This week I had the privilege of visiting with the 20 student Literature Evangelists that are earnestly working in the Philadelphia area. The Chestnut Hill Church is their base of operations. By this date, they had knocked on 15,000 doors and were on schedule to reach at least 40,000 doors by the end of the summer. As they go, they are signing people up for bible studies. Lillian Torres, our PA Conference Bible Instructor is training Chestnut Hill Church members to directly follow up with those people who sign up. Pastor Tara VinCross and her husband Caleb are working diligently with these student LE’s and the Church members.
On another note, the Chestnut Hill Church is conducting a pilot evangelism method of connecting with people of the community, using holistic approaches, involving church members in a number of significant ministries, and having an evangelistic meeting that Tara VinCross will preach. In order the coordinate this unique holistic evangelistic approach, Caleb VinCross is being provided a small stipend, with accountability factors that must be reached. The goal of this evangelistic approach, is to have a 75% increase in church attendance at the end of two years.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
A Day in the Life
Although every day has unique schedules, mission and routine items to deal with, I thought you might like to look at my schedule for one day this last week. Not every day is like this, but several are.
First action of the morning is to walk 2 miles with my wife for our Conference Personal Wellness Plan, getting approximately 4,000 steps to start the day.
Sit on our small back patio area for prayer, scripture reading and reflection, surrounded by shrubs, flowering plants, song birds at the feeder and gentle sunlight.
Drive to the Conference office and return a phone call or two in route.
Meet with a Conference employee and the Conference Executive Secretary to share with the employee significant professional growth areas that must show improvement to remain in employment. Affirm the employee of some specific area where they have strengths.
Spend 10 minutes with Executive Secretary, debriefing the above interview and discussing future options.
Spend 15 minutes on phone call with lay pastor in a local church, discussing current and future issues for ministry in their setting.
Spend 1 hour on my monthly phone conference with a professional coach who guides those in leadership positions, including several SDA Conference Presidents. Discuss with the Coach issues in chairing the Blue Mountain Academy Board.
Some items….
Initiate phone calls to a Department Director in another Conference to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania, since the recent candidate we called declined the call.
Initiate a phone call to a Union Conference Treasurer to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania.
Print off some e-mail documents needing later attention. Answer the e-mail of a potential pastor candidate for Harrisburg Church. Print off the e-mailed resume of a potential Conference Treasurer candidate.
Meet briefly with Kris Eckenroth, Conference Youth Director to discuss significant mission accomplishments of our current COOL Camp youth mission team.
Lunch, brought from home, eaten in the Conference office basement kitchen with my wife, Jeanne.
Speak with the Departmental Director in another Conference to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania. Receive an enthusiastic recommendation for a second potential candidate while on this phone call.
Receive a phone call back from a Union Conference Treasurer, with reference comments regarding the two individuals I was calling him to reference. Receive from him a recommendation for a 3rd individual currently serving as a treasurer in another Conference that he knows. Receive from him a 4th name of a widely experienced, bi-lingual individual, who is quietly open to considering a different position. Get transferred to another individual in his department who knows the contact information for this 4th individual.
Speak briefly by phone with the Business Consultant hired by the Pennsylvania Conference to help Laurel Lake Camp reach a solid footing financially, to enable us to continue the ministry at LLC.
Call 6 separate individuals, most of whom are lay people, to request they serve on a short term Ad Hoc Committee established by the Conference Executive Committee, to set up a strategically focused Advisory Committee to provide support for Laurel Lake Camp. Received a positive response from all 6. E-mailed to each one the 6 page draft document for them to review, and also provided a Conference Call phone number and code number so that we may have an Ad Hoc meeting by phone on the evening of July 21.
Speak briefly by phone with a member of the Blue Mountain Academy Personnel Committee regarding a couple of positions needing to be filled at BMA.
Filmed an appeal for the PA Conference Arise and Build promotional DVD with Tami Horst, the Conference Communications Director.
