DISTRICT PROCESS IN CANDIDATING

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1 T H E N O R T H E A S T E R N D I S T R I C T O F T H E C & M A The NED Connection Volume 16 Issue 6 July/Aug David B. Linn District Superintendent Upstate NY DISTRICT PROCESS IN CANDIDATING In my 35 years of ministry I have candidated more than a few times, and for different reasons. There are many ways that communication can fail along the way. Many times I have wondered: What in the world is going on with this process? Let me explain several things from the District perspective: First, we know we are on the hunt for wisdom beyond our capabilities and guidance which can only come from God. I am intensely aware of what the Lord said to the prophet Samuel as he surveyed the sons of Jesse to find Israel s future king: But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart " (1 Samuel 16:7). How you or I fit in the grand redemptive plan of God is pretty much of a mystery, so we pray like crazy for God to guide us. This also means that everyone s name is on the table, at least to start. Secondly, the local church must complete a self-assessment which guides the District side. No candidates are sent to a church without it, and it consists of these five piercing questions: 1. Who lives here? 2. What are the main ways we are trying to reach them? 3. What will they find when they come to church? 4. What is the most important strategic step we need to take and why? 5. What three qualities do we need most in our pastor for strategic advance? Answers to the above give birth to a desired pastoral profile. Thirdly, once the above is done, the District sends a pretty big group of candidates who are separated into three tiers which are not about perceived abilities but fit. Tier One candidates represent an obvious fit to the profile which the church has developed in conjunction with the Superintendent. Sometimes the right candidate is in this group, but we always remember that our assessments are limited and flawed. Tier Two candidates are those who do not exactly fit the pastoral profile but who seem capable to step up and adapt to the needs of the congregation. Every one of us spends life stepping into situations for which we are not fully prepared, but if the Lord wants us to engage a certain ministry he will make us adequate by his Spirit. Tier Three candidates are candidates who do not seem to fit the desired profile but who have notable abilities, experience, or gifts which make them worthy of consideration. Who knows but that the Lord might choose someone who does not look like a king someone who has developed remarkable faith and character while tending sheep over many hot wilderness days and chilly, lonely nights? I do my best to find anywhere from four to nine candidates for a particular ministry. After that, my theological conviction is that the local church has the primary responsibility to pray, discuss, pray some more, check references, interview, listen to sermons, and choose their pastor under God s guidance. This process means that it is normal to have your name presented multiple times to different churches and hear nothing. It means you may have a heart yearning to embrace a certain ministry but the elders of the church are sticking tightly to their preferred profile and NED Notices 2 you don t look like a fit to them. That is very common. Do not be discouraged! Every successful placement Sally s Spot 3 looks like a miracle to me. Search committees range from Missions 4 those which seem neat and orderly from the human perspective and those which do not. They may move quickly or not. Delta News 5 Feel free to poke me with an if you are wondering what GC Women 6 is going on, or even if you just need a sounding board about future possibilities. I don t really trust my own judgments. Evangelism 7 But if we communicate well with God and one another he will get his way. And that is the only thing which matters. Resources 8

