Category: My Congregational Home

Children’s Week…A Beginning Point

Next Sunday at First UMC, Princeton, we will be celebrating Children’s Sabbath. This week is a special time for us to focus on children, near and far. Throughout the week, I will be sharing some prayers, thoughts, and even some words on some fairly controversial issues dealing with children.

However, today, I decided to start this journey near home with something a little more on the “lite” side of things.

Our Children’s Moments at FUMC are improvisational messages that I base on some object that one of the children bring in a brown bag. (Yes, we do have some rules – nothing can be placed in the bag that is alive or was recently alive and nothing can be placed in the bag that might embarrass someone. Also, I encourage the children NOT to bring anything overtly religious. It should be an everyday item for them.)

To say the least…this is a lot of fun…sometimes more for the children and adults than it is for me.  But rule one of improv, I believe, is to accept whatever you have been given.  The rest comes from there and prayer.

Enjoy this time we had with our children…feel free to share and comment!

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There’s No Place Like…

A Whirlwind

And so it happened. They were walking along and talking. Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire came between them and Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven.
2 Kings 2:11 The Message

The past seven days have been something of a whirlwind for me.  I haven’t really had much time to take a breath and seriously think about it but I know that in the midst of this latest busy trek on the path to home, I have experienced the very presence of God.

I knew that presence as I sat next to a colleague who just six months ago gave me some of the greatest words of support and encouragement that I have ever received.  I still carry that note with me and it will always bring me joy!

I knew that presence as I sat at lunch with a colleague who has prayed for me and my family during a time of transition…One who calls me “Scottie” and gets away with it…Who insists on hugs every time we meet and I don’t mind a bit.

I knew that presence as I sat in continuing education sessions with a colleague who has supported me in a Covenant Group for several years with prayer, encouragement and accountability.  He is one who knows my sense of humor and appreciates it always.

I knew that presence when I ate dinner with a colleague who helped my daughter through a very special time in her life and we shared with each other about our “other” homes.  I know that I will be praying for him and his girls even as he prays for me and mine.

I knew that presence as I worshiped with clergy from all over the West Virginia Annual Conference at Cedar Lakes and felt their affirmation as I stepped into a new role and a new place I will call one of my homes.

I knew that presence as I met with my Clergy Covenant Group at the best place in West Virginia to enjoy crab cakes – Crabby Patti’s in Ripley – and we shared our joys, our worries, our hopes, our struggles and our dreams in the midst of much change in our Conference “home.”  I know I am praying for them, but probably not as much as they are praying for me. And yet I know they still love me.

I knew that presence as I ate dinner with my Mom and Dad, and Mom’s Aunt and Uncle and then visited with them even more that evening and the next morning.  I heard stories I had not heard before and heard others that triggered memories long ago set aside as we shared about family.  I felt connected to generation after generation of my family and I felt the presence of God.

I knew that presence as I shared a lunch with a friend who I not only still trust with my health care but is one that anyone can trust.  It was great to spend time with one of God’s healers who is still humble enough to live into their humanity.

I felt that presence as I was reunited with my family after a few days away – laughter, stories and great donuts made for good times!  “Friday Night Lights” with the Princeton Tigers and their wonderful band and a fifth quarter at the church that went on till Saturday.  (A soft bed made for a good night’s sleep as well.)

I felt that presence in the moments – that came quite often – when I thanked God for the great staff members who were caring for everything at First Princeton UMC.

I felt that presence as I worshiped with my newest church family and felt their grace, prayers and support after a long week.

I felt that presence as I watched the churches of the Princeton Parish (UMC) unite with community members of Princeton to serve those around us by cleaning up two local parks and a fountain area downtown.

Ah…the whirlwind…I felt it.  And even though I know these recollections don’t come close to naming every moment I felt it, I know that it is carrying me closer and closer to home.

photo credit: *nacnud* via photopin cc

9/11 and Home

As I read a devotion written by a colleague I was reminded of what a huge difference the events of 9/11 made on my home.

Unlike many people, I was not glued to the news on that day.   In fact, Pam and I did not learn about the tragedy until several hours later. At the urging of our Bishop’s spouse, Jane Ives, Pam and I were receiving Marriage Enrichment training at Spring Heights. We did not hear the news for a couple of hours when it was reported to us by the staff. We were no where near any televisions to see what was happening.