Filmed at a second location a segment for a PA Conference DVD regarding our PA Equipping University and our training and empowering lay people for evangelistic meetings in 2010, along with every church and every Conference in the North American Division.
Received a phone call from the North American Division Director of Stewardship asking me to be the Conference president to serve on the NAD Stewardship Committee, which will meet for a full day in late September. Since I sincerely believe our pastors and churches can benefit from a better selection of basic, easy to use stewardship teaching materials, and since I have initiated several requests to the Columbia Union, the NAD and the Pacific Press for such materials, I believe that this is something I ought to accept.
Meet with 4 of our Conference Office Staff for separate 30 minute each, employee feedback and personal review interviews.
Coach an Office Staff member on leading and directing the work of an assistant who works under the direction of this staff member.
At 5 p.m., just as I must walk out the door and drive to Laurel Lake Camp, I have an unannounced walk-in appointment for an additional 40 minutes with an employee who has learned that their marriage is seriously in jeopardy of falling apart.
Start driving to Laurel Lake Camp at 5:45 p.m. to review summer ministry operations and discuss with our hired Business Consultant the detailed findings and outcomes to date. GPS says we will arrive around 10:20 p.m.
Continue driving west along the PA Turnpike. Return a couple of phone calls while traveling.
Initiate a phone call to the 4th individual as noted above, that a Union Treasurer spoke off.
A few minutes later, receive a phone call from this individual. Speak by phone with them for approximately one hour, including stopping at a Turnpike service center, so I can safely speak further. Person indicates that wife just had a very positive interview for a significant job offer for her, and at this time of life, they may wish to remain where she can find her fulfillment. Continue conversation with some specifics about the financial position of the Conference, and the working relationship between me as Conference President and any potential Treasurer candidate. At end of conversation, treasurer candidate offers to send resume, which I encourage we would like to have.
Resume traveling to Laurel Lake, with GPS now indicating we will arrive around 10:45 p.m.
Arrive Laurel Lake Camp at 10:30 p.m. Visit with my daughter for a few minutes.
Meet with our LLC Business Consultant who has decided to stay over and meet with me. We review progress to date, areas of needed continued improvement, forecast for likely costs as LLC finishes the year, and areas to continue to address in order to help LLC have a positive future. Finish our review of LLC approximately 12:50 a.m.
End of day!
Not every day is quite this full, or goes this late. Yet often, I will have a full day of office activities, and then need to either go to a local church for an evening appointment, or take part in a Conference meeting or committee, either in person or by conference call with a toll-free call in line for participants. Earlier this week, I chaired the AWHN Board meeting from 6:30 – 8 p.m. after a full day at the office.
Next week, I meet one evening with the elders from 3 churches one night; the next night an Ad Hoc committee referenced above, will meet by phone conference; and the 3rd night, I will meet with the elders of a different set of 3 churches.
First action of the morning is to walk 2 miles with my wife for our Conference Personal Wellness Plan, getting approximately 4,000 steps to start the day.
Sit on our small back patio area for prayer, scripture reading and reflection, surrounded by shrubs, flowering plants, song birds at the feeder and gentle sunlight.
Drive to the Conference office and return a phone call or two in route.
Meet with a Conference employee and the Conference Executive Secretary to share with the employee significant professional growth areas that must show improvement to remain in employment. Affirm the employee of some specific area where they have strengths.
Spend 10 minutes with Executive Secretary, debriefing the above interview and discussing future options.
Spend 15 minutes on phone call with lay pastor in a local church, discussing current and future issues for ministry in their setting.
Spend 1 hour on my monthly phone conference with a professional coach who guides those in leadership positions, including several SDA Conference Presidents. Discuss with the Coach issues in chairing the Blue Mountain Academy Board.
Some items….
Initiate phone calls to a Department Director in another Conference to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania, since the recent candidate we called declined the call.
Initiate a phone call to a Union Conference Treasurer to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania.