2 NED Notices In Transition Rev. Andrew M. Bashwinger Unassigned BABY ANNOUNCEMENT! Beckham Piper Forney son of Daniel and Amber Schenectady, NY June 3, 2017 Great Commission Fund Giving to the Great Commission Fund from our District Churches of $583,934 for five months of 2017 is 101.9% compared to the same time in Alliance Purchasing Program The Alliance National Office has negotiated special group pricing with several companies including Dell, Microsoft, Staples, T- Mobile, Xerox, and Stewardship Payroll Services. For more information, go to ma/purchasing-program.jsp Christian Based Counseling Services Mr. James F. Lewis, LMHC 2700 Bellevue Ave. Syracuse, NY Christian counseling for Individual (Adult & Adolescent), Marriage & Family, Mental Health & Addictions. Jim is a recognized Christian worker with the C&MA. District Directory Updates Jacob and Suzette Bouw 28 Burton Street Walton, NY home cell (no ) Joshua and Ellen Daigneault 449 Gansevoort Road Fort Edward, NY Dane and Katelyn McCarthy danem390@gmail.com William and Kathryn Smith 381 West Highland Drive Schenectady, NY Rochester/Trinity Alliance info@trinityalliancechurch.com Utica/Hope Alliance Directory City New Hartford District Pulpit Supply List available at Alliance Strategies In Mission Another Alliance Strategies in Mission course will begin on August 7, Successful completion of this course meets ordination/ consecration and vocational ministry requirements. It is also beneficial for local church missions mobilizers, missions team members, and those interested as potential international workers. Click here for additional information and to enroll in the course. For questions, please contact Cara Roberts at robertsc@cmalliance.org or (719) OPEN CHURCHES SENIOR/INTERIM PASTORS Dewittville, NY Fulton, NY Plattsburgh, NY Port Crane, NY Syracuse, NY Waverly, NY Deepest Sympathy Rev. H. Russell Graf Retired Former District Pastor June 18, 2017 Reports to DEXCOM (District Committee minutes, etc.) and other items for DEXCOM consideration must be received at the District Office at least two weeks before scheduled DEXCOM meetings in order to be placed on their Agenda. Please remember to send information to Sally Fry at sfry@nedcma.org. The next DEXCOM meeting will be September 19, DREAM INCENTIVE GRANT As an Alliance church leader, what ministry dream has God planted in your heart? Because of a generous lead gift, The Alliance is able to award several grants to help small to mid-size churches realize an otherwise unattainable ministry dream. For information on how to apply, go to ministries/local-church and click on the application located on the right column under the Locate a Church section. The application deadline is September 15, THE NED CONNECTION, Page 2

3 Growing up as a farm kid, my help was needed at home after school, so as a family we didn t focus on extra-curricular activities such as sports and music. When I was in my early 20 s, I arranged for piano lessons because I ve always dreamed of being musical. I worked hard at the beginning piano book and learned the necessary notes and where to put my fingers. Rhythm, however, was eluding me at every turn. During one lesson, the instructor, a college student from church, started tapping me on the arm as I played and asked, Do you feel that? I knew she meant did I feel the rhythm of the music and I honestly didn t. I could feel her drumming on me, but no, I did not have any sense of rhythm rising out of my soul. She worked with me for a while, but that elusive rhythm was not something that I could find. I continue to play musical instruments for my own pleasure, but have come to terms with the truth that I will never be a great musician. This was not a natural gift that I was given and it would be silly for me to spend significant time and energy trying to hone this skill. One of the falsehoods that I heard over and over again while working in career counseling was the concept that You can be anything you want to be! This phrase was often stated as part of a motivational talk or said by a well-meaning parent to encourage their son or daughter. As I worked with college students to assist them on their career paths, I had to gently debunk this myth and Oh, to be musical!...we will do our best ministry when we are using the natural talents and gifts that God has given us. Sally Fry Ministry Specialist replace it with the reality that each person has a set of natural talents and skills that may or may not match their dream job. By finding a career that aligned with the way they were wired, they would more likely enjoy the work and excel at it. At a recent training, the presenter challenged us to try to spend sixty percent of our ministry time in areas that use our strengths. There will always be areas that we need to focus on where we use skills that we ve learned, but we will do our best ministry when we are using the natural talents and gifts that God has given us. If we are going to invest time in strengthening a skill, it would make sense to focus on something that is an innate talent to increase effectiveness in that area. I could spend hours trying to improve on my musical talent and would most likely gain some ground. However, to be most effective in stewarding the talents God has given me, it would make more sense to spend time refining those strengths and jam out on my guitar in the privacy of my own home. As you consider your own ministry or work, what strengths has God given you? Are there ways that you could increase effectiveness with these strengths? Are there nonstrengths that you are spending too much time trying to develop? I encourage you to pray and ask God what your focus should be in these next few months. Have a great summer! THE NED CONNECTION, Page 3

