Glen Mar Transitions

Our Transition Team has been doing a great job helping us through this time of multiple transitions. While I’ve been in ministry now for 40 years (28 of them at Glen Mar!), I have never before been so aware of the ways God provides for God’s people.

Our transition experience feels similar in many ways to the time the Hebrew people spent wandering in the wilderness between their escape from slavery in Egypt and their move into the promised land. But like theirs, our experience is characterized most by examples of God providing and the people learning to trust God–day by day–to provide for their needs.

I am so grateful for the way God is calling the right people to be in the right places at the right time to lead us through our time of transition. I’ve been grateful for members of the Strategic Planning Team–especially their chairperson Jeffrey Wetstone (who had no idea he was called to be a leader in the church until God raised him up through the encouragement of other members of the team.) I’ve been grateful for members of the transition team and their leaders Don Lee and Cel Beck, and for the Staff Parish Relations Team under the leadership of Patrick Wagner. None of these individuals were in these positions before January; but now God has raised them up at exactly the right time. God is good.

And God continues to call individuals into leadership at Glen Mar. Those who were in worship this past Sunday heard me announce that two persons will be joining our staff soon (another sign of God providing!). After a lengthy search, we are very grateful to welcome Ron Brown as our organist beginning August 1. Ron is well known in Howard County as the choral director at Atholton High School, where he has led award-winning singers for many years. Most recently, Ron has been organist and choir director at Simpson-Hamline United Methodist Church in Washington, DC. He brings many versatile gifts to our staff, and I am very grateful he will be joining us in August.

The second person who will join our staff in September is not a new face for many. I’m extremely pleased to announce that Ruth Bell will be rejoining our staff as Pastor for Caring Ministry. Ruth served Glen Mar previously in a similar role. She brings a background in nursing, having acquired a doctorate in nursing and taught nursing, and a warmth and sensitivity to the needs of all persons. Ruth, like Pastors Al and Mary, is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church.

As you know, Pastor Mary Dennis will be leaving our staff on June 30 in order to join the staff of the Baltimore Washington Conference, where she will help pastors and laity in churches in Western Maryland and West Virginia to grow disciples. Mary’s last Sunday with us will be June 24. On that day we will recognize her ministry in worship and honor her with a special reception in fellowship hall between services.

During Mary’s tenure with Glen Mar, her responsibilities grew extensively to the point where she was providing leadership to the areas of Caring, Mission, and Evangelism. In seeking to replace her, we felt it would be unwise to ask one individual to relate to so many different ministries. Instead, we will be adding part-time staff to focus on each. The addition of Ruth Bell is just the first step in this transition. I hope to be announcing other staff additions this summer.

Those who were in worship this past Sunday also noticed a new sidewalk leading to the upper entrance and new paint in the lobby and narthex areas. By Sunday, June 3, painting of the sanctuary should be completed. These are among the renovations and improvements undertaken by our “landlords” and owners of the building, Spirit of Faith Christian Community, as they prepare for their first worship service at this location on Saturday, June 16. Spirit of Faith will continue to worship on Saturday evenings, while Glen Mar will worship as usual on Sundays.

While this arrangement will likely bring a few “rough spots,” what a great opportunity to use a building to praise God in so many different ways at different times!

We can’t possibly foresee all we will encounter during this time of transition. But we can be assured that God will continue to provide. And, like the Hebrew people, we can learn through this time of transition to increasingly place our trust in the God who never fails to provide. God is good, all the time!

This entry was posted on May 31, 2007 at 12:23 pm and is filed under Pastors Ponderings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.