Print off some e-mail documents needing later attention. Answer the e-mail of a potential pastor candidate for Harrisburg Church. Print off the e-mailed resume of a potential Conference Treasurer candidate.
Meet briefly with Kris Eckenroth, Conference Youth Director to discuss significant mission accomplishments of our current COOL Camp youth mission team.
Lunch, brought from home, eaten in the Conference office basement kitchen with my wife, Jeanne.
Speak with the Departmental Director in another Conference to reference the name of a potential Conference Treasurer for Pennsylvania. Receive an enthusiastic recommendation for a second potential candidate while on this phone call.
Receive a phone call back from a Union Conference Treasurer, with reference comments regarding the two individuals I was calling him to reference. Receive from him a recommendation for a 3rd individual currently serving as a treasurer in another Conference that he knows. Receive from him a 4th name of a widely experienced, bi-lingual individual, who is quietly open to considering a different position. Get transferred to another individual in his department who knows the contact information for this 4th individual.
Speak briefly by phone with the Business Consultant hired by the Pennsylvania Conference to help Laurel Lake Camp reach a solid footing financially, to enable us to continue the ministry at LLC.
Call 6 separate individuals, most of whom are lay people, to request they serve on a short term Ad Hoc Committee established by the Conference Executive Committee, to set up a strategically focused Advisory Committee to provide support for Laurel Lake Camp. Received a positive response from all 6. E-mailed to each one the 6 page draft document for them to review, and also provided a Conference Call phone number and code number so that we may have an Ad Hoc meeting by phone on the evening of July 21.
Speak briefly by phone with a member of the Blue Mountain Academy Personnel Committee regarding a couple of positions needing to be filled at BMA.
Filmed an appeal for the PA Conference Arise and Build promotional DVD with Tami Horst, the Conference Communications Director.
Filmed at a second location a segment for a PA Conference DVD regarding our PA Equipping University and our training and empowering lay people for evangelistic meetings in 2010, along with every church and every Conference in the North American Division.
Received a phone call from the North American Division Director of Stewardship asking me to be the Conference president to serve on the NAD Stewardship Committee, which will meet for a full day in late September. Since I sincerely believe our pastors and churches can benefit from a better selection of basic, easy to use stewardship teaching materials, and since I have initiated several requests to the Columbia Union, the NAD and the Pacific Press for such materials, I believe that this is something I ought to accept.
Meet with 4 of our Conference Office Staff for separate 30 minute each, employee feedback and personal review interviews.
Coach an Office Staff member on leading and directing the work of an assistant who works under the direction of this staff member.
At 5 p.m., just as I must walk out the door and drive to Laurel Lake Camp, I have an unannounced walk-in appointment for an additional 40 minutes with an employee who has learned that their marriage is seriously in jeopardy of falling apart.
Start driving to Laurel Lake Camp at 5:45 p.m. to review summer ministry operations and discuss with our hired Business Consultant the detailed findings and outcomes to date. GPS says we will arrive around 10:20 p.m.
Continue driving west along the PA Turnpike. Return a couple of phone calls while traveling.
Initiate a phone call to the 4th individual as noted above, that a Union Treasurer spoke off.
A few minutes later, receive a phone call from this individual. Speak by phone with them for approximately one hour, including stopping at a Turnpike service center, so I can safely speak further. Person indicates that wife just had a very positive interview for a significant job offer for her, and at this time of life, they may wish to remain where she can find her fulfillment. Continue conversation with some specifics about the financial position of the Conference, and the working relationship between me as Conference President and any potential Treasurer candidate. At end of conversation, treasurer candidate offers to send resume, which I encourage we would like to have.
Resume traveling to Laurel Lake, with GPS now indicating we will arrive around 10:45 p.m.
Arrive Laurel Lake Camp at 10:30 p.m. Visit with my daughter for a few minutes.
Meet with our LLC Business Consultant who has decided to stay over and meet with me. We review progress to date, areas of needed continued improvement, forecast for likely costs as LLC finishes the year, and areas to continue to address in order to help LLC have a positive future. Finish our review of LLC approximately 12:50 a.m.