4 MISSIONS CONNECTION WHERE SHOULD WE GO? Are you familiar with the United States Navy? My guess is that you are. You could probably give a quick summary of your understanding, which may include the Navy being one of the branches of the United States military, young men and women serving to protect us on the seas, battle ships, aircraft carriers, and submarines. I would have been able to do that too. But since 2012, I can tell you so much more. In 2012 I was able take part in what the Navy calls a Tiger Cruise. Family and friends of sailors are welcomed onto a ship and experience the life of their sailor for 5 days. My experience was aboard a Nimitz class carrier, the USS Carl Vinson. My trip summary could fill this, and many newsletter articles to come. Suffice to say, I now have a much more profound appreciation for our United States Navy. Are you familiar with the work of the International Workers deployed through The Alliance? Prior to this past October s District Vision Tour, I would have answered that question with a yes. I have heard, and made, countless pitches for the Great Commission Fund. I have taken part in almost as many Mission Conferences. I watch the Alliance Video Magazine and have shared some of those videos in Sunday services. I have prayed through updates from fields on several continents. I counseled people to Give, Go, and Pray. I had even participated in a short term crosscultural mission trip! And I did not have a clue. Following the District Vision Tour, I now have a much more profound appreciation for our International Workers! Following this experience, I began to ask myself some questions. Among them was, How I would ever transfer my new found passion to others? I am still working on that. However, I know that a part of the answer lies in location. If I am to expect to see a passion ignite in Delhi Alliance, then they need a place to experience. This is easier said than realized. We are a mediumsmall church with not unlimited resources. The one thing we seem to be flush in is differing ideas of where and how to spend those resources we do have. Some say here, while others say there. A part of me says the where does not matter. And to some degree, I believe that I am right. Scripture is clear, and many of us were reminded at Council, that the mandate to go to our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and ends of the earth, is not an or choice, but an and directive. We are responsible to all four. And in that, where we go does not matter. But then another part of me pipes in that the where matters a great deal. The short term trip I took years ago was a good trip, but it in no way ignited the same passion within me that the recent vision trip has. There is a connection to the people and the place that I can only explain as a drawing of the Holy Spirit. So as we pursue everywhere, we need to land somewhere! Here is what it is looking like for us at Delhi Alliance. I will share a bit of our process up to now and maybe you can be encouraged in searching for your place of influence. By Pastor Brett White First, include everyone! This does not mean that everyone does everything, but everyone does do something. In our case, we celebrated missions in Sunday worship services regularly through Alliance videos, updates from IWs we support, and championing our own who were going on short term trips. Then, when I was approached regarding the District Vision Tour, we communicated much early. We asked people to pray. We asked people to give. And those who were gifted in leadership were invited to help make decisions. We pointed out how God s hand was at work in the process. Our expectation was that God would provide. And we were sure to celebrate together when he came through in some very unexpected ways. This included needing a visa for me to get into one of the countries we were scheduled to visit and boarding the plane before I had the visa in hand! When God came through with the solution, we were all able to celebrate his work together. THE NED CONNECTION, Page 4 Continued on next page

5 Continued from previous page Then we talked about the experience you cannot do this enough. After I returned we spent a month recapping the trip. This obviously included reports on the the fields I had visited and how our support was making a difference. But it did not stop there. It included taking what I had learned there and helping us understand that we can apply that same truth here. In this, we learn that God will teach in the middle of our serving. Finally, we prayed some more! We asked God to show us a partnership. We wanted him to reveal to us the place and the people with whom we could both encourage and be encouraged. We are in the midst of this step right now. I can say that we have come into an opportunity to meet with a couple who have been recently commissioned and are in the process of preparing to join one of the teams that I met with on our Vision trip. So you can imagine the response of our team at the opportunity to enter a partnership that serves the very place where we have engaged together over the past eight months! My encouragement to you is to go do it. Do it all. Serve in your own backyard, serve in your community, find those near you that are not like you, and look for those in the far corners of the world. Engage your people to join you in this journey. Your place will become clear. And I promise you, you will gain a much more profound appreciation for our amazing God! Rev. Brett A. White Delhi Alliance Church Steve Clark Executive Director THE NED CONNECTION, Page 5