The leader of our training asked us to make the decision about whether we should stay there for our training or return home to our families and churches. Pam and I talked and prayed about it and realized that our children were in the very best care – our parents were watching them and our family from Peterstown UMC were checking on them. They were safe in a home we couldn’t build on our own.

However, we were doing important work ourselves on the home we were making for those two girls, my older daughter and our witness to the church.

Our church had a prayer service without a pastor present. I understand it was very moving.

Our children got to see the loving, caring side of the church and the commitment of grandparents that had reared their parents.

Pam and I continued to work on the one strong gift of peace we could give – the witness of a stronger marriage. We have never regretted that decision.

Although the world changed in many ways on that day… It got stronger for me. The bonds of my many homes were very real and very present!

Rainy Days

Yesterday was a perfect rainy day to get some special projects done around the house…

Rain

photo credit: VinothChandar via photo pin cc

And I took that chance to get several projects done – hanging some shelves in the girl’s bathroom, fixing some mini-blinds, putting up some stuff on the walls for Pam and even doing a little vacuum cleaner maintenance.  (I still have a pesky stairwell light to change, but that will have to wait till another day.)

When it was all done, I was just a little bit tired and Pam and I were talking about the accomplishments.  I started to say that it was “the little things that made it feel more like home” but I stopped myself and said, “You know, this place already feels like home to me.  It’s where I find you and the girls and where I find peace.”

I know “home” for us as Christians is much more than a house…even a house of worship…home for us is where Jesus is leading us.  Sometimes that leading is to service, sometimes it is to prayer, and sometimes it is just to mundane things of living.  I am never quite home, but always, always close.

Mt. Hope v. Princeton???

Tonight I am taking part in the weekly Southern West Virginia tradition of “Friday Night Lights.”  It is a home game for the Princeton Senior High School Tigers and they will be playing Oak Hill High School.  Now, why would I title a post about Mt. Hope, when the opponent is Oak Hill.  Well, the truth of the matter is that my Alma Mater, Mt. Hope High School, is no more.  😦

MHHS
Class of 1983!!

Yesterday, I was thinking about this upcoming game and I happened to be driving by the old hometown, so I drove through for the thirty second tour.  I saw my old home – doesn’t appear that anyone is living there these days and saw many of the routes I would have walked around this little town in Fayette County.  I even took time to drive up to the old school which amazingly looked a lot like this picture, except that now the school is home to people who are working on the new Summit Bechtel Reserve – a project of the Boy Scouts of America.

All this reminiscing got me thinking about growing up in that small town and what it truly meant to me.  While there, I was the middle son of three boys.  My younger brother, Kevin, works for the Wirt County School system as a Technology Integration Specialist, after working many years there as the Wirt County Band Director.  It has always amazed me that Kevin went on to lead the Wirt Tiger Band for so many years after being a part of the small band at MHHS.  (Band was something that all three of the Sears boys had in common in high school and now I live in a town that has one of the premier High School Bands in WV!)  Jack, my older brother, works for the Boy Scouts of America in Jacksonville, Fl. (Go figure, another link to this tiny high school that is no more…)

And then there is me – the middle child and the one who went on to yet another area of service – pastoral ministry.  Some may say that I chose this particular path because my birth order.  I know that it is more than that – I have certainly been called to serve in this way but I know my experience as a middle child often weighs heavy on the way that I lead as pastor.  (Middle kids tend to be peacemakers or brokers of deals between parties. Because I know this about myself, I have a tendency to “correct” it by leading more directly through conflict situations along with the help of my great coach.)  Although, I must admit…it is always hard to break those old habits!

It is always fun for me to discover “systems” things about my colleagues and partners in ministry and wonder how things from their past work into their present and our future. Daily, I am learning new things about the great people I work with at First Princeton UMC and I can hardly wait to learn about our new Episcopal leader and all the gifts that she will bring to our Conference – who knows, maybe she has a closed high school in her past or brothers and sisters that have impacted her!

Kevin, Scott, and Jack
Kevin, Scott and Jack in 1983!

My brothers have a wonderful and positive influence on me in my ministry.  And even though the three of us no longer have a High School that we can call home, tonight, as I cheer for the Tigers of PSHS, I will be watching for glimpses on those old Mt. Hope Mustangs in the opposing team.