It takes time to get completely integrated into a new church.  I feel fortunate that I have so quickly gotten to know folks at Cargill United Methodist Church.  Beginning to feel as though I have gotten to know people is a dangerous time, as well.  When a person is new to a group, organization, or even a one-on-one relationship, it is easy to overstep.

I may have overstepped yesterday.  Not sure yet, but being the new guy on campus it is easy to let my desire to spur change and innovation to make another person feel undervalued.  I believe that we all find times when our best intentions might hurt another person.

I believe we are called to be tactful, thoughtful and caring in all of our relationships – even when we find ourselves in conflict or difficulty.  To be thoughtful to another person does not mean that we ignore the possibility of innovation or betterment…it means that we find gentle ways to nurture our community (or friendship) toward a new ideal or a new way of doing things.

This is especially true in the church.  I have worked with pastors who tried to create new PROCEDURES or RULES for doing things, but that often causes rifts and division in the church.  Forrest Wells is the pastor in my current church and I hear him say, “as long as a ministry is true to our mission there is room for it in our church,” and “the staff and pastors must empower the people to do ministry, not try to own the ministries themselves.”  Rev. Wells is truly a nurturing person who will encourage – over time, not overnight – the congregation of Cargill UMC toward innovation and exciting new ministries.