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7 EVANGELISM CONNECTION SHARE JESUS An Evangelism Training Workshop that s for Everyone! Date: Saturday, August 12, 2017 Time: Location: Offered by: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. New Life Fellowship 51 Old Gick Road, Saratoga Springs, NY (518) The Northeastern District Evangelism Committee Rev. Dave Prahst (Nelliston) & Mrs. Bonnie Koonsman (Saratoga Springs) What to expect: We ll start with a short time of training. (approx. 9:30 10:15) Organize partners to go out 2 by 2 (more experienced with less experienced). Prayer time together. Travel to Share Jesus locations within about 10 minutes driving distance. We will have maps to suggested locations. (approx. 10:40 10:50) Outreach time sharing Jesus with lost people. (approx. 10:50 1:20) Return to New Life by 1:30 p.m. for lunch and testimony time. (1:30 2:30) (Lunch will be provided by the District for all who attend!) Training will include: How to make Spirit-led and/or logical connections with people. How to sense God s love for the people we encounter. How to use questions (as Jesus did) to lovingly engage people in conversation. How to get permission to share what Jesus did in your own life. How to prayerfully share and communicate the message of salvation with people that God loves and wants brought close to Him. If you are interested in attending or would like to bring a group from your church, please contact Pastor Dave at vac1@frontiernet.net, office: (518) , home: (518) , or cell: (518) We need to know in advance who is coming in order to be prepared with adequate training resources and lunch for everyone. Thank You! THIS EVENT ALSO QUALIFIES TOWARD ORDINATION/CONSECRATION FOR THE EVANGELISM TRAINING REQUIREMENT. The candidate shall provide evidence of having completed training in personal evangelism or attend an evangelism training seminar approved by the district superintendent and the LO&CC. THE NED CONNECTION, Page 7

8 NED RESOURCES BULLETIN BOARD NED Connection Articles for the September 2017 edition are due by August 28, Membership Certificates Please contact the District Office at Ext. 201 or to request church membership certificates. District Bible Quizzing Mrs. Claudine M. Campbell District Quiz Coordinator cell THE NORTHEASTERN DISTRICT OF THE C&MA 6275 Pillmore Drive Rome, NY Phone: Fax: The NED Web nedcma.org Contact via District Superintendent David B. Linn Barbara S. Linn June 29- July Calendar JULY District Family Bible Camp, DLBCC GCW Summer Renew DLBCC, 3:00 PM INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY District Office Closed LO&CC Meeting, 9:30 AM District Office Senior High Camp (grades 9-12) DLBCC International Quiz Finals Crown College Evangelism Committee Teleconference, 3:30 PM District Prayer Chain Miss E. Lorraine Regnier District Prayer Coordinator Prayer requests will be distributed throughout the Northeastern District family by contacting Lorraine directly at lorregnier@aol.com or How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! Romans 10:14-15 [ESV] Ministry Specialist Sally V. Fry sfry@nedcma.org Assist. to DS/Missions Mobilizer David M. Murphy dmurphy@nedcma.org Executive Assistant Tracy M. Murphy tmurphy@nedcma.org District Bookkeeper Edward W. Lyau elyau@nedcma.org NED Office Hours Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Friday 8:00 AM 12:00 PM (summer hours) Junior High Camp (grades 6-8) DLBCC Elementary Camp (grades 3-5) DLBCC Missions Committee Teleconference, 10:00 AM AUGUST Share Jesus Evangelism Workshop, Saratoga Springs Resonate (NOWF) Colorado Springs, CO NED Connection Items Due at District Office THE NED CONNECTION, Page 8