Martin's e-Note - Jan 8 Issue

Â

Introduction from Pastor Martin Dear Church Family, Although it's been good to have some time off, I've missed being at BUMC and look forward to worshipping with you this weekend.

The weekend message is "God's Advice to Restless People" based on Jeremiah 29:1-7. I hope to see you at one of our four weekend services.

Our financial team is still compiling our year-end numbers. The tentative report looks very encouraging. I'll give you more details in next week's e-note. Also, historically, a good number of our members make their pledges in January. We still hope to receive about one hundred more. Our finance committee is about to finalize the budget and this pledge information is crucial for that task. So if you have not yet turned in your pledge, please do so this week. You can make your pledge online by clicking here, or by calling or emailing Lisa Gray at 615.324.8201 or lgray@bumc.net.

When Rob announced he would be leaving as our Executive Director, it soon became apparent to me and to our Staff Parish Relations Committee that Leslie Hotzfeld was the perfect candidate for this key leadership position. Our entire staff and our lay leadership team are delighted to have Leslie as our new Executive Director. Please pray for her as she dives into this challenging and strategic role.

I've asked Leslie to write a guest e-note this week. Her message follows. I hope to see you this weekend and I'm looking forward to a fruitful 2013 with you.

In Christ's Love and Service,

Martin

Dear friends, I am so excited, and humbled, by the opportunity to serve as your Executive Director. Our family has been a part of this church for 22 years, and I have served on the staff for 16 of those years. During that time, I have come to know and love this church and many of you.

Rick and I have raised our two children, Wesley and Allie, in this church. We have been blessed with friendships we've made through involvement in Sunday school Leslie Hotzfeld classes, small groups, and Bible Executive Director studies. We have been transformed by participating in mission trips and other serving opportunities. We have learned about loving God and neighbor, and what it means to be a disciple of Christ, through our relationships and experiences at BUMC. For that, we are truly grateful.

Since my first opportunity to serve on staff at BUMC, working with our newcomer's class and Andrew Ministry, I have felt a strong calling from God to be here. Through the years, I have had many opportunities to learn about ministry, about the church, and about servant leadership, as I have served in different roles, from hospitality, to administration, to discipleship. I have learned so much while being in ministry with you.

Two pieces of scripture that have meant so much to me through the years speak about the community of faith, and God's plan for the church. "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well." (Romans 12:4 NLT) "He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:16 NLT) As writer Enuma Okoro puts it "When God calls us, God equips us with holy strength and human support."

As we 'do life' together here at Brentwood UMC, I know that God has much in store for us. If we are faithful in our words and deeds, and each do our own "special work" using the gifts God has given us, God will produce the fruit. There will be challenges ahead, and there will be blessings, too! I look forward to being in ministry with you as we learn, love and serve God together in this place.

In ministry together,

Leslie Â