Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Happy Thursday Asbury!

Are you a celebratory person? Do you make a big fuss even over small wins? I’ll be honest, I don’t. Not near enough at least. All too often, I find myself just focused on the next task or whatever it is that requires my attention. I even tell myself that it makes me a better pastor if I operate that way, so I get more done. Lately, I’ve been feeling convicted about all that and realizing, that isn’t in fact making me a better pastor. Sure I’m getting more “stuff” done, but to what end, so that I can say I was accomplished? Earlier this month at my commissioning the Bishop addressed this saying that we need to be better about finding joy in our ministry. I think his point is that we need to be better about celebrating, even the small victories.

This past weekend in the Kendust household, we started potty training Liam. One thing we heard about and found works is celebrating those victories. So, every time he used the potty, he got a sticker. The good life! It was a chance for me to be better about celebrating the victories. It also happens that in our staff meeting this past week we read Psalm 150, the last Psalm. It’s a very celebratory and joyful Psalm. Go read it if you get a chance. Our reflection time circled around the victories that we have in and around Asbury, which is a lot! I speak from experience knowing it is so easy to focus on what went wrong or what is next, but when we do that, we can overlook where God was present. As the final verse in the Psalms says, “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Ps 150:6 NLT) Amen? Amen!

On the calendar, we have Handbags for Hope being put together Friday morning, June 30th at 10:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. The very next day, Saturday, July 1st, is United Methodist Men’s breakfast at 7:30 am, also in the Fellowship Hall. Can you believe it’s already July? I digress! Later in the month is the choir concert on Sunday, July 16th, at 3:00 pm in the sanctuary. And of course VBS! We’ve had more volunteers sign up to help, but still need some more! Let us know if you are available to help the week of July 24-28!

 Then on Sunday, I’ll be preaching on Joseph and piggyback on Lily’s fantastic sermon last Sunday where I’ll be looking at the gifts that God gave Joseph. We’d love it if you could join us at either our Celebration Service (9:30 am) or our Traditional Service (11:00 am). As always, both will be live-streamed. Hopefully, you can join us on this Fourth of July weekend!

Thanks!

Will