I like spring…really I like all the seasons for they each bring something different, but for Spring a couple of my favorite things start to happen: the Texas Rangers start to play and it is time for me to plant my garden. I really enjoy planting new things. It’s amazing to see how a tiny seed can transform into a plant that gives you great things to eat. This year I actually have a few potatoes that are coming up without planting them. I guess I missed them in last year’s harvest…we’ll see how they produce.

To me gardening and being the pastor of a church are a lot alike. Both require cultivating (preparing) the ground, planting, patience, weeding, watering, growth, patience, weeding, and finally the harvest. Sometimes new plants need to be planted based on a need or desire of the gardener. Or sometimes they need to be planted because the original environment of the garden has changed.

Because I know this is true in planting a garden and being a pastor I’ve asked the church to become a part of an ACTS class. In ACTS we study the Bible together, we eat together and we try to love people inside and outside of the church. Through months and months of prayer the ACTS class believes God is calling us to try to plant a couple of new ministries.

The first ministry is a ministry to single parents. I just read yesterday on an article on CNN that 48% of all children are born to unmarried women. In Shallowater at least 20% of households with children are single parent households, and in our own church we have several families that have single parents raising children. We believe that we should attempt to love these people and reach them by starting a new ministry geared towards singles. Through more prayer Allyson Fowler has agreed to help lead this ministry with the help of a few people from our ACTS class.

The other new ministry that we are going to try and start is a community garden. We have a patch of soil that is currently bare on the west side of the church so we are hoping that we can turn something bare into something that produces a lot of fruit (or vegetables)! Our goal is to reach out to the community, especially keeping single parents in mind, and help teach people how to grow their own food. Ron Finley, an urban gardener in Los Angles, shows that more people in South Central LA are being killed by drive-thru’s than by drive-bys. We want to help show people not only what it means to grow your own food, but to eat and live healthy lifestyles. Bobby Ramage is forming a team to help with the garden and we expect to plant sometime in April. We’ll let you know when we get the date set.

As with all things I’d ask that you keep these two new ministries in your prayers. We are hoping they will help us know the love of God better and share God’s love to more people. If you’d be interested and/or willing to help with either ministry just talk to me, Allyson, or Bobby.

Just like the potatoes in my garden though we still have ministries that are going strong and producing fruit. I’d also ask that you keep the overall ministry of the church in your prayers.

Gardening and being a pastor both have another thing in common. We are both dependent upon God to see things grow. As a gardener I do everything just as it should be, but I can’t turn a seed into a fruit bearing plant, only God can do that. As a pastor I can help lead us into new ways, but I can’t bring the church growth or success, only God can do that. So I ask again that you keep me and the church in your prayers that we would be faithful to the calling that God is placing on our hearts and that He would allow us to be fruitful.

Grace and Peace, Dustin

Three days ago twenty innocent children were murdered.  A friend of mine, Tom, reminded me that the murder of innocents is actually a part of the Christmas story.  If you look in Matthew 2 you see how Herod kills all the boys that are under two because he fears one of them will usurp his kingdom.  Matthew recalls a prophecy from Jeremiah where there was much morning…of course there was mourning.  Innocent children died.  I think about my four year old and my two year old and if they were attacked like that, I would be lamenting their death for the rest of my life…

However, a few people in our nation have used this as a time to mourn.  Instead we use this as an issue to talk about rights.  Should people have guns, should people have assault rifles, etc… We have become so politically divided that even a tragedy becomes overlooked so that I can make sure I get what I want.

I started read Philippians today because another friend of mine, Jonathan, challenged me to read through the New Testament during advent.  I made it through one line of Philippians.  Paul opens up the letter saying “From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.”  Paul actually uses the word ‘doulos’ which means slave.  Some translations use the word servant, but I don’t think that is what Paul is referring too.  You see, Paul says over and over that he has been made free by Christ, but he willingly gives up his freedom so that he can serve Jesus.  Paul gave his life, all of his life, to Jesus.

In our nation we Christians oftentimes masquerade Christianity as a certain political party.  We demean and belittle people on the other side of the aisle, knowing that God would never tolerate ______…except He did.  When He came to earth in flesh He ate with prostitutes, tax collectors, sinners.  However, in our Christian circles when someone disagrees with us politically they are almost equated as the anti-Christ.

