2018 Kevin Vollema Billy Dempsey First Presbyterian Church - Jackson, MS I had the opportunity to help represent First Pres during the Summer RUF throughout the summer around Jackson, MS, teaching at Summer RUF once in July. I taught college Sunday school for First Pres students every other week throughout the summer. Additionally, I had the opportunity to go on a number of visitations to church members along with Billy Dempsey and Wiley Lowry. Throughout the summer, I met with First Pres college students who were in the Jackson area for one-on-ones. Billy has been very intentional in asking me about my habits both at home (finances, internet use, devotions) and in ministry (my philosophy of one-on-ones, my approaching to talking about the gospel with students). He always checks in regarding how I am loving my wife and balancing time with her and with school and internship duties. Billy demonstrates incredible wisdom and the heart of a minister shaped and formed by the gospel. I learn as much about what it means to love people like Christ from watching him with others as I do from talking with him about the ministry. He lives it. This summer I had an increase in the amount of teaching both in Sunday School and with Summer RUF. The Lord continues to confirm my call to teach and preach as I've had these opportunities, both internally with the desire to teach the Scriptures faithfully and externally through the gracious encouragement of people hearing me teach. As I've interacted with college students this summer and their trust of me has grown, I have encountered new pastoral challenges requiring prayer and the experience of pastors over me.

17 08/23/2018 Leo Yen Ed Hartman The First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS I minister to international students in Jackson. Most of them are from China. I assist them with their daily issues and lead them to study Bible with me. I serve at our ESL program and head the weekly Chinese Bible study at our church. Besides, I also preach reformed theology at the Chinese Christian fellowship at Oxford, Chinese church at Biloxi, and Mobile Chinese fellowship. Ed and I have been continuing to meet and much of our discussion is about the issues to the ministry. He is so matured both experience and spiritually. He always shares his extensive experience with me and gives me guidance if have any questions. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to learn from him. My call is to keep proclaiming the Reformed theology to Chinese believers and unbelievers. Most of the Chinese were new convert in the U.S. so they are insensitive to theology issue. It turns out over 99% of the Chinese Christians in the U.S. believe Arminianism or their "own" theology. To improve this situation, we had better to plant more Chinese PCA church in the U.S. so we can have a Chinese presbytery in PCA someday. And it could accelerate the Chinese church planting in the U.S. and export the Presbyterianism experience to the reformed church booming needs in China. Don't forget among all PCA churches, about 11% are Korean PCA churches. They have their own presbytery. The major difference is that most of the Korean PCA believers were converted in Korea and belongs to Presbyterian church so they are very sensitive to "theology" issue.