End of day!
Not every day is quite this full, or goes this late. Yet often, I will have a full day of office activities, and then need to either go to a local church for an evening appointment, or take part in a Conference meeting or committee, either in person or by conference call with a toll-free call in line for participants. Earlier this week, I chaired the AWHN Board meeting from 6:30 – 8 p.m. after a full day at the office.
Next week, I meet one evening with the elders from 3 churches one night; the next night an Ad Hoc committee referenced above, will meet by phone conference; and the 3rd night, I will meet with the elders of a different set of 3 churches.
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 9, 2009
Also, Pastor Lytle has raised up a potential lay Pastor, Lance Moncrief. I had the privilege of sitting in Lance’s Sabbath Class and I believe his ministry will be an asset in partnering with this Church Family under Pastor Lytle’s leadership.
Of interest was that one of those worshipping this Sabbath was Samuel Dalembert, a Seventh-day Adventist young man who plays professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76’s. Pray for God’s leading in his life and his sphere of influence.
June 2, 2009
This past Sabbath Jeanne and I were privileged to worship with the
Moses Sosigian and his wife Catherine have been major ministry leaders, workers and contributors for this congregation.
In the afternoon Jeanne, as PA Conference Family Life Director, conducted a Marriage Seminar entitled, “When Feathers Fly,” which was well received.
I was glad to see at the worship service, approximately 19 children came forward for the Children’s story.
Monday, May 18, 2009
May 15, 2009
This past week has been a shuttle run between meetings at the Columbia Union, and spending time at
Tuesday night, the BMA Board interviewed 2 candidates for BMA Principal. I also had 2 faculty/staff appointments that night to listen to campus concerns and hopes for the future.
Thursday I met with the BMA Principal Search Committee as they interviewed each of the 2 Principal candidates for about 2 hours each.
Tamyra Horst, our communications Director also filmed me giving the closing appeal for this years Evangelism offering DVD to be shown in each church. Also on Thursday I met with each of the Principal candidates one-on-one. I also met with another member of the BMA faculty to listen to concerns and hopes for the future. Then in the evening on Thursday, the Principal Search Committee met again to carefully consider what recommendation to make to the BMA Board on Friday, based on the interviews. On Friday, the Search Committee recommended to the BMA Board that we not make a final decision on a candidate at this time, but prayerfully consider an additional person before making a recommendation.
While at BMA on Thursday, I got to see the finishing work on the first bathrooms in the East wing of the Boy’s Dorm. Brian Butler and his daughter Monica are doing a great job with the tile.
Dean David Ringer showed me an example of the new windows that will shortly be installed.
Please encourage all those you know to give generously for BMA to make this wonderful necessary upgrades.
May 10, 2009
On Sabbath, May 9, the
Pastor Jody Swart was a huge support to this group as they formed and worked through many issues to get to church status. Bill Peterson, the Assistant to the President for
At the Sabbath Celebration, I specifically affirmed the valuable ministry these men had provided to Shekinah Haitian to assist them in becoming a church.
The Church family gave a token of appreciation for all the support the Conference had given to enable them to become a church and to get into this building that they have recently purchased.
At the Sabbath Celebration, I specifically affirmed the valuable ministry these men had provided to Shekinah Haitian to assist them in becoming a church.
The Church family gave a token of appreciation for all the support the Conference had given to enable them to become a church and to get into this building that they have recently purchased.
During the service, the youth choir sang.
During the service, the youth choir sang.
The Church expressed it’s appreciation to Brian Yingst and the
Pastor Darnel Marius is giving leadership under a unique stipend program Bill Peterson designed here in the PA Conference for Church Plants that are a unique ethnic work.
The church was full for the occasion, and except for a few visitors, most of those in attendance were either members or regular attendees.
Monday, April 6, 2009
March 28, 2009
On Sabbath, March 21, we officially organized the
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