It’s interesting to me that Jesus actually tells us to pay taxes to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.  Then Paul tells us in the latter part of Romans 12 that we are to live peaceably together and in harmony.  Then Paul continues on into chapter 13:1 saying that we must submit to governing authorities.  Paul was writing at a time that either while he was writing it, or shortly thereafter, the persecution of Christians became extreme.  Caesar Nero would use Christians as night lights, lighting their bodies on fire at night to light his gardens.  Nero would mercilessly kill Christians.  Yet, Paul tells that church to submit to their authority.  How crazy is that?

Actually, it is exactly what Jesus did.  Jesus submitted to the authorities to the point of death, death on a cross.  He chose to bring people into the kingdom of God not by divisive and hurtful words, not by condemning others, not by force or might, but by love.  He calls those of us who claim to follow Him to live in that sort of love.  This is not an easy call, yet it is His call.  I pray that we, that I, try to follow this deep call in my life.  I pray that at times of tragedy I can mourn the loss of innocent life as opposed to trying to seek political gain, no matter what others are doing…Let us be a people who follow Christ…even to the cross!

Do you remember?

It is…

To Know the Love of God and Share It!

One of our biggest outreach events is upon us, Vacation Bible School.  Starting next week, July 9th-13th we are hosting a Vacation Bible School from 6-8pm.  To me this is an amazing chance for us as a church to share God’s love with the community.  We have children, and their parents, willingly come into our church so their kids can learn more about God and have fun (hopefully a lot of fun since we are having a special ‘water olympics’ this year on the 13th!!!)

I know VBS for you means more work.  It means coming to the church a lot for a few weeks.  It means helping decorate on Saturday starting at 10am.  It means time away from our family.  It means entertaining kids from the ages of 3-6th grade.  It means not always being able to do things your way all the time (or mine for that matter…).  And, it means allowing some children more than likely get some of our new carpet dirty…

But we aren’t a church because we want to live an easy life, want to rest, because we want things pretty, or because we want to be away from our immediate family.

We are doing this because God first loved us.  Because he gave his Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice so that we might live.  Because we have seen God work in our lives and in our midst transforming earth into heaven.

We are doing this because this is a great way for us to reach this community for Christ.  We are doing this because we want to share God’s love.  Because we want to be a church that loves other people, all people…

I ask that you pray for our church, our Vacation Bible School, and the men and women that are helping with VBS.  If you have the time and energy we would appreciate your help too.  May God Bless you,

Dustin McEwen

Pastor

Shallowater United Methodist Church

Here are the words that I was referring too.  I hope that you take the time to read them:

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2012/06/what-weve-been-up-to.html

Dustin McEwen

Pastor

Shallowater United Methodist Church

http://ericgeiger.com/2012/05/discipleship-more-than-information.php

Last night at a Lubbock District Meeting our District Superintendant asked, “If your church closed tomorrow, would anyone from the community miss it?”  The heart of what Richard was getting at was he knew that church members would miss being able to worship if their church closed, but would anyone else really miss it?

The first word and primary Greek verb in Matthew 28:19 is “GO.”  This ‘going’ means that we are literally to enter into this world and help—through the power of the Holy Spirit—bring about the kingdom of heaven to earth.  This kingdom of heaven means that people come into a kingdom where there is love, hope, joy, forgiveness, justice, equality, peace, and so much more.  If this was occurring lives would be transformed, right?

Do you think that Shallowater would miss our church if we were to close our doors?  Do you think that we are helping to bring about the kingdom of God onto earth as it is in heaven?  Do you think we are ‘going’ for God’s glory?

Pray that God gives us a passion and willingness to bring His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven!

Dustin McEwen

Pastor

Shallowater United Methodist Church

A few weeks ago I went to a leadership conference in Florida.  They asked one questiona few times and it really stuck in my mind.  It was, “Is Jesus Enough?”  For pastors, especially me, I tend to base my spiritual worth in things of the church like how many people were in church, how much people gave, where there any returning guests…etc…  If attendance/giving/guests are down then truthfully sometimes I get down too.

While church attendance may not be an emotional factor for you, many things in this world are: our job, finances, family, house, car, etc… We allow them all to dictate our attitudes and outlook on life.  At least I know I do…

However Paul is telling the church in Rome that since we have been justified through our faith in Jesus that we should be at peace with God.  If we are at peace with God then we should be at peace with the rest of the world right???

So today I want to ask you: Is Jesus Enough? Or do you have something or someone else in your life from whom you seem to seek your value?

Is Jesus enough for you?   I pray He is!

I hope to see you Sunday for Mother’s Day!!!

Grace and Peace,

Dustin McEwen

Pastor

Shallowater United Methodist Church