I am so excited to say that I have accepted the Contemporary Worship Leader position at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect! How amazing is that? Less than a month after being released from Holy Cross, God put a great opportunity for me and my family in place!
Question: What made me chose there?
Answer: St. Paul has a strong commitment to outreach. In my many talks, texts and email with Pastor Marc, he kept stressing the importance of outreach in the community. That is where my family's hearts lie. Diana and I have always pushed outreach in the community. St. Paul serves the people around Mount Prospect in a variety of ways. One Sunday morning a year, they cancel service and the entire congregation works on houses in the community, hands out free gas at the local gas station or even buys coffee at the local Caribou. They also have a strong community presence with local store owners and have the foundation laid for more opportunities to work closely with them.
St. Paul also has a great commitment to small groups. About half of the congregation is engaged in God's word outside of Sunday morning. AWESOME!
St Paul "buys in" to contemporary worship. The leadership and members don't just "tolerate" having a contemporary service, but rather see it as an important part of worship. There are a few worship teams in place with room for more help and volunteers. Their weekday chapels coordinate dramas and contemporary music that is able to reach kids on their level and gain a better understanding of Jesus in a creative and original way.
Lastly, this is a place where I can see my family serving for a long time. Pastor Marc and Pastor Kris have created an amazing environment for ministry to grow and blossom. They have assembled a great staff of like-minded people around them to see God's kingdom grow. In every conversation with them, I have felt the Spirit move in powerful ways and have felt since my first meeting with Marc, that this would be a great place for me and my family to be.
Question: So are you moving tomorrow?
Answer: No. With a baby due here in late February, we won't move until after she arrives and gets situated. It would be too much to add moving in with a new job/new baby/etc. We're looking at maybe May. For now, we'll stay at the farm house and I will take the train into Mount Prospect. However, if an opportunity comes up sooner (a cheap house that we can't pass up), that may change. But for now, the plan is to stay at the farm house for a little while longer.
Question: So what about Fuse?
Answer: I talked with Ben yesterday. Since my work at St. Paul doesn't affect Sunday nights, Diana and I will still be there until we move, Ben kicks us out, or we see a decent transition point. St. Paul currently has a "Fuse" type event that meets once a month on Sunday nights. I may have to be there, but that is only once a month for the time being. They have a great Youth Leader (Tony) leading the youth ministry so I will only be involved as much as he would like/need me to be. I am there to focus on contemporary music, not student ministry.
We love the Fuse family that we have gotten to serve with over the past 3+ years. We will miss the leaders and students greatly! That will be the hardest part of this whole process: saying goodbye.
I am really excited about this new opportunity. Thank you all so much for your prayers during this crazy time in our lives. We are so blessed to have great family and friends in our lives! God is